Category Archives: Email Writing

January 19, 2023 · 12:54 pm

10 Email Marketing Terms Small Business Owners Should Know

Chances are, you get a high volume of marketing emails in your inbox each and every day. These emails may take different forms, from promotional offers to monthly newsletters, which hints at the breadth and diversity of email marketing as a discipline.

Indeed, email marketing is much more complicated than it might first seem, providing a range of strategic options for marketers and small business owners to choose from. A good first step, particularly for those who are new to email marketing, is to become more familiar with some of the basic terminology.

Email Marketing: 10 Terms Every Business Owner Needs to Know

Here are just a few of the terms and concepts we’d consider to be essential for properly understanding email marketing.

  1. A/B testing. The premise of A/B testing is pretty simple: You develop two unique versions of your marketing message (perhaps experimenting with different copywriting, different subject lines, images, and/or calls to action) and send each to a different segment of your audience. You then analyze the data from each campaign, determining which version of the email was more effective.
  2. Acceptance rate. The acceptance rate refers to the percentage of your emails that actually reach your audience’s inboxes (as opposed to getting shut down by spam filters, or bouncing back for any other reason). A high acceptance rate is obviously good, but keep in mind that it’s no guarantee of the email being opened, read, or even ending up in the user’s primary inbox.
  3. Click-through-rate. Most of the time, your emails are going to include a call to action, inviting the reader to visit your website, read a blog, or browse a product page. The click-through-rate, or CTR, refers to the number of readers who actually take this action, opening one of the links you’ve provided them. As such, it denotes a high level of engagement with your email.
  4. Conversion rate. The conversion rate is similar to the CTR, denoting the number of readers who take a desired action. This may be clicking a link, but it may also be calling your business to set up an appointment, or simply subscribing to receive further email correspondence. Proper A/B testing can be an effective way to improve your conversion rate!
  5. Hard bounce. A hard bounce means your emails cannot be delivered to the address in question, usually due to a technical issue (e.g., you got the email address wrong, or the address is no longer operational). A hard bounce can result in your emails getting flagged as spam, and it’s just generally a sign of inefficiency, so we recommend doing whatever you can to maintain an accurate and up-to-date subscriber list, pruning or correcting the addresses that result in a bounce.
  6. Landing page. Often, the best email marketing strategy is to send readers to a landing page, which is highly targeted to convert. A landing page will usually focus very narrowly on one product or service that you offer and will include several strong CTAs. Effective landing pages are essential to any email marketing strategy.
  7. Lead nurturing. The process of lead nurturing involves carefully building a long-term relationship with a potential customer, ultimately turning them into a sales lead. Email marketing is a good way to nurture leads, as you can provide enriching or educational content before transitioning into more of a “hard sell.”
  8. List segmentation. Just because you have 1,000 people on your email marketing list, it doesn’t mean you should send every message to the entire list. You may wish to break down your list into individual segments, based on interests or demographics, so that you can tailor your messaging accordingly. For example, you may have a list for leads and another list for loyal customers. At Grammar Chic, we might send some emails to content marketing clients, and others to resume writing clients.
  9. Open rate. The open rate denotes the percentage of people who actually open (and presumably read, or at least skim) your email message. An opener rate is a very good indication of your overall engagement level, and also attests to the quality of your subject line.
  10. Spam. Also known as junk mail, spam denotes unwanted emails that seldom make it into the user’s primary inbox. To avoid your emails getting labeled as spam, it’s critical to provide real value and high-quality content. Also make sure you’re judicious in how many emails you send. A/B testing and list segmentation are both important ways to avoid having your emails flagged as spam.

Go Deeper into Small Business Marketing

Looking to revamp your business’ email marketing campaign? Reach out to Grammar Chic today to learn more about our content and email marketing. Contact us at www.grammarchic.net, or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Email Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

May 18, 2022 · 12:25 pm

6 Tips on How to Proofread Emails

Email has become a common form of communication in both our business and personal lives. Technology has made sending an email as easy as picking up your smartphone, meaning you can send messages anywhere, anytime. But before you hammer out a quick response or reach out to a client, it is essential to proofread what you have written.

A seemingly small mistake can make a big difference. Dropping, adding, or changing one letter can create a completely different word and change the meaning of your sentence. Getting a time or place wrong can mean the recipient misses out on a meeting or event. And spelling someone’s name incorrectly can convey carelessness and lack of attention to detail. Taking a few minutes to proofread your emails before hitting send can keep you from making silly mistakes.

