Ever feel like you’re just sending emails out into the void and no one’s reading them? The reality is that we all get a TON of emails every day, so you’ve got to work hard to make yours stand out from the crowd. And while there’s no shortcut for creating quality content, or for providing information and services that people are genuinely interested in, there are some marketing tricks to make them take a second glance when a new message from your home performance, HVAC, or solar business pops up in their inbox.
Here are 3 easy-to-implement tips that you can use to spruce up your email campaigns and increase your open rates as well as your click-through and conversion rates.
1. Emphasize Urgency
Sometimes (okay, maybe most of the time!) you want a fast response to an email—someone calling to book an appointment or schedule service right away. You can do that by incorporating a sense of urgency into your emails with tactics like:
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Adding a countdown clock in your email illustrating that time is running out to act on a limited-time offer
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Pointing out that there are limited appointment slots remaining (“Only X left!”)
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Announcing one-time specials or flash sales for products or services
FOMO, or Fear Of Missing Out, is a powerful emotion, and making people feel time-pressed or like they’re part of an exclusive group is an effective way to motivate them into taking action.
2. Show People What Others Are Doing
Here’s how you can take advantage of a phenomenon called “social proof”, in which people tend to do what they notice others doing, especially when they identify with them.
Use the concept of social proof in your email marketing to show that the people around them have already done what you’re trying to get them to do. Some examples include:
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Including real customer testimonials in your emails
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Mentioning “best selling” when referring to popular products or services
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Encouraging readers to “Join the many homeowners in [X location] who have already upgraded their homes/scheduled service/joined our maintenance club plan”
3. Get Your Foot in the Door With a Small Ask
Okay, sometimes it’s okay to “Go big or go home.” But the reality is that if you’re making a really big ask of your potential customers right off the bat, your chances of success will be slim. What’s more effective is to start off with an ask that requires much less commitment from the person reading your email.
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“Sign up for a free cost-savings analysis to find out how much you could save with solar installation!”
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“Could you benefit from a home energy audit? Take this 60-second quiz to find out!”
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“Thanks for joining our newsletter! Now take the next step towards energy savings and higher indoor comfort.”
Once they’ve entered your sales funnel, you’ll have a better chance of guiding them towards the larger sale you’re really after. This is known as the “foot-in-the-door” or “consistency principle,” in which people who have already committed to a small ask will feel inclined to double down on their decision, even as the asks get bigger.
Energy Circle—Your Email Marketing Expert
Those are just a few marketing tips you can use to generate better responses to your email campaigns. Looking for more? The Energy Circle team has a unique combination of digital marketing expertise and better building industry knowledge to help you effectively target your audience, stand out from the local competition, create more awareness of your business, and generate more leads to help you grow.