In December, UniformMarket News began a multi-part series entitled "Tools of the Trade," focusing on the various communication instruments used to attract and retain customers. Part 1 covered the basics of email marketing – what it is and why you should use it. In case you missed it, click here to read the article.

This month, we delve a bit deeper, exploring ways to make your emails more relevant, and thus, more likely to be opened. Getting to a person's inbox in one thing; having your message read and, hopefully, converted into a sale, is an entirely separate matter.

A word to last month's readers: if you recall reading that Part 2 would appear exclusively in Made to Measure, you are correct, that is indeed what we said. But since the subject is so important, and there is so much to say, email marketing will now span three parts of the series, with Part 3 appearing in Made to Measure this February.

Still Relevant, But One of Many

For years, marketers have used email to reach customers and prospects, citing its ease, quickness and effectiveness as a channel of communication. Never meant to replace other efforts, it is used as a marketing adjunct, a way to reach customers in an ever changing and hi-tech world.

And now that world is changing again. The advent of social networking, Twitter, Facebook and other sharing sites, have caused some to suggest that email is on the way out; articles on the topic appear frequently, including one oft-mentioned Wall Street Journal piece.

Yet news of its demise is premature. Online communication patterns are shifting, with customer preferences changing at rapid-fire pace, but email still plays a pivotal role, and is still the form most used to share information. "To say that email marketing is dead is to say the telephone or direct marketing is dead," says Dan Mendelson, president of Unitex Direct, a Michigan distributor specializing in security and law enforcement wear. "Marketing always reaches a new level of sophistication, but the old forms don't go away completely." You just need to offer the channel that best suits an individual's needs and preferences, and in the uniform industry, at least for now, that vehicle is email marketing.

Good First Impression with Subject Line

You never get a second chance to make a good first impression. It's a concept that rings true in a business that recognizes the link between clothing and perception. And it's an idea that also applies to email marketing. Done correctly, email not only boosts sales, but increases your reputation as an authority, as someone whose opinion is valued and trusted.

How do you accomplish this? By making your email content relevant. The body of your email, whether a letter, product information or newsletter, is the antithesis of the boilerplate press release or marketing form letter. Email is more personalized, tailored to a customer's or audiences' specific needs. More on making your content relevant later.

The greatest content will go unread, however, unless you get the recipient to open your email. To do this, you need a good first impression – a compelling subject line. "It's critical," says Mendelson. "It's the equivalent of opening an envelope – if it appears interesting or important you're likely to open it. Otherwise, it gets deleted."

When you write subject lines, you basically have 3 choices: You can make an announcement or give news; make the reader curious, or emphasize how the reader will benefit from opening your email.
 
Out of these 3 techniques, you will be most successful if you write subject lines that state a clear benefit and tell the reader exactly how he is going to save money, save time, or make his life easier, by opening and reading your email. Try including an offer: Like any other campaign, email marketing success soars when you provide a discount or offer in the subject line. If you set a time limit or expiration, your response grows even more. But make the offer realistic; "Uniform Business Offers 100% Commissions Up Front," sound too good to be true, and will be quickly routed to the trash.

Remember, the best subject lines are framed from the recipient's point of view. When writing one, ask yourself a simple question: "Would my customer want to read this?" If the answer is no, toss it and start again.

Avoiding Pitfalls: Do's and Don'ts

First rate email subject lines are descriptive and provide the reader with a reason to explore your message further. Here are some general do's and don'ts regarding subject lines:

In this particular instance, less is more. Subject lines should be short and to the point. It's easy to become overzealous, cramming in as much information as you can, but be forewarned: studies indicate that shorter subject lines are better, no more than 60 characters, including punctuation and spaces. To shorten your subject line, try to integrate colons and other punctuation to separate your thoughts. For example, turn "Uniform Business announces availability of Lunch & Learn workshops through February 28" to "Uniform Business: Lunch & Learn Workshops Through 2/28."

Avoid attempts to stand out in the inbox by using splashy phrases; this will invariably result in your email being ignored. Stay away from spam-triggering words like free, guaranteed, or approved. You should also avoid using unnecessary marks like exclamation points. Excessive symbols don't improve response, but instead diminish it.

You might, however, want to incorporate your company name into the subject line. By doing so, you promote and reinforce your brand, increase credibility, and let your readers know that your email is from a trustworthy source. Research also suggests that personalizing the subject line with the recipient's name boosts the open rate.

Using popular keywords or phrases like "how to," or "tips" is another great way to get your email opened, as long as you can back it up with a solution to the recipients' needs. For no matter what you think, good email marketing isn't about you; it's all about them.

Next, in Part 3: Effective Content, Measuring Results, and Service Providers – Read it in Made to Measure