Many years ago, Mark Zuckerberg was quoted for famously stating that he believed “a modern messaging system wasn’t going to be email.” At the time, marketers everywhere were both shocked and intrigued by what Mark was predicting. We all held our collective breath. Could this be true? Was email dead? Fast forward several years later from that fateful statement, and the answer has been — perhaps in the future, but not quite yet.
According to a recent article by HubSpot, nearly “64% of small businesses use email marketing to reach their customers. In fact, email generates $42 for every $1 spent, which is an astounding 4,200% ROI, making it one of the most effective marketing options available.”* Those are impressive numbers. Especially for businesses trying to make every campaign count. Bottom line, for now, email is still a powerful and profitable way to grow business. So, we are sharing five elements every great email has.
1. SUBJECT LINES AND PRE-HEADERS ARE EVERYTHING
When creating emails that count, it’s easy to get caught up in the content of an email’s main body. However, it’s your subject line and pre-header that carry the most weight. No one is going to see the incredible offers you have within if they don’t get past your opener.
2. THE MAIN BODY: MAKE IT ALL ABOUT THEM
The main body of your email needs to speak to your audience authentically. Ask yourself, are you using the right tone? Are you delivering on the expectations your reader has for opening the email in the first place? It should! Yes, you have a message to express, but if you don’t make the content and the messaging all about your customer, it will fall on deaf ears.
3. WITHOUT SAYING A WORD, IMAGERY TELLS ALL
Like the headline, images are a critical element of any great email. Using best practices means using brevity in the copy and showcasing imagery that allows your email to be dynamic and easily scannable.
4. CALLS TO ACTION: RIGHT THIS WAY!
Your email has a purpose (i.e., insert goal here). That goal needs to include a call to action — the thing you want readers to do in response to the perfect email you’ve worked so hard to craft. Do you want them to subscribe to your growing newsletter list? (Read 3 Benefits of Sending a Monthly Newsletter Here.) If you have nowhere for your customers to go, then they likely will have no option but to quickly move on from your email.
5. WRAP IT UP
Finally, your email needs a closer. The closing of an email contains all the other helpful information, such as links to your social channels. Closing elements wrap up a well-thought-out email.
Whether or not Mark’s email forecasting comes to fruition remains to be seen. Until then, through email, businesses have a solid avenue for reaching customers and growing revenue. And incorporating essential email elements like masterful headlines and brilliant imagery, can take your email game to another level.
*Kirsch, Katrina. “The Ultimate List of Email Marketing Stats for 2021.” HubSpot Blog, 13 Aug. 2021, https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/email-marketing-stats.