  1. Use Spell Check and Grammar Check Tools. Many email and word processing programs have proofreading software built in. You can also use an external program to check for errors. While these tools are not foolproof and do not catch 100% of mistakes (especially if everything is spelled correctly but you use the wrong word), they can be a great place to start.
  2. Read It Aloud. Read back what you wrote out loud and listen for any mistakes, missing words, or confusing sentences. Make sure that the tone is appropriate, and you are not coming off as stuffy or hostile. At the same time, you don’t want your message to be too informal either.
  3. Wait Before Sending. Don’t immediately hit send once you are done writing. Take a break and come back with fresh eyes. Work on a different task for a few minutes to change your train of thought, then come back and reread the email to catch any confusing or unclear phrases.
  4. Double-Check Important Details. Review any names, dates, times, locations, or other essential detail to verify that they are correct. Don’t rely on just your memory. If you are sending an attachment, make sure that not only is it included, but it is the correct file.
  5. Keep It Simple. No one wants to waste time reading an excessively long email or trying to decipher your message. Keep things short and simple. Avoid using fancy words or technical jargon for the sake of sounding more impressive. Use language the reader will easily understand and cut unnecessary words or sentences that don’t add value.
  6. Ask for Help. When it comes to important emails, have another person read them before you hit send. You know what you are trying to say, so it can be easy to overlook mistakes or assume the meaning is clear. Asking someone else to proof your message can provide a different perspective and catch errors you may have missed.

Don’t let your message get overshadowed by confusing wording or spelling/grammar mistakes. Make sure you have a polished, professional email that effectively conveys important information. Reach out to Grammar Chic for proofreading help and feel confident pressing send. Connect with us at www.grammarchic.net or by calling (803) 831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Email Writing

Tagged as , , , , , ,

October 24, 2019 · 2:16 pm

4 Ways to Make Your Black Friday & Cyber Monday Emails Stand Out

Is it too soon to talk about the holiday shopping season?

Not if you work in advertising, marketing, or digital commerce. After all, Black Friday and Cyber Monday— two of the biggest shopping days of the year— will be here before you know it. The time to prepare is now.

In this post, we’re going to offer some email marketing tips. You’re certainly going to want to take advantage of these prime time shopping days, sending emails to your customers and clients and stimulating some interest in current products, specials, and holiday promotions.

But here’s the thing: You’re not going to be the only one to have this great idea. All your competitors are going to be sending Black Friday/Cyber Monday emails, as well, and your customers will be deluged. The question is, how can you make your emails stand out?

We’ve got a few simple suggestions.

How to Differentiate Your Holiday Emails

Send a Teaser

First, note that you don’t have to wait until the big day to hit SEND on your marketing email.

In fact, there’s plenty of evidence to show that sending a teaser or two, a few weeks before Black Friday, can actually be really helpful.

You can send your teaser email any time now, really, letting your readers know to watch their inboxes for BIG sales and promotions.

This can increase the odds that your actual email gets opened when the time comes. And, it can give your customers and clients a reason to stay subscribed!

Emphasize Urgency

Another suggestion? Underscore the urgency of your promotions and offers. Let your readers know that they need to act now to take full advantage of your offer. Some examples of this:

  • 24-HOUR FLASH SALE!
  • One day only to save 25 percent!
  • LAST HOUR of our Cyber Monday sale!
  • Order today to ensure Christmas delivery!
  • FREE SHIPPING if you order by December 1.

Make it clear to your recipients that they can’t afford to set your email aside for later.

Extend Your Offer

Cyber Monday and Black Friday can be stressful days, even for the most seasoned shoppers. It’s not unusual for people to simply forget certain offers.

One thing you might consider is offering an extension. Send an email a day or two after Cyber Monday and tell readers you have a special surprise for them; by popular demand, you’ve decided to extend your sale or promotion for another week, etc.

Define Your Differences

Another strategy we recommend: Use your emails to outline the things that make your business different.

You’re probably not the only company to offer a particular product or service, but maybe you are the only company to offer free shipping, or moneyback-guaranteed satisfaction, or expert installation, or a 24/7 support line, or whatever else.

Make these differences clear! Give shoppers a reason to choose you over the competition.

