EMBEDDING LINKS IN YOUR EMAILS
Links, Links and More Links: The main job of your email is to motivate recipients to click through to your Web site. Hyperlinks in an ecommerce email should not be like in-store retail salespeople - there when you want to be left alone, but nowhere to be found when you need help and are ready to buy. Put text, image and navigation links throughout your email so that a customer literally can't go anywhere without tripping over a link.
_ Graphics: Consider using graphic images and buttons to draw recipients' attention. These images can visually convey things such as Free Shipping, Email Only Special, Buy Now and Limited Supply in combination with your copy.
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_ Subject Lines: Perhaps the easiest way to increase your ecommerce email revenue is by writing great subject lines. Not only do subject lines drive open rates, they also direct people like signs in a store window to specific merchandise once inside the store (or email). Learn from the most successful type of subject lines, such as: 10% off and Free Shipping on Brand X Gear. Utilize your key offers on your top selling products and brands when crafting subject lines. If your emails are more information-based rather than product-based, capitalize on the topic your readers would be most interested in for your subject line.
_ Offers: A key goal of your ecommerce program is to generate maximum revenue at the highest margins. Continuously offering large discounts and free shipping clearly drive transactions and revenue, but finding the optimum combination is the key to profitability. One approach is to entice your customers to take action using special email-only offers. Secondly, test different approaches in your subject line, whether free shipping, discounts, or something similar, to determine which approach drives the most revenue and has the best impact on your bottom line. Thirdly, personalize your offers to your customer segments. Loyal customers might receive free shipping on their next purchase above $100, whereas new or low-value customers might receive 10% off their first or next purchase.
_ Email Format/Versions: While we recommend that the core of your email program use the HTML format, it is important to also produce separate versions of your email in plain text and potentially Rich Text Format.
formats for AOL subscribers and others who cannot read HTML. Even if only 5% of your subscribers either cannot read HTML or prefer text, producing well-crafted text versions of your email can pay big dividends.
_ Push to Talk: Consider adding a "Push to Talk" feature to your email if you sell hard-to-fit clothing items or other products and services that benefit from personal contact. A "Push to Talk" feature enables a recipient to schedule a call back from your call center.