One of the most challenging things that email marketing managers have to deal with is unsubscribe messages. While the unsubscribe rate cannot be totally eliminated, you can still reduce it.

So, what is a good email unsubscribe rate?

According to the norms, the average unsubscribe rate stands at 0.1%. If your unsubscribe rate is higher than 0.1%, you must consider revisiting your email marketing strategy.

However, the silver lining to the cloud of unsubscribe from emails is that it is better than getting marked as spam.

That said, let’s discuss the positive aspects of unsubscribes.

1. Your sender reputation remains undamaged

Although unsubscribes mean that you have lost a prospective client (perhaps, forever), it does not damage your email sender reputation. As a result, your sales funnel remains intact. An email unsubscribe means that the user is not interested in your products or services. It is, therefore, better that they leave the list rather than staying on the list but not engaging with your emails.  If you want to create emails that not only blow your subscribers’ minds but also are highly engaging, then contact us.

2. You can get to understand why they unsubscribed

When a subscriber clicks on the unsubscribe mail link, you can redirect them to a preference center and request their feedback. This will let you know the reason for unsubscribes and understand their expectations. It is quite likely that you would not receive feedback from everyone who unsubscribes but those who do can share valuable insights with you.

3. Your list will have only qualified prospects

More often than not, subscribers get on your list without any intention to purchase. As bitter as it may sound, not everyone is interested in the products or services you offer. These prospects are not qualified for your services which makes it an impractical approach to make them stay on the list. Therefore, whenever an uninterested customer proceeds with an email opt out, it is actually a blessing in disguise.

4. Unsubscribes allow you to determine the flaws in your email marketing strategy

If you start noticing too many unsubscribes, you should analyze your email marketing strategy and determine whether you are sending too frequent emails. You should check if your emails are relevant for the recipients and their buyer’s journey. Making the necessary changes in your HTML email template will help you reduce the email unsubscribe rate and allow you to create HTML emails that resonate the most with the target audience.

Email Uplers can help you in building emails that not only have a low unsubscribe rate but also bring more conversions.

The Downside of Unsubscribes

Unsubscribes imply that the reader will not engage with any of the future communications which might have a negative impact on sales.

A higher email unsubscribe rate means increased customer attrition and burn out of the list. It can hamper the growth of your business if unsubscribes continue to increase.

In case your unsubscribes exceed the rate of subscription rate, it can lead to considerable drop in the number of conversions which can be a matter of serious concern for marketers.

How to Reduce the Email Unsubscribe Rate

1. Segment the Email List

Segment the subscribers in different groups based on their age, gender, educational qualification, demographics, job position, past purchases, and other parameters that match your industry type and business. So essentially when your subscribers go for an email opt out, they unsubscribe from this list.

By segmenting your email list, you can send out personalized emails that are more relevant for the subscribers. The most effective segmentation criteria are purchase history and demographics. To start with, you can pick two unique segments and go on to build multiple email campaigns with advanced segmentation options.

2. Map the content to match the buyer’s journey

Whenever you get a new subscriber on your list, you can send a welcome email and try to gather more information that would let you understand their preferences. You can use an automation software tool that would allow dynamic segmentation and help you in the creation of better emails based on the stage the buyer is in.

If you want to build an effective email automation workflow, get in touch with us.

3. Inform the subscribers about the alternative communication channels

Despite all your efforts, if the subscriber still chooses to unsubscribe from all emails, he or she should know that you are also active on social media in case they want to stay in touch with you or receive important company updates. Include social sharing buttons in the footer of the unsubscribe page or the preference center so that the subscribers can still have a chance to hear from you.

4. Monitor the load time of your emails

The load time of emails varies based on the email client and device of the users. You should have a fast loading email that will leave a better impact on the reader. Do not add too many images or heavy visual elements to your HTML email template; it can make the email slow to load.