Start Planning Your Holiday Marketing Efforts TODAY

The bottom line: Some of us are still trying to decide what we’re going to be for Halloween this year… but remember, the holiday shopping season always arrives sooner than you think. Don’t be caught off-guard. Start planning your email marketing strategy today.

Our team can help. Reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. if you’d like to chat. Hit us up at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Content Marketing, Email Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

May 20, 2019 · 4:47 pm

How to Make Your Boring Industry Really Interesting

At Grammar Chic, Inc., we truly believe that content marketing can deliver meaningful results for any company, in any industry.

But some may have to work a little bit harder for it than others.

Simply put, some industries more naturally lend themselves to fresh, exciting, compelling content. But what happens if you sell annuities?  What happens if you prepare tax returns? What happens if you’re an estate planning lawyer? We’re not saying these things are unimportant! We’re just saying they may not seem as flashy or as exciting to the average reader.

It may cause you to wonder what can be done to turn your “boring” line of work into really rich, persuasive content—content that people will actually want to read.

Here’s our advice.

Always Be Helpful

A good rule of thumb: If your content is helpful, someone out there’s going to find it interesting.

Take our example of an estate planning attorney. You may write a blog post about how to draft a will; when a living trust is necessary; or how to choose guardians for your children.

Those topics may not jump off the page, and sure, some may say they’re unglamorous. But people want to know those things. They need to know those things. And if you can provide that information in a clear and actionable way, there will be readers who find great value in it—

period.

Maybe the best advice here is to change your way of thinking: If you can’t make your content exciting, just make sure that it helps someone.

Write Without Jargon

One thing that can stand between you and an engaged readership is reliance on industry jargon.

We see this a lot when working with insurance companies, who trot out a bunch of words and phrases that may be foreign to the layperson. Of course, that’s the quickest way to get eyes to glaze over!

Don’t think (or write) in terms of industry buzzwords. Instead, come at it from the customer’s point of view. What are their pain points? What answers do they seek? And how can your company benefit from them? Focus on those things, with as much clarity as you can.

Inject Some Personality

Your business may be boring—or at least, that may be how people perceive it.

But you’re not boring!

Feel free to inject some personality, even humor, into your content. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make your content come alive.

This might mean throwing in some personal anecdotes, some gentle self-deprecation, or even some specific examples from past clients (ensuring you keep things anonymous, of course).

Another strategy is to draw connections to shows, movies, or other pop culture reference points that might mean something to you. Remember our posts invoking Mad Men and The Walking Dead?

Get Help from the Pros

It’s frustrating to feel like your industry is just a dead space for compelling content—but we honestly believe that any field can be made enticing, or at the very least valuable, to the reader.

We’d love to show you how. Reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. to schedule a content consultation today. You can reach us at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

2 Comments

Filed under Blog Writing, Brand Management, Business Writing, Content Marketing, Content Writing, Email Writing, Social Media, Web Content

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

April 23, 2019 · 4:56 pm

4 Ways the Right Content Can Fuel Business Growth

To achieve consistent growth at your company, everything needs to be firing on all cylinders—your sales team, your marketing department, your business development crew, you name it. Everyone needs to be doing their part, leveraging resources and expertise to move the ball forward.

Content marketing is very much a part of that equation. When wielded strategically, content can actually be fuel for your business growth—helping turn leads into conversions and one-time customers into repeat clients.

A few types of content can be especially helpful in this regard. Here are our recommendations.

4 Types of Content That Can Help Your Business Grow

  1. Product and service descriptions.

Whether you have an e-commerce clothing boutique or an all-purpose plumbing company, it’s important to devote some website real estate to describing what it is you do—and how your customers stand to benefit. Remember, online shoppers can’t pick up, examine, or try on your products and services, so you need Web copy that makes them feel like they have. Be descriptive enough to help customers feel confident that they know what they’re getting into, and focus on the benefit to the end user—what’s in it for them when they buy.

  1. Landing pages.

Imagine this scenario. A potential customer sees a PPC ad for your law firm’s estate planning services. They click it, and it takes them to your firm’s home page—where there’s no explicit mention of estate planning. That may be frustrating, and your lead may decide it’s not worth their trouble to poke around your site to find what they’re looking for. The long and short of it is, it’s valuable to have dedicated landing pages for each service/product you have, ensuring that you can always send leads to somewhere that specifically addresses what they’re looking for.

