Hi Boox Popular Magazine 2024
As we all know it’s tough in the business world now but one resource you can use cost-effectively could be right at your fingertips and that’s email. A recent study shows that email open rates have jumped by nearly five percent from the previous year and at the same time, unsubscribe rates are down, which means businesses are getting the hang of inbox engagement.
With many of us working from home, emails are a great way of reaching your customers. Anyone who has an email address will almost certainly have signed up to a newsletter or mailing list of some sort over the years. When done right, it’s a great way for consumers to stay connected with their favorite brands and services, as well as to get a heads up on any special offers or promotions at online stories they’ve purchased from in the past.
Email marketing has grown into an industry in its own right and in the UK the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations ensure that ‘spam’ is kept to a minimum. Any company that has earned the respect from its customers that they actively want regular email contact shouldn’t be squandering this precious opportunity to strengthen customer relations. But before you become keyboard warriors, did you know it’s not just what you say but what it looks like?
Here at Hiboox, we were fascinated by new research by 4imprint.co.uk which reveals what your font says about you and your business and discovered that almost three-quarters of workers (70 percent) insist HOW we write is as revealing as what we write.
In fact, three in ten (31 percent) of those polled said they make the first impression of someone based on their email font before they’ve even met them in person.
According to the new report by the UK’s leading promotional products retailer, people who use Arial are the most likely to be serious and professional (37 percent). People who fire off missives in Times New Roman are likely to be ‘traditional’ (14 percent), while those who opt for Century Gothic are more inclined to be academic and bookish (10 percent).
Pacifico users are adventurous and extroverted (20 percent) while individuals that opt for Rockwell are perceived as ambitious (10 percent). It seems that the font we use can make a lasting impression in the business world.
When it comes to business logos, this new study further emphasizes why typography matters, as almost half (48 percent) of those surveyed said that they wouldn’t buy a product or service from an organization that used italics in its marketing or logos. Nearly two thirds (63 percent) of respondents said that they wouldn’t read any form of literature if it was written using the Comic Sans MS font.
Data shows that over a third of marketing emails don’t look good on mobile and while actually getting users to open the email in the first place is a long-fought battle, it’s disappointing to learn that 1 in 2 consumers say that the marketing emails they receive are not well designed. Naturally, this doesn’t reflect well on the company in question and aside from any reputational dents, it could increase the risk of users unsubscribing altogether.
A lack of personalization from both ends of the inbox is one of the worst email mistakes you can make. Companies targeting young audiences should pay particular attention to poorly designed emails that could be costing you, customers, as 82% of 18-34-year-olds consider the email’s design that gets them most excited about reading its content.
In this age of big data, interactive apps, and live streaming, some organizations may now see email marketing as becoming a little old hat. However, the fact is many recipients don’t agree and continue to see it as a worthwhile way to receive marketing communications.
Two-thirds of us are viewing marketing emails on mobile devices these days with Android users reading marketing emails more often than their Apple counterparts, with more than half (54%) viewing these types of messages more than two or three days a week compared to those on Apple devices. So, ask yourself, is your message clear for those on the run? Even for those that aren’t reading content on mobile devices, your message should still cut through, as computers still play a great part with almost three quarters (73%) reading marketing emails on a Google Chrome browser.
There are many tried and tested ways to improve open rates of your marketing emails, from picking an engaging subject line to finding the best time to send it, although the actual design of it can be trickier.
It’s fascinating stuff and there’s also a few golden rules you need to use to maximize emails:
- Make sure they look as good on a mobile as a PC
- Make them bespoke, it’s all about personalization
- Choose the optimum time to send them based on when your customers are likely to be receptive (Tuesdays are a good bet)
- Make sure they don’t look or feel like spam
- Have something interesting to say
- Don’t use capitals and avoid unnecessary punctuation marks like exclamations
- Make sure you comply with GDPR so you don’t get hit with a fine or worse.
You should also apply the same principles when promoting your brand or business across other platforms and in wider marketing tactics as first impressions matter. Brand recognition is a key factor in achieving success in today’s fast-paced multi-channel environment, you only need to let the numbers above the sink in!
Getting your message and brand out there is key to getting vital customer recognition. Promotional products are one of the key marketing tactics any business can use to build brand recognition, even on a small budget and within tight deadlines.
Wider research reveals that people can recall a brand on a promotional product they received in the past 12 months. So for a speedy and efficient way to gain brand recognition, why not send promotional merchandise to follow up with those who look forward to opening and reading their emails!
