You’re Daenerys Targaryen with a growing list of loyal subscribers at your command. But with great power comes great responsibility. One wrong move can see your hard-won subscribers vanish quicker than a white walker in the sun. What can the epic drama and intrigue of Game of Thrones teach you about the best practices for email marketing? Let’s find out.
Winter is coming – The art of timing in email marketing
In the epic world of Game of Thrones, timing was everything. From battles for the Iron Throne to alliances formed and broken. The right moment often determined who would emerge victorious. Similarly, in email marketing, timing plays a pivotal role in whether your message will seize the recipient’s attention or be cast aside like a fallen king.
From battles for the Iron Throne to alliances formed and broken, timing had an epic role to play. Similarly, with email marketing, time is critical in determining whether your message will capture the recipient’s attention or be dismissed like a fallen monarch.
- Seasons and months: just as winter can last for years in Westeros, your email marketing efforts can experience seasonal variations. Some months may be more fertile ground for your emails than others.
- Holidays and special occasions: sending an email right before the holidays kick in. It’s like a plot twist in the show that gets people excited. It’s your marketing’s red wedding moment well-timed emails can change the game.
- The best day to send “Email Ravens”: the most favorable days to send email campaigns are typically from Monday to Wednesday. These are the days when your audience is most likely to open and engage with your emails. Thursday and Friday are like the lagers in the battle, not as productive as the earlier days.
- Email by the hour: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. is the prime battlefield for email engagement. over half of all emails are opened during these hours. It’s like the heart of the battle, where strategies are executed and messages are received.
A Lannister always pays his debts – email marketing delivers ROI
A Lannister always pays his debts, and email marketing is no different. When done right, it delivers a handsome ROI. To win the email marketing “Game of Thrones,” you need to ensure that:
The battle is won before it’s fought
The Lannisters know that preparation is key to victory. Plan your email marketing strategy in advance to conquer your goals. Choose an email service to design eye-catching newsletters, automate campaigns, and analyze results. Build landing pages to capture new subscribers. Schedule a content calendar so you always have something Valyrian steel-sharp to send. When it’s time to launch your campaign, you’ll be ready to crush your competition as swiftly as the mountain crushes its enemies.
Know your houses (audiences)
Are you appealing to millennials, Gen Xers, or baby boomers? Techies or luddites? Map out your audiences and send the right messages to the right groups. Don’t make the mistake of sending the same generic email to all. That’s a sure way to be overlooked by your subscribers and have them send your messages to the “spam” folder wastelands.
Frequency breeds familiarity
Send messages as consistently as the Lannisters collect debts. While daily emails may annoy your subscribers faster than Joffrey Baratheon, spacing them 2-3 times a week or monthly keeps you on their radar without becoming a nuisance. Consistency establishes familiarity and trust, turning audiences into loyal advocates who spread the word of your campaigns far and wide. But if you send poorly-targeted, dull campaigns, you’ll end up with angry unsubscribes. To improve the email marketing campaign follow these 5 simple tricks.
You know nothing about email automation, Jon Snow
Email automation means your emails keep working for you, even when you’re not around. It sends emails automatically based on specific triggers or schedules. Whether it’s welcoming new subscribers, guiding potential customers, or re-engaging with past ones, automation handles it all. But it can go sideways if you don’t know best practices for email marketing.
All men must know the use of Icegram Express
You know the power that comes with controlling the Seven Kingdoms. But what about controlling your email open rates and click-throughs? Icegram Express is one of the best email marketing providers.
With Icegram Express, you’ll have advanced analytics support and email automation features at your command. Why wait? Download your email automation army in just one click.
Custom templates fit for a king
Say goodbye to boring, generic emails. With Icegram Express, you can create stunning, mobile-friendly email templates that reflect your brand. Choose from a selection of templates or build your own from scratch. Either way, your emails will look professional and eye-catching.
Deliverability on your side
With Icegram Express handling your email sending and server maintenance, you can rest assured your emails will reach the intended recipients. Advanced deliverability features optimize sending based on engagement and spam filter algorithms. Say goodbye to worrying about blacklisting or low open rates. Let Icegram Express handle the details so you can focus on creating content your subscribers will love.
Unchain the dragons: setting unengaged subscribers free
The best email marketing advice from GOT would be setting your subscribers free. It’s time to purge your email list of those subscribers who just aren’t interested in your brand. Like Daenerys Targaryen liberating the slave cities of Slaver’s Bay, freeing your unengaged subscribers from the chains of your newsletter.
Do the hard thing
Doing what’s right isn’t always easy. Daenerys knew freeing thousands of slaves would disrupt the economy, but she did it anyway because it was just. You may hesitate to remove unengaged subscribers for fear of shrinking your list size. But keeping them chained to your newsletter against their will is unethical. Do the courageous thing by following best practices for email marketing.