5. Send the emails at a consistent schedule

Receiving emails at a particular time sets the right expectations and works as a powerful brand statement. For instance, I receive an email from Invision App every Wednesday morning at 10 AM in which they share interesting articles related to their industry. This kind of consistency makes me look forward to their emails and learn more about their services.

6. Analyze your email frequency

Determine the right email frequency for your segments. Although it might take several email frequency tests and trial & error method to work it out, you must make sure that you are not sending too many or too few emails.

7. Take the customer feedback seriously

Whenever you get an unsubscribe, ask for the customer’s feedback so that you can modify your email marketing strategy to cut down unsubscribes. Even though the feedback might not bring the recipient back, it will help you shape up the future strategy.

8. Send personalized and exclusive offers

Incentivize your customers with personalized offers they cannot deny. It will not only keep them engaged but also discourage them from unsubscribing.

9. Give the customers an option to adjust their email preferences

Redirect the unsubscribe link to a preference center from where the customers can change their preferences and put the changes into practice as soon as possible.

That said, let’s move on to discuss some of the most interesting unsubscribe email examples to inspire you.

1. Atlas Obscura

Atlas Obscura’s unsubscribe email template is a basic HTML email template that is crisp, to-the-point, professional, and at the same time does a great job of articulating their remorse as well. Remember, the more direct you are in your unsubscriber emails, the more you’ll be appreciated by your subscribers. Even though they will no longer be on your list, they’ll at least part ways on a good note. 

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2. Bestmade

The reason why this, in our opinion, ranks among the best unsubscribe message examples out there is because of its sheer simplicity. A dutiful acknowledgement of the user’s action followed up by an earnest plea, laced with a healthy dose of humor, to get them to reconsider the same. Full marks for the approach.

3. Readymag

Readymag’s approach to unsubscribe messages is one that we really appreciate and something that is starting to get really popular among brands these days. What’s this said approach, you ask? This: monitoring your subscriber’s engagement levels, identifying the least engaged ones, and asking them whether they want to opt out of your communications. This kind of upfront behavior is generally well-received by customers and ensures that you part ways with them on good terms.

4. HubSpot

HubSpot has an amazing video on the unsubscribe landing page with this message. Another way it stands out is that it points out to the subscribers to keep in touch on social platforms if not the email subscription.

5. Groupon

Groupon’s unsubscribe page generated quite a stir with its funny video that punishes Derrick for his folly of sending an email the subscriber did not like, followed by an immediate closing screen that reads- “That was pretty mean… I hope you are happy. Want to make it up to Derrick? Resubscribe!” Surely a creative marketer’s way,

6. Cuisinart

This unsubscribe template from Cuisinart gives users another option to ponder upon before proceeding to click the unsubscribe button- adjusting their preferences. A big reason why subscribers opt out of brand communications is because they get overwhelmed by their sending frequency. Quite a smart tactic then this by Cuisinart, won’t you agree?

7. Costco

Costco’s opt-out email example showcases a ‘Did you know?’ box on the side containing the links to benefits, security assurance and preferences to the Costco subscription. The use of the words ‘You’re in control!’ makes the subscriber feel that they can still continue with their final decision.

8. Hulu

Hulu’s unsubscribe message in email is earnest, amiable, and extremely polished. They don’t make you guilty about cancelling your subscription but subtly call your attention to the fact that by doing so you might potentially be letting go of “thousands of episodes of TV”. Really makes you think what your weekends would be like without Hulu, doesn’t it?

Image Source

9. Beta List

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again- if you’re falling short of ideas, turn to pop culture of inspiration. If you’re well versed with your target demographic, using the right pop-culture reference can do wonders for your engagement metrics. And in the case of unsubscribe messages, it might just cause them to have a change of heart. Woody and Buzz Lightyear bidding you goodbye in your inbox is quite the hard sight to behold, isn’t it?

Image Source

10. JETSETTER

JETSETTTER’s unsubscribe page has a neat table containing various email frequencies with a short description about what to expect from each one of them. The unsubscribe email message allows the user to set the preferences according to his or her choice. That increases the likelihood of reducing unsubscribes.

