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The best way to get more opens

by Thesecret2marketing
24 replies
When you're sending out emails in your auto-responder to your list, whats the best way to get opens?

I have a list that doesn't seem to be very responsive. I want to know what I need to do to improve my open rates...
#auto-responder #email #opens
  • Profile picture of the author Christine Brady
    In a nutshell, the best way to get more opens is to give away something for free - that and a well crafted subject line will get your messages opened.

    But, there are so many underlying things that could be the problem - is it an old list? How often do you mail to them? What sorts of offers do you send? Do you always send out a message with a call to action?

    Anyway, I would start with a nice targeted freebie. See if that works.
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  • Profile picture of the author KaplanT4
    Send out emails consistently, in each email tell them to expect another one, give them a reason to look forward to the next one, give them what they need, make it quality, that's a few that come to mind right now.
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  • Profile picture of the author WF90te
    I agree that giving your list something free and valuable (preferably something they cannot get elsewhere or something they may have to pay to get in other places) will help. This will help your list build their trust in you. I think it is also important to use attention -grabbing titles in your emails.
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  • Profile picture of the author ejullya
    Hi Michael,

    I always try to give my list value. You can share your posts, great and helpful videos, etc. I am trying to build a relationship with my list, first. Sometimes, in my posts I will share my experience with a product that I am using.

    Intermittently, I will blast an offer if it is one that also serves me well.

    I am on quite a few lists myself. But I will always unsubscribe from a list that only promotes to me.

    Recently, I watched an amazing video that shows you a current way to treat your customers or potential customers. It is a great lesson. I am including the video below:

    Gary Vaynerchuk - Keynote Speech at Inc 500 Seminar 2011 - YouTube
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  • Profile picture of the author owenlee
    Before you promote anything, give them some valueable tips first...then in the next email promote your products
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  • Profile picture of the author Terry Kyle
    Originally Posted by Thesecret2marketing View Post

    When you're sending out emails in your auto-responder to your list, whats the best way to get opens?

    I have a list that doesn't seem to be very responsive. I want to know what I need to do to improve my open rates...
    Hi Michael,

    If your open rates are poor then your Subject lines are failing - start with those.

    Secondly, check which subscribers didn't open your last email broadcast and RE email them with a NEW Subject Line (and keep doing that) - here's how:

    http://sundayseo.net/ffkl33-sundayseo-june-17-2012/

    Thirdly, for important emails, run a small split test with a few different subject lines first before rolling out the whole list-wide broadcast.
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  • Profile picture of the author paul nicholls
    to get more opens all starts from how you build your list and how much value you
    provide from your free information

    the better you do this then the more people will want to open your emails

    that being said, you still need to use good subject lines

    when it comes to subject lines, you just have to test yourself to see what works best for you
    but there are general things that work well

    i have found that subject lines which create curiosity work like gangbusters

    for instance just recently i did a new blog post and sent en email to almost 2k people using the subject line of:

    "The $5 potato peeler method"

    it doesnt explain much but it sounds interesting and creates curiosity

    that subject line did very well

    another good one which worked well was:

    "Spent over $21,000, Ouch!"

    paul
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    • Profile picture of the author Wade32
      Originally Posted by paul nicholls View Post

      to get more opens all starts from how you build your list and how much value you
      provide from your free information

      that being said, you still need to use good subject lines

      when it comes to subject lines, you just have to test yourself to see what works best for you
      but there are general things that work well

      i have found that subject lines which create curiosity work like gangbusters
      Yup, getting more opens means bending someone's curiosity enough to make them want to open it. Catchy subject lines will work well.

      For example, I got an 80% open rate with this subject line the other day, and it can help you too, just use a variation of what you are trying to sell.

      "Make Money Online Today For FREE, Steps To Do To Make Money Today!"
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      • Profile picture of the author Lance K
        Try a variation of your the title you used for this thread.

        The best way to [get a result your audience is looking for]
        The #1 way to [get a result your audience is looking for]
        The 3 best ways to [get a result your audience is looking for]



        Also, pay attention to the subject lines of emails that you receive. Put the ones that get you to open their messages into a swipe file. Tweak them to fit your market and test them.
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  • Profile picture of the author adsassist
    What I'm noticing with my lists,

    It seems its how you build the list (where you get your traffic).

    I see a difference in giving a free e-book to everyone and giving it to people individually or small groups. Very targeted people that you build a relationship with.

    1 List : has all most a 100% opens

    2 List : has around 10% opens.

    The first list was with very targeted people.

    The second was with anyone I could find to take my e-book.

    Im starting to see that a connection/communication with your targeted customer is very important. If you talk to them and make that connection, doesn't matter what your email headline is. There going to open it as they have trust in the person sending it.

    A method that is working great for me is on all the social networks. Send out a personal message to people I want to be on my list.
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  • Profile picture of the author Zayne
    Hey there,

    I would say try a different promo method if you are straight up emailing them offers.

    For instance instead of sending them an email with an offer, send them to your blog for an interesting article related to the offer and sell it to them in your blog, that way they have a non threatening pathway (like "have a look at my newest post about xxx subject") to the "sales page" so to speak.

    Plus you get traffic to another site you own which is never a bad thing!

    Zayne
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    • Profile picture of the author superpayouts
      If all your looking for is an "open" rate then definitely play around with your email subject. Having done actual email marketing for numerous years back before the CAN-SPAM act, I can tell you that this is the single most overlooked part of the open rate. Your "FROM NAME" as well can dictate wether or not someone will open the email.

      Let's say your promoting an offer for weight loss, and your from name is "MakingMoney" what do you think the folks are going to think? Your only trying to sell them another weight loss program and will be immediately turned off and click on the "delete" button. So you would use a name that has to do with what you are offering. Another great method to use is to skim your spam box and go through it fairly quickly. You just want to take a quick glance, and see what grabs your attention immediately. This is a great way to pick up on stuff that in turn will also work on your end clients, if it worked on you it will surely grab their attention as well.

