Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3

Who doesn't want their emails to make a splash? Unless you're an email savant, however, you might debate about what to send. While you can take chances, an easier and more effective method is to ask your audience. And although you can, and should, outright ask your subscribers what they want in the form of preference centers, this won't help you with the little details that can make or break an individual campaign. For help with the little things, start performing split tests with your emails. Where to startIf you're beginning to get into testing and want to know where to start, look to these five areas: 1. From Address: Very few businesses give any thought into testing the from address, even though it's the first thing subscribers look at when deciding whether to open an email. There's no perfect type of from address to use, so consider testing options like a branded from address (your company name or product), an actual name of a person (somewhat typical for B-to-B emails, but this can backfire, which is why we're testing) or maybe a unique name for your newsletter. Some brands do a combination of personal name and brand name to boost opens. 2. Subject Lines: Small but impactful, subject lines are the first hurdle your email must pass in its journey to deliver marketing value. Unless your subject line can engage the subscriber to click, your copy, design and offers won't get a chance to have an impact. Assuming you have a control whose performance you can predict, craft your second subject line to work off what you already have. The most effective split tests of subject lines compare two similar subject lines, so stick to small (but important) alterations. Try changing one or two words or rearranging the construction of your sentence to present key information in opposing orders. Will your subscribers be more enticed by a "Free tote bag for the summer" or a "Complimentary summer tote bag?" Test and find out. 3. Copy: Are your subscribers interested in your emails or put off by the first sentence? Making your email copy appealing is crucial, not only to getting your subscribers engaged with that message, but having one poor experience with your email will factor into subscribers’ decisions to interact with future messages. Test out different lengths, tones and content to see what your subscribers value. Do they prefer a long message detailing all your new summer releases, or just a few highlights? 4. Design: The second major component of your email's impact is visual — i.e., the layout. Are you crafting it to effectively direct users to engage with your brand? Split test with different pictures, formats or even dimensions. Furthermore, try switching around your image and copy placements to find out what's more visually appealing to your subscribers. 5. Timing: When are your subscribers most receptive to your messages? Are they early email birds or do they look through their promotional emails to de-stress at the end of the day? Try sending your content at different times of the day as well as different days of the week. And remember to segment. The only certainty when you begin exploring user preferences is that they'll be different. Lastly, remember that nothing, not even a clear-cut test outcome, is set in stone. Testing is only effective if you're constantly reaffirming your results. Tactics that were popular today might not be effective next year, or even next month. The more insight you gather, the more targeted you can make your messages and the more engagement, action and revenue you can drive from your email program. Tom Sather is senior director of email research at Return Path, an email marketing solution that helps brands to improve deliverability and ROI.

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Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3

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