Other creative ideas that can be incorporated to design unsubscribe landing pages, are as follows:

1. Blending past behavior with rational reasons to stay back!

Example: A future sneak peek – Larger than life heaven’s preview in email or landing page.

2. Real time personalization on unsubscribe page!

Examples: Sand clock – “Dying in your separation, 8 seconds to bring us back to life” – Resubscribe

You left a time bomb! Tick Tick Tick, It’s dreadful, Save us – 10,9,8….2 Resubscribe and a few seconds later… 1 Blast!!

It is 7.00 AM in Sydney, our email manager hasn’t woke up yet and you are about to spoil his day. Unsubscribe later as he wakes up? No?

3. Showing the loss in humorous way using a funny image.

Example: “No longer want to receive insightful blog updates? Well, you can leave us for sure, but half knowledge is a dangerous thing!

Wrapping Up

Incorporate these simple-to-implement ideas into your businesses’ unsubscribe landing page, to be able to make those priceless subscribers stay!

Signing off with an opt out email example to inspire you:

However, remember that the best unsubscribe email message of confirmation is the one that you don’t send.

If you have any other tips, do let us know in the comments below.

The post Email Unsubscribe Message: Exploring its Nitty Gritties with Examples appeared first on Email Uplers.

So far, so good. But here’s the prob: The type and specificity of merge tags vary from ESP to ESP. Plus, who’s got the time to read up page after page of documentation? On average, ESP documentation runs over a hundred to thousand pages. Plus x2, even if you read it all, how many times are you going to switch tabs mid-campaign just to check again?

But then, there are ESP-specific experts like us, specializing in more than 50 ESPs, and always here to help you. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how to use Mailchimp merge tags. 
As Mailchimp pro partners, we have helped many clients over the last 12 years with their Mailchimp requirements. So, let’s tee off! 

How Merge Tags Work in Mailchimp

Mailchimp merge tags are of two types:

1. System Merge Tags: These pull data from your Mailchimp account. They allow you to include elements like RSS content, social sharing links, and account details. Additionally, system merge tags can be used to translate emails and add links for updating profiles, unsubscribing, or forwarding emails.
   
2. Audience Merge Tags: These pull data from your audience records. Audience merge tags enable you to include information such as email addresses, signup form URLs, first and last names, company names, and other audience-specific details.

Each audience field in Mailchimp corresponds to a specific merge tag. When a merge tag is included in an email, it is replaced with the content stored in the respective audience field (ensure all your contact information is uploaded correctly). For example, |FNAME| automatically inserts the recipient’s first name into the email. 

Some merge tags are linked to additional content, such as text or images, via URLs. 

To link an image to a merge tag, use the hyperlink tool found in the editor toolbar to embed the merge tag in the URL. When subscribers click on the linked image, they’re directed to the URL specified by the merge tag. Whenever you send an email containing merge tags, Mailchimp retrieves the latest data from the corresponding audience fields. So, here’s an overview of some commonly used merge tags and their functions:

• *|ARCHIVE|*: Creates a “View in browser” link, directing subscribers to your email campaign page.
  
• *|BRAND:LOGO|*: Inserts a default logo placeholder, useful for custom templates as a substitute for an image URL.
  
• *|MC:TRANSLATE|*: Adds links that let subscribers translate your email into different languages.
  
• *|DATE:X|*: Displays the date in a specified format. Replace X with your desired date format.
  
• *|SURVEY|*: Generates a one-question survey with a set no. of responses for subscribers to select from.
  
• *|FNAME|* and *|LNAME|*: Display the subscriber’s first name and last name, respectively.
  
• *|EMAIL|*: Shows the subscriber’s email address.
  
• *|UNSUB|*: Inserts an unsubscribe link, typically placed in the email footer.
  
• *|FORWARD|*: Adds a “Forward to a friend” link, enabling subscribers to share your email with others.
  
• *|TWITTER:PROFILEURL|*: Includes a link to your X profile in the email.

So much for Mailchimp merge tags in general. Let’s learn how to use the Mailchimp first name merge tag. 

How to Add Name in Mailchimp Email 

To add a name in Mailchimp emails, follow these steps:

• Create a List: Start by ensuring you have a list containing all the required contact information.
  
• Design Your Campaign: Choose to either create a new campaign or edit an existing one.
  
• Select Your Audience: Specify the recipients for your email campaign in the “To:” section, as shown below. 

• Personalize the “Send To” field: You can either choose to include just the first name or the full name of the recipient. 

Next, add Mailchimp merge tags in the subject line.

How to Add Mailchimp Merge Tags in Subject Lines 

You successfully personalized the email in the last section. Follow these steps to add the subject line:

• Define the subject line: Write the subject line and include the appropriate merge tag to personalize it, as shown. 

• Set the Send Time and Edit Email Content: Select the send time for your campaign, and customize the content.
  
• Insert Merge Tags: In the campaign editor, place your cursor where you want the merge tag to appear. You can either type merge tags directly into your email content or choose them from the Merge Tags drop-down menu. You can customize merge tags and define default values. Use the first name tag (|FNAME|), click the “Merge” tab and select the desired tag.
  

Typing Merge Tags Manually: When typing a merge tag directly, ensure it is enclosed within asterisks (*) and pipes (|). Avoid typos, as errors can cause the tag to display incorrectly, leading to a poor user experience. For instance, an email starting with “Hello, |FNAME|” would appear unprofessional if the tag fails to resolve.

Using the Merge Tag Toolbar: To prevent syntax or typing errors, it’s recommended to add merge tags via the Merge Tags menu. Simply click the Merge Tags drop-down in the editor toolbar and select the required tag. 

The screenshot below shows an example from a custom-coded email template editor.

Send a test email to verify that your email content is displaying correctly.

Speaking of testing, how can you test merge tags in Mailchimp? Let’s learn that in our next section. 

How to Test Merge Tags in Mailchimp

Mailchimp has provided us a way to test merge tags. Here are the details of the process. 

• Since merge tags won’t populate in a test email, there is no point in sending one for that. Instead, use Preview mode and toggle on the “Enable live merge tag info” option, and then send a live email to your team.
  
• For testing merge tags on signup forms and response emails, fill up the form, and when you receive the email, check if the merge tags are working properly.

Bear these points in mind while testing Mailchimp merge tags:

1. Check Merge Tag Syntax: Ensure that the merge tags are correctly formatted, with each tag enclosed between an asterisk (*) and a pipe (|). Tags will not render if the syntax is incorrect.
   
2. Verify Case Sensitivity: Merge tags must be written in uppercase letters, as they are case-sensitive. Avoid using lowercase letters to prevent errors. For greater accuracy, it’s best to select merge tags from the Merge Tags menu to minimize human error.
   
3. Review Formatting: Merge tags are style-sensitive; therefore, double-check for unintended formatting, such as italics, bold text, or other errors, that could affect their appearance.
   
4. Send or Schedule: Once you’ve inserted and customized all necessary merge tags, tested their functionality thoroughly, and verified their formatting, send your email or schedule it for a future date. 

For more information, consult Mailchimp’s dedicated resource. 

Conditional Merge Tags in Mailchimp

The secret to dynamic, personalized emails is the conditional merge tag. In Mailchimp, conditional merge tags help you determine “who sees what” in their emails. You set conditions for each subscriber according to which your emails show/hide certain content. 

As an example, Mailchimp illustrates how a wine brand would employ conditional merge tags in their promotional email so that the latter’s content will not be visible to recipients below 21 years of age, in the following way: 

Not to quibble, but Mailchimp’s illustration is faulty in that there should be no subscriber below age 21 on the contact list of a wine brand in the first place, so the question of using conditional merge tags with respect to age does not arise. But you get the point: Conditional merge tags help you achieve dynamic personalization. Feel free to consult Mailchimp’s guide on this. The rest of the scenarios or examples covered there are bang-on. 

Wrapping Up! 

Now that you know how to add and test Mailchimp merge tags, you should be good to go. Keep the best practices and potential misapplications in mind, and your email marketing in Mailchimp is sorted. For more info on all things Mailchimp, visit the blog.

The post How to Use Mailchimp Merge Tags: The Complete Guide appeared first on Email Uplers.

Do you wonder why your emails, despite their exceptional copy and design, struggle to generate enough clicks?

As the saying goes, “Very little is needed to make a happy life, and that little can have the greatest impact.” And in the realm of emails, that impactful little detail is your call to action (CTA).

That being said, a call to action is something very serious, not just a little detail. It has its origins in the battlefield. It’s a call to commitment, really. Call it crazy, but emails with a single CTA can increase sales by a gobsmacking 1,617%. 

Well, if it seems like a battle to you, no wonder you’re here, eager to learn from a brand that delivers 3,000 templates every month.  Let’s get going then!

What Is A Call To Action (CTA) In An Email?

A call to action is a button or link that prompts readers to take a desired action, e.g. making a purchase, signing up for a service, or subscribing to a mailing list. 

So, variously, it can be a call to sign up, a call to buy, or a call to read, and so on. In email, it’s essentially a call to click through to your website/landing page. Hold that thought. 

How Does An Email CTA Work?

The ideal email CTA works “climactically.” It follows the simple persuasion-action sequence. It’s an irrevocable climax to an argument. Which is why CTA placement is such a crucial aspect.

Here’s how Jeane Jennings, CEO of All About Email Marketing, paints it: “An effective CTA can turn casual readers into active participants, prospects into customers, and customers into repeat buyers. It’s your ‘pitch,’ the part of the email where you persuade the reader to take that next crucial step.” [Emphasis ours.]

Indeed, that’s what the best email CTAs do, they initiate a chain of micro-transformations. Let’s catch a few examples. 

10 Best Email CTA Examples & Ideas

Here are some of the best CTAs for email, straight from our own collection. Let’s kick off with Hawthorne’s email.

1. “Join the Takeover”

Hawthorne’s CTA is thematic. It is consistent with the story of the email. So, here’s a portion of the email. 

The story goes that hackers have hacked into, or  “taken over” Hawthorne’s emails. The CTA is from the hacker’s POV.  Now that’s a heck of a hack! 

2. “Be the First to Know”

This CTA from Bombas is a masterpiece in contextuality. The email is a teaser for a new product, hence the CTA. 

3. “Shop the Drop”

That’s the perfect CTA for your product drops, isn’t it? This one’s from Goldbelly. Here’s the grab. 

Note the CTA placements. That’s the point of these image grabs.

4. “Start the Good Habit”

One of the best email CTAs, this one from FUM is well-padded, positive, and direct.

Note how contextual the CTA is. In fact, the best CTAs for email are contextual. Email, being email, allows that. 

5. “Happy New Year”

But where’s the call to act? No, this CTA by Fly By Jing is not a call as such, but it still acts like one, in that it prompts a click. 

Such relevant CTAs, we’d say, are worth a try. But of course, you don’t want to do this habitually. Stick to action verbs as usual.  

6. “9.00 AM, 1.00 PM, 3.00 PM…”

True, but strange? Not at all. We love how Billie has transformed the time slots of skin-care routine into actionable CTAs. It starts at 9.00 AM and ends at 10.00 PM. This is genius! 

Note that Billie has already used a simple “Shop Now” CTA prior to the skincare routine flow. It all adds up.

7. “Start My Huel Journey”

Huel’s powerful, first-person CTA is right on the money. Check it out. Using first-person narration is a key email CTA best practice.

If you want to include unique CTAs in email, your blog can be of great help here. Check out the next example. 

8. “Read All Names >”

This one, from The Spoiled Mama, is inspired by their blog post on baby name inspirations. Context and relevance help you craft spontaneous CTAs, as we’ve already mentioned. See below. 

Plus, the CTA button is rounded, and the pointer is effective. 

Speaking of, did you know that the celebrated jewelry retailer, Helzberg Diamonds, upon adding a pointer in their CTA button, saw a 26% uptick in the click-through rate? Small things!

9. “Eat Me”

By now you can guess the best email CTAs, can’t you? This one from Surreal’s welcome email is a 7-starrer. 

Again, it’s well-padded, prominent, and well-placed, right below the main content, at the inverted pyramid’s apex. 

10. “Shop Better”

Following a neat comparison table, in which 1906 compares their products with others, you get this CTA almost reflexively. 

The moral of the story? Keep it as natural as you can. Remember we said that the CTA works climactically? It’s an irrevocable climax to an argument, is what we said. Now you’ve got proof. In the above example, the content could not have culminated in a better CTA.

Types of Email CTAs

Speaking generally, there are two types of email CTAs: primary and secondary. The primary CTA, as the name suggests, is the main call to action, placed above the fold, usually larger than the secondary buttons, and often more prominent. The secondary button, on the other hand, is more specific, contextual, and more diverse. For example, in the following email from Imperfects, the primary CTA is “Shop Now,” and the secondary CTA is “Score.”

Now, there are various ways of designing the CTAs for email. You have ghost buttons, solid buttons, styled CTAs, bulletproof buttons, rollover buttons, and so on.

It’s a matter of taste as to which one you want to use. Only keep in mind that the CTA is functional, leading the user to the right, expected destination post click. 

More Examples of the Best CTAs in Email

We’ve explored 10 examples, let’s explore a few more. When it comes to little details, the more you explore, the better. 

So this time, we’re just listing the CTAs. Here they are: 

• Shop New In –  A cool new arrivals email CTA. 
• Shop New Cotton – Cooler, because it’s more specific. 
• Steal It – Talk about on-brand CTAs! It’s from Decor Steals.
• Frame Your Favorites – Another on-brand CTA, this time from Framebridge
• Available at – A fine CTA to climax a retail partnership campaign. The symbol represents the brand, Target.
• Subscribe & Save – Clear, specific, purpose-backed. 
• Match Your Mate – Another contextual CTA from Shinesty.
• Relaxation Starts Here – On-point, and super-clear. 
• Bug Free Zone – Not action-based, but it works. It’s like one of those road signs. The call is clear.
• Get 10% Off – code: THIRDWAY – Highly informative, clear. 
• Level Up Your Routine – Action-based, proactive, as prompt as a pat on the shoulder.
• Shop What’s Hot – A well-rhymed, short CTA. 
• Give Us Your Digits – A superb CTA for text notifications.
• Hell Yes – First-person, dynamic, and affirmative. 
• Shop The Breakthroughs – Campaign-aligned, and clear. 
• Shall We Recap? – A perfect New Year’s Eve CTA. 
• I Want One – First-person (always special!), and affirmative. 
• Stock Up Now – Urgent and clear. 
• Start Sending with Selzy – Goal-oriented, alliterative (poetics always a plus), and unambiguous.
• Become A VIP → – The pointer aces it. 
• Proactively Unsubscribe Here – A brilliant CTA for an apology email, from Shinesty, once again.
• In Honor of Betty, This Button Will Give You 15% Off Any Order – Another Shinesty gem. Long, and lasting. Talk about CTA buttons being memorable! Wildly funny, too. 

As you can see, these CTAs are all contextual. That’s why they’re so effective, so out-of-the-box, and so upfront. 

You want to create CTAs that are connected intimately to your email content, campaign, or offer. The more specific, the better. Don’t worry about long CTAs. It’s all part of the gig. 

This is not to imply that you shouldn’t use traditional CTAs. You may. But these are so much better. Most notably, no other channel gives the opportunity to play around with your CTAs. 

Try differentiating your brand through CTAs as well as through your products and services. That’s the point. 

Think about hawkers and peddlers, each one having a unique style of hawking their wares. No two voices are alike. In the Middle East, hawkers might resort to rhythmic chants to attract passers-by, whereas in Africa, a mix of music, dance, and storytelling is the way. Same with email CTAs. But there’s still a question: How many CTAs in an email is the right amount? 

How Many CTAs in An Email Is Just Right?

It depends. But let’s hear what others have to say about it first:

1. Arguing against single CTAs, Natalie Jackson at emfluence points out, “…sometimes, one call-to-action can have the opposite effect: it can turn off recipients who would like to do something, but not necessarily that thing (or at least not yet).” Quite true. Let’s put a pin in it.
   
2. Campaign Monitor puts it this way, “In most cases, it’s best to stick to a single CTA. Doing this helps to reduce your email clutter and makes the next step easier for your readers”
   
3. Kimberly Huang, Content Marketing Manager at Litmus, also subscribes to the relative nature of the question, “Including a ton of links can appeal to a wide variety of subscribers but can dilute your message. One CTA can hone your message, but may exclude a large number of subscribers that aren’t interested in that particular message.”
   
4. According to Email on Acid, it ought to be just one. “A CTA that’s going to encourage clicks should be as focused as possible on a specific action – and the ideal number of CTAs is just one. Yes, one! Consider sending a separate email if you have more than two calls to action. Otherwise, you’re asking too much of your subscribers. You’ll dilute your effort and make it difficult for them to understand what it is they should do or click. This is even more important for mobile readers, who can have trouble with tap targets or multiple links and may give up altogether.”
   
5. Mike Nelson from Really Good Emails reports from the ground, “The average email contains 2.1 CTA buttons.” Not sure what .1 is supposed to mean. But he goes on, “The maximum number of CTAs in an email is 11. 56% of all emails contain 1 CTA, 24% contain 2, and 20% contain 3 or more. And of those that contain more than 3, 50% of those contain more than 5.”
   
6. Alexa Engelhart, Vice President at Power Digital, has this to say, “Don’t have more than 3 CTAs in your email. Not only does this tend to make the email very long, it also increases the likelihood of users actually not clicking anything at all.”
   
7. Next is Hanna Kuznietsova from Stripo, who believes “There is no right answer to this question as it depends on many factors: The goal of your email, the length of your email, and the type of your email.” Fair enough, Hanna!

So there you have it. Insights from 7 email experts. Clearly, it’s a controversial question.

Where do we stand on this? As we said, it depends, it depends, to reiterate, on the following factors:

• Purpose of the email 
• Length 
• Type of email
• Urgency of the email

The question of CTA frequency, we’d contend, is best left to the marketer’s intuitive understanding, and testing. Irrespective of such diverse opinions, it shouldn’t be something you’re stuck in at the cost of more immediate tasks. This is not to underestimate the precious CTA, but don’t spend inordinate amounts of time and energy straddling the fence on this.

Testing Your Call-to-Action 

Enhancing your email marketing strategy hinges on testing and evaluating the performance of your CTAs. AI-powered A/B testing helps identify which CTAs drive the most engagement, enabling you to optimize future campaigns effectively.

Keep the following things in mind: 

• Test one element at a time: Use tools like Google Analytics to track and analyze specific elements of your CTA’s performance.
  
• Leverage A/B testing: Platforms such as Optimizely, VWO, and Unbounce simplify the setup process and provide comprehensive reports for analysis.
  
• Analyze user behavior with heatmaps: Tools like Crazy Egg and Hotjar help visualize how users interact with your CTAs.
  
• Measure success with relevant metrics: Use built-in analytics tools from your ESP to monitor key performance indicators and refine your strategy.
  
• Run tests over a sufficient duration: Platforms like UserTesting and Userlytics offer real-time feedback from users, helping you gather actionable insights.

By incorporating AI to analyze data and make data-driven decisions, you can maximize the effectiveness of your CTAs and achieve your email marketing goals.

Let us now consider some email CTA best practices.