  1. Emails.

Don’t ignore the power of email marketing—still the most effective way to directly connect with your customers past and present. Whether you put together a monthly newsletter or a weekly e-blast, take the time to think through your content (including subject lines) to make sure you’re offering value. When leveraged correctly, email marketing can build brand awareness and loyalty, and turn some of those one-time customers into follow-up buyers.

  1. Google My Business listing.

Has your company signed up for a free Google My Business listing? It’s worth doing, as it can help you achieve greater visibility among local search engine users. And that positive SEO impact is compounded when you take the time to write compelling, keyword-optimized descriptions of your business. All of this is just to say that GMB is an invaluable but oft-overlooked content deployment opportunity, and it can play a big role in helping you connect with local customers.

Do You Have the Content You Need?

Chances abound for you to use content in a way that leads to business growth—and the Grammar Chic, Inc. team is standing ready to help you make the most of them. Reach out today and let’s talk together about a sound content strategy for your company! Connect with us at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

Leave a comment

Filed under Blog Writing, Business Writing, Content Marketing, Content Writing, Email Writing, Social Media, Web Content

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 24, 2018 · 12:22 pm

5 Ways to Turn Email Subscribers into Customers

There’s much you can accomplish through email marketing—driving traffic to your website, creating engagement with your blog posts, and simply building brand awareness.

But of course, the ultimate goal is to boost your sales—and with the right strategy, you can turn your email list subscribers into paying customers.

Actually, there are a number of ways to do so. Here are five strategies to consider.

Turning Subscribers into Customers

Abandoned Cart Emails

If you have any experience in ecommerce, you know all about abandoned carts. Sometimes, a customer will like a product enough to throw it into their proverbial buggy, but they end up leaving the page before they complete their transaction—for whatever reason.

With email marketing, you can gently remind these folks to go back and close out their purchase. Your message doesn’t have to be sophisticated. Something on the level of hey, remember this? can work just fine.

Discount and Sale Emails

An obvious one: If you’re running a discount or a sale to help move a particular product, make sure you let your email subscribers know about it. Sometimes, this is all the nudge people need to complete a purchase.

A twist on this strategy: Provide some discounts or coupon codes that are only available to email subscribers, helping the members of your list see the value, and feel like they are part of a special club.

Cross-Sale Emails

Email marketing can also be a good platform to cross-sell or to upsell—basically, encouraging customers who’ve just bought one product or service to consider something related, or auxiliary.

Did someone just buy an electric toothbrush from your store? Send them an email and let them know that you also sell electric toothbrush replacement heads, toothpaste, mouthwash, and other assorted dental products.

Trial Upgrade Emails

Do you offer free trials for your products? This can sometimes be a smart way to get people interested in what you have to offer.

As the trial ends, though, make sure you send an email to let the customer know it—and to encourage that customer to sign on for extended service.

Demo Follow-Up Emails

A similar idea: Say your sales team provides a client with a personal demo of a high-end product. Make sure to send a follow-up email, inviting that person to complete a purchase or to contact you with any lingering questions.

Using Email to Close Sales

When leveraged correctly, your email list can be a powerful tool for generating conversions. We’d love to show you some additional email marketing strategies; reach out to the marketing professionals at Grammar Chic, Inc. to learn more about our services in email strategy, content creation, and more.

Contact Grammar Chic at 803-831-7444 or www.grammarchic.net.

Leave a comment

Filed under Email Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

May 9, 2018 · 3:01 pm

3 Easy Ways to Make Your Marketing Emails Highly Effective

 

Email marketing has long been the crown jewel of digital marketing; for all the advances we’ve seen in social media and targeted ad-buying, email is still the most effective way to reach out directly to consumers. It’s no surprise, then, that so many marketers still say email marketing is their top priority, their secret weapon.

But maybe you don’t see what all the fuss is about. Maybe your own email marketing efforts don’t yield those strong results. No worries: With a few simple tweaks, you can discover what makes email marketing such a gamechanger. Here are a few suggestions that are easy to implement and can make a huge difference in your email marketing ROI.

Think About Mobile

Statistics show that mobile devices have overtaken desktop computers in terms of overall Web use—and that certainly includes email. Just ask yourself: How often do you receive and read emails on your mobile device? Chances are, quite often. So, the emails you send should be optimized with mobile users in mind.

