Email is one of the most common ways businesses communicate with customers and prospects, but simply sending an email does not mean it will be successful. To be effective it has to earn the open, the read, and the reply. According to Statista, in the U.S. an estimated 9.8 billion emails are sent each day. So how can you stand out in all that noise?

Here we are going to dive into the five steps to creating an email that generates a response rather than simply sitting in their inbox, or worse, their deleted folder.

    1. The subject line is where your email earns the open. In a recent article by Brevo, an all-in-one CRM and digital marketing platform for small businesses, they point out that the subject line is one of the first things recipients see, making it the first chance to grab your audience’s attention. People typically decide whether to open an email based on the sender’s name, subject line, and the first line they see in their inbox. This makes a short and relevant subject line especially important.  Instead of sounding like an advertisement, the subject should connect to something specific that your audience needs. 
    2. Personalization helps earn your email the read. While your subject line is the first impression, the beginning of your email is the moment where your recipient decides if they should continue investing time into what you have to say. The opening should prove the email was written for them and holds value specifically for them. In terms of email marketing, this idea connects with Brevo’s use of personalization and segmentation, which allows marketers to create more relevant messages based on information about their contacts. When an email feels relevant, the recipient has more reason to continue reading. 
    3. Identify one problem or pain point that is relevant to your audience. Rather than listing every product feature or service your company offers, take the time to learn about your audience and ensure that you are addressing a need specific to them. The solution should then clearly state how your organization can solve that problem and provide some type of proof, such as a statistic, result, or customer example. This makes the message more credible and keeps the email focused.
    4. A clear call to action is what earns the reply. Your email should end with one easy call to action. In B2B communication, instead of asking a vague question like “Let me know what you think,” the sender could ask a direct yes-or-no question or offer two possible times to talk. The goal is to provide a clear, easy next step. The same principle holds true in email marketing campaigns. Your message should make the next step clear for your customer. 
    5. Take the time to evaluate results. Whether your email was to one individual looking to work together or to a larger audience, it is critical to invest time into learning what works and what doesn’t. Which messages garnered a response or sale? Which messages were left unopened? Businesses that use email communication effectively, don’t just wonder, they review, learn, and adapt moving forward.

Overall, effective email communication comes down to relevance, personalization, and having a clear purpose. Whether the goal is starting a conversation with one prospect or reaching a larger audience, the email should give the reader a reason to open, read, and take the next step.