      Ultimately, you really have to do allot of testing and see what percentage of opens you get with what combination of subjects/from names. Once you've figured out which words work better then others you can use that to create new subjects that will attract attention by the receiver. Be aware, that sometimes TOO much information can actually hurt your open rates. Be vague, create interest and allot of curiosity. Arousing their curiosity is ultimately what will make them want to see what the heck is inside the email, so you know what happens next.

      If you are using Aweber, here's a video on how you can increase the open rate for your whole list and not have to mail the same person twice if they opened a previous email on a previous "broadcast". Check it out and hope it helps you!

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  • Profile picture of the author Raydal
    Originally Posted by Thesecret2marketing View Post

    When you're sending out emails in your auto-responder to your list, whats the best way to get opens?

    I have a list that doesn't seem to be very responsive. I want to know what I need to do to improve my open rates...
    If you want to boost your open rate instantly simply use the word
    "this" in the subject line.

    "This" is the most powerful word to be used in an email subject
    line to boost open rates.

    -Ray Edwards
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    • Profile picture of the author adsassist
      Originally Posted by Raydal View Post

      If you want to boost your open rate instantly simply use the word
      "this" in the subject line.

      "This" is the most powerful word to be used in an email subject
      line to boost open rates.

      -Ray Edwards
      Thanks I did not know this.

      The simple things like this you have to remember.
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  • Profile picture of the author John Atkins
    Subscribe to the lists of famous internet marketers and you should
    get plenty of ideas for good subject lines. Remember though,
    open rates aren't everything. Do not use misleading titles to
    get your subscribers to open their e-mail. You'll end up losing
    them.
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  • Profile picture of the author MarketingMinded
    1. Attractive Subject Lines
    2. Conditioning (Consistency In Send Frequency)
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  • Profile picture of the author intergen
    Split test subject lines every time you do an email drop.
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  • Profile picture of the author Justin Spencer
    Originally Posted by Thesecret2marketing View Post

    When you're sending out emails in your auto-responder to your list, whats the best way to get opens?

    I have a list that doesn't seem to be very responsive. I want to know what I need to do to improve my open rates...
    Ask them a burning question.

    Example Subject lines:

    First-name, Did you Do that?
    First-name, Why Would You Do that to me?
    First-name, I Stole this from you.

    (their attention - You put explanations in the body of course).

    First-name, You're Weird If You Don't Do This.
    First-name, Why Try. Just Give Up.

    (Email - body - SIKE! ...)

    People respond to negativity and stuff related to them directly a lot more.

    Take that angle and mix it with authenticity and your open rate will explode.

    Toodles,

    Justin.
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  • Profile picture of the author George Lee
    Write an email subject line just like you would a headline (same principles apply).

    Make sure that each email that you send delivers great and valuable content to the reader. It should be something that they would be happy to pay money for.

    Avoid words that can land your email in spam filters. Check this list Words and Phrases that Trigger Some Spam Filters | Web Marketing Today | Strategies for growth
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  • Profile picture of the author icoachu
    Send stuff worth opening. Works for me. Peak rate of 23% opens. Study your titles and repeat or build on those that have the highest open rates.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      These conversations really sometimes take my breath away.

      I honestly find it astonishing that people can have an internet marketing business in which they attract subscribers by whatever their marketing methods are, opt them in, send them emails, more than three quarters of their own subscribers don't even open their emails(?!) and they regard that as a good result, and evidential that what they're doing must be "working".

      No criticism of anyone intended, but I admit that, to me, that would actually feel like a fairly unmitigated disaster.

      Continuity is everything: http://www.warriorforum.com/main-int...ml#post6123982
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  • Profile picture of the author thinkoutthebox
    The first impression you made to acquire someone's attention is frankly one of the things you are going to have to keep on doing to keep there attention

    To get your subscribers to open:

    First give them exactly what you
    offered them in the first place to
    subscribe to your list

    Secondly, the subject should focus
    on curiousity openings and more of
    the tone in what you gave them in
    the first place

    If you sell shiny objects

    Subject lines like:

    "3,456 views from just 1 post"

    would probably fare of better
    than

    "8 hour plan of how to get traffic"

    But what am I to know, I despise
    shiny objects and never have spun
    nor been attracted to things that
    seem easy

    That is why you have to test

    Go away note:

    Message your subscribers with
    things highly relevant to what
    you sent them in the first place

    See who opens and segment them

    The ones that do not open, I do
    not think its a good idea to start
    sending them something in a msg
    completely different - i think it is
    much better to follow up with
    messages that are more relevant

    Try short messages

    Try messages that have more
    content in

    Try messages that have video
    images (Yes that means make a
    video)

    Try subject lines that start with
    there first name

    Try hopping onto what is going
    on in and around the world as
    a subject line

    And here is a great site i have
    never shared

    Its whole purpose is to get its
    traffic to feel intrigued to click
    a link on there site

    There traffic is predominately

    18 - 24 so that means you
    really have to say something
    in a short space that grabs a kids
    attention

    Visit Google, copy and paste this:

    site:fem.mgid.com/

    into the search engine.

    Hope this helps
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  • Profile picture of the author srsbykhry
    Banned
    [DELETED]
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    • Profile picture of the author Daniel Evans
      If you've spent enough time creating a positive relationship with your list your name alone should compel them to open.

      If you are still in the process of creating a relationship offer something for free "as a gift", "as a favor" (email titles) to give them a feeling of importance for being on your list ensuring what you give to them holds a good amount of value.

      It need be nothing more than a quick video - or a small series of them in your autoresponder.

      Daniel
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