Some specific recommendations:

  • Keep it short! All your content—from the subject line to the body of the email—will appear much longer on the mobile screen, simply because the screen itself is narrower. Keep subject lines to six or seven words, if possible, and your body content to around 100.
  • Be careful with the images you use. Think about how they’ll look on mobile screens, especially when the phone is held vertically.
  • Ensure that all your CTAs are easy to tap! Big buttons are ideal.

Think About Timing

Another important email marketing consideration is when you send your messages. There are specific times that occasionally work better; the members of your target audience are more likely to read the emails they receive at certain junctures in their day. The tough part is figuring out when those prime times are.

Some tips:

  • Look at your campaign data. Experiment with some different sending times and see if you can identify a correlation between send time and open rates.
  • Also bear in mind your buyer personas. Walk yourself through a day in the life of your target consumer and think about when you would be most likely to open and read an email.

Think About Your Audience

The value of email marketing is that it allows you to send the right message to the right people—but of course, this is contingent on you segmenting your email list properly. When we talk about email segmenting, we simply mean dividing your list into different groups, allowing you to match your message to your recipients. (For example, Grammar Chic, Inc. has marketing and copywriting clients, and we have resume clients—two discreet groups with different interests, and thus, two distinct groups for email marketing messaging.)

There can be some overlap between segments, and you probably want to refine and revise your segments over time. The important thing is to ensure that the content you deliver matches the interests of your recipients, as well as their location in the sales funnel.

As you think about content creation, as well as big-picture email marketing strategy, we invite you to keep Grammar Chic in mind. Not only do our marketing professionals offer full content development services, but we can also work with you to put an email strategy in place—ensuring you get real results from your email list.

Schedule a consultation with our team today. Reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.

3 Comments

Filed under Content Marketing, Email Writing, Social Media

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

March 1, 2018 · 11:17 am

Nobody’s Opening Your Marketing Emails. Here’s Why.

Email marketing is growing in its popularity and in its prevalence—but that doesn’t necessarily mean that marketers know what they’re doing. It’s as possible as ever to sink a lot of money into an email marketing campaign and get nothing out of it whatsoever.

This can happen for a few different reasons—poor tracking and lead capturing, unclear goals, or email content that doesn’t deliver any benefit to the reader. An even more fundamental and common problem is that marketing emails never get opened in the first place, either winding up in spam folders or in the trashcan.

Of course, a marketing email that’s never opened is a total waste of your ad dollars—so if you find that your open rate is criminally low, it’s good to ask yourself why that might be.

Here are some of the most common reasons.

Mysterious Subject Lines

Have you ever received an email from an unknown sender with a vague or cryptic subject line, and opened it out of pure curiosity? Probably not. Most of us only take the time to open emails when we know there’s something inside that we need to see. Your email’s subject lines should promise clear value; they should spell out what the email is about and why readers should care. A mysterious subject line is almost never a good one.

Wasting Space and Wasting Time

Do you reveal your business name in the sender line, the subject line, and then the opening sentence of each email you send? That’s redundant; it’s a waste of space; and, most critically, it’s a waste of your reader’s time. People don’t have a lot of time to read emails that don’t offer immediate value, so use your space wisely. Avoid vain repetition.

All About You

We’re constantly seeing emails with an opening sentence like this: “I wanted you to be the first to know about the new business I’m launching.” Or: “We have a new e-book on the way, and I wanted you to be the first to hear about it.” Look: Nobody really cares what you want. Your email readers want to know what’s in it for them. Marketing emails should focus on benefits, benefits, and benefits—period. Get to those benefits right away.

Names in Subject Lines

Have you ever received an email with your name in the subject line? If not, it’s because such emails have all ended up in your spam folder. Because only spammers use this tactic. Again, don’t waste space in your subject line with things your reader already knows. Get straight to the point, and to the value.

Write Emails That Get Read—and Get Results

Value-focused subject lines are an important start if you want your marketing emails to be read—and our team can help you create them. Grammar Chic, Inc. offers a full range of email marketing services, from content development to execution to tracking and reports. We’d love to talk with you about the value we can offer. Contact us today to schedule a consultation: 803-831-7444 or www.grammarchic.net.

 

Leave a comment

Filed under Business Writing, Email Writing, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , ,