What to do when you’re email newletters aren’t being read
A couple of clients have asked me this recently. They email their database once a week or once a month respectively. The email is in the form of an e-shot newsletter showing excerpts from their blog over the past week/month.
They tell me that readers aren’t actually unsubscribing but they aren’t actually reading (clicking on the links given) either.
What can you do to re-ignite interest?
1) Start a re-engagement campaign.
Make it visually different to the usual email they receive from you but ensure it’s still personalised and explain that you’ve noticed they receive your emails but you see that they aren’t reading the posts. Engage them. Ask what they’d like to see on you’re emails and remind them what it is you offer.
2) Offer a way out
Remind them that they can unsubscribe and ensure that the unsub button is clear and easy to see.
3) Put your best posts in
Compile a ‘Best of..’ and send that through to those not reading. You never know if the reason they are not reading you lately is simply because they’ve been away or simply that they’ve moved or that you’re just not what they’re reading these days. Enticing them with a compilation is one way of encouraging them back if they’re still in your niche.
4) Show them your blog again
Try including some links in the ‘Best of…’ posts that take the reader back to your blog and remind them of why they subscribed to begin with.
5) Try a different time of sending
Most email marketers send their emails on a set day and time depending on what software they are using to distribute it. Vary the date and the time and see what happens. Maybe they are readers who prefer to receive it first thing.
6) Segment your lists
After you’ve send emails for 2 – 3 months you should being to see emerging patterns within your list. Try segmenting them according to what they’re reading/or not and then listen to what they’re telling you. If they always read the ‘How to ..’ posts then make sure that’s what they get.
7) Repeat and Retry
Monitor your responses to the differentiated email and see what posts this new list is opening now. Slowly merge them back into the existing list. Filter out those who are still not responding and leave them for a while before trying a new look and new content.
Just Ask
We often think people aren’t engaging as they don’t show up on the stats as having clicked through but have you considered that maybe they just prefer to engage on another social tool, like Twitter instead? Ask them if they are engaging on other tools and pick them up there rather.
Do you have any other suggestions to get readership up and running again? Please share.
One Response to “What to do when you’re email newletters aren’t being read”
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Hi,
That is a nice post. This is really helpful to me. I used to write newsletters but not stopped it. But thinking to write it again after reading your blog. And will try to start it from the first step. Thanks for this post.
James
(http://www.billfryercopywriter.co.uk)