Use data to find the unfaithful
Daenerys had a trusted advisor in Ser Jorah Mormont, who provided counsel and intelligence. With Icegram Express, you have the analytics to determine who’s not opening or clicking. Look for subscribers with a history of zero opens or clicks over the last 6-12 months. Those are your candidates for liberation.
Offer one last chance
Before removing subscribers from your list, provide an “unsubscribe” link in your next email to give them an opportunity to willingly leave. Let them know you’ve noticed their lack of interest and are offering a chance to opt-out, lest they be removed automatically. This is a courtesy and covers you legally in some areas also.
What do we say to the god of bounce rates? not today
To slay the beast of low open rates, you need a battle plan worthy of the Mother of Dragons herself. Here are some email marketing ideas to do just that.
Subject lines to rule them all
Your subject line is the first impression, so make it count. Appeal to your reader’s self-interest or curiosity. Promise value, intrigue, or entertainment. Some examples:
- The one email trick that will double your sales.
- You’ll never guess what your competitor is up to.
- The secret to productivity you’ve never heard.
Keep short (under 50 characters) and compelling. Vary the format ask a question, issue a command, or make a bold statement. Test multiple options and see which has the highest open rate.
Content is coming
Once you’ve captured their attention, deliver the goods. Your content should be useful, engaging, and optimized for the small screen. Break up long paragraphs and use bullet points liberally. Share stories, examples and statistics to bring your key points to life. And no, you don’t have to write a novel. Best practices for email marketing state 3 short paragraphs in the preview and maybe 5 to 7 in the expanded email. Sprinkle in visuals like images, GIFs, screenshots, and graphics where appropriate.
The night is dark and full of terrors
The biggest terror? Your subscribers hit the ‘unsubscribe’ button. For most marketers, a weekly or twice-monthly newsletter is ideal. Stay engaged with your readers by asking for feedback and input. Run contests and giveaways. Follow best practices for deliverability and avoid spam triggers like excessive exclamation points, hyped language, and misleading subject lines. Keep your contact information and subscription preferences clearly visible in each email.
No shortcuts to the Iron Throne: avoid buying email lists
If you buy your list no email marketing tips and tricks will work. Much like Daenerys Targaryen, you’ll have to earn your way to email marketing glory through best practices for email marketing, hard work and strategic planning. Buying email lists might seem like an easy way to build your subscriber base quickly, but it often ends in disaster. Focus instead on growing your list organically by offering a compelling signup incentive on your website, social media profiles, and in your other marketing campaigns.
Some other tips for conquering the iron throne of email marketing:
- Focus your content around your “kingdom” (your products/services). provide value and entertainment to your people (subscribers).
- Test different email types (educational, promotional, etc.) to see what resonates best with your audience. find your “dracarys” that ignites sales.
- Segment your list based on interests and past engagement. send the most relevant emails to each segment.
- Be authentic and consistent. build trust in your “house” (brand) through a genuine voice and reliable schedule. your people will remain loyal if you do.
There are no shortcuts to success in email marketing or in claiming the iron throne. But with hard work, strategic thinking, and a relentless dedication to your audience, you can build an email list and marketing campaign to envy. Now go get that throne!
The North remembers: the psychology of color
In the world of email marketing, choosing the right colors for your campaigns can be more treacherous than navigating the political intrigue of King’s Landing. The wrong color scheme is like an army of White Walkers descending upon your open rates. When designing your email, think about the emotional connections people have with different hues.
- red is a power color that grabs attention, stirs excitement, and inspires action perfect for time-sensitive offers or sales. but use it sparingly, as too much red may overwhelm your readers like the fiery breath of a dragon.
- blue is a cool, calming color associated with trust, intelligence, and stability. It works well for establishing your authority or expertise. but avoid darker shades of blue which can come across as aloof or depressing. no one wants an email from the night king.
- green signals health, nature, and growth. It’s ideal for promoting eco-friendly or “all-natural” products and services. but be wary of a swampy, overpowering green which may turn off readers faster.
There are, of course, many other colors to choose from. But in general, bright colors attract attention while muted, earthy tones are more subtle. Neutral grays allow content to shine through unobstructed like an open field of snow. Whatever colors you select, make sure they align with your brand identity and the overall tone of your message.
Conclusion
Well, you’ve made it through all the dire warnings and best practices for email marketing. Now it’s time for you to march forward, ravens flying, into the long email marketing winter ahead. The night is dark and full of terrors, but with the right email marketing campaign behind you, you just might make it out alive on the other side. Now get writing before the snow starts falling.