7 Email CTA Best Practices

1. Understand Your Audience

To achieve maximum results in email marketing, start by identifying your target demographic and honing in on your ideal customer. With this understanding, you can leverage AI algorithms to craft highly personalized email messages. 

AI-powered personalization enables you to deliver relevant content that resonates with your audience, increasing the likelihood of converting them into loyal customers. By tailoring CTAs to address their specific pain points and desires, you create a more impactful and engaging experience.

2. Focus on Key CTA Principles

Effective email marketing campaigns are built on the foundation of compelling CTAs. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for crafting the perfect CTA, following certain general principles can make a significant difference.

For instance, AI can analyze real-time data, such as click-through and conversion rates, to identify the most effective CTA language and design. Additionally, A/B testing allows you to fine-tune your CTAs, increasing the likelihood of achieving the desired response.

When creating a CTA, focus on these key elements:

• Clarity
• Visibility
• Urgency
• Relevance
• Action-Oriented Language

A clear and concise copy is both engaging and effective. It should be easy to understand, relevant to the email’s purpose, and compelling enough to drive the reader to take action. 

Additionally, the tone of the copy should align seamlessly with your brand’s voice.

Design elements also play a critical role in the visibility and effectiveness of your CTA. Factors like color, contrast, shape, and placement can significantly impact its performance. For instance, using a contrasting color for the CTA button can make it stand out and increase its effectiveness.

To ensure your CTA buttons are visually striking and well-designed, consider utilizing professional email design services. This allows you to focus on crafting impactful CTA copy while leaving the design to experts.

3. Pay Attention to Button Shapes

CTAs come in various shapes, such as rectangular, rounded, circular, and more. While there’s no definitive rule about which shape performs best, studies have found that horizontal rectangular buttons with rounded corners often yield better results, making them a popular choice.

However, the effectiveness of a CTA shape ultimately depends on your overall design. It’s essential to experiment with different shapes and determine which resonates most with your target audience. A/B testing can help identify the best fit for your specific campaign.

4. Pay Attention to CTA Color

Colors communicate without words, carrying the power to influence moods and emotions directly—a principle that applies equally to email call-to-action buttons.

When selecting a color for your CTA, it’s essential to ensure it aligns with your overall design and remains consistent with your branding. Striking the right balance between visibility and brand coherence is key.

All that said, certain colors do tend to work well across various designs:

a) Black and White: When in doubt, opt for a black or white CTA based on your user interface. These neutral tones are versatile and particularly effective for designing dark-mode emails.

b) Bright Colors: Shades like red, green, and orange often deliver better results due to their high contrast and ability to stand out against the background, making them more noticeable and engaging.

5. Analyze Your Email CTAs

Persuasive language, a sense of urgency, and social proof are all vital elements of successful CTAs. But what truly made that email perform so well for you?

Since we can’t directly analyze the success rates of others’ emails, we can focus on our best-performing, visually appealing email and break down the factors that contributed to its success.

By identifying what worked, we can refine our strategies and enhance our CTAs. Here’s how to conduct a thorough analysis of an email CTA example:

• CTA Placement: Where is it located within the email?
  
• Language: Does the CTA communicate the message clearly and compellingly?
  
• Design Elements: Are the visuals attractive and attention-grabbing?
  
• Message Alignment: Does the CTA align seamlessly with the email’s overall message?
  
• Conversion Rates: Is the CTA generating significant clicks and conversions?

Analyzing these aspects provides valuable insights into what makes a CTA effective. This iterative process helps you continuously optimize your email campaigns for maximum impact and conversions. 

6. Optimize CTAs for Mobile

Optimizing email marketing campaigns for mobile devices is increasingly essential in today’s digital landscape. A 2019 report by Aedestra found that nearly 62% of email opens now occur on mobile devices. This makes it critical to design CTAs that are not only engaging but also easy to interact with on smaller screens.

AI-powered optimization tools can assist in identifying the ideal CTA design and placement for mobile devices by analyzing user behavior and engagement patterns. By tailoring CTAs for mobile users, you