Most of us already receive more emails on a daily basis than we can comfortably handle – a fair chunk of which are marketing messages which are easier just to ignore, am I right?
Does that mean that sending email campaigns to your guests is a waste of your precious resources and time? Of course not!
If you want to break through the clutter in your guests’ inboxes and maximise your open rate, a strong subject line is crucial.
Today, we’re going to look at three powerful subject line tips to drive more opens, click-throughs and bookings.
1. Provoke urgency
Research by the Email Institute reveals that email subject lines that inspire a sense of urgency benefit from up to 22% more opens.
It’s a marketing no-brainer based on that universal anxiety known as FOMO (fear of missing out.) When your guests feel a sense of urgency, they are compelled to book and book quick to avoid losing out on a great deal.
You can provoke a sense of urgency by offering a limited timescale to take advantage of a great offer or limited quantities of a popular package or free gift. Remember if you’re using this tactic that timescale is everything – if the promotional deadline is too far in advance your guests will have no motivation to act quickly.
Studies have shown that featuring the word “tomorrow” in your email subject lines can increase open rates by as much as 10% - stats which suggest reaching out to your guests 24 hours in advance of a limited offer deadline is worth experimenting with.
As always, don’t forget to run A/B tests to find the urgency-inspiring formula that resonates best with your particular audience.
2. Get personal
Addressing guests by their first name in the subject line of your emails will make it seem like you’re reaching out with an offer that’s exclusively theirs.
It’s an easy trick that really works, with personalized emails generating six times higher transaction rates but it’s often overlooked.
3. Offer something for free (but avoid the word “free)
There’s virtually nobody out there who doesn’t appreciate a free gift. The problem is using the word “free” is a good way to get your carefully crafted messages sent straight to your guests’ spam folders.
Avoid this pitfall by getting creative with your wording. Be specific. How much exactly does your fantastic offer save guests?
Eg. “Save 20% on our Executive Suite – Ends Tomorrow!”
You’ll dodge spam filters, and get your guests excited to open.
Before you launch your next email campaign, take time to evaluate data from previous mail outs. What worked? Which tactics seemed to fall flat? Don’t be downhearted by mediocre results; you’ll soon surpass these figures using the tips in this post.
How do you use your email subject lines to maximise your open rate? Let us know in the comments below!
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- 5 Simple Email Marketing Resolutions For 2017
- 6 Simple and Powerful Tactics To Boost Email Click-Through Rates
- Check These 5 Things Before Hitting 'Send' On Your Hotel's Next Email Marketing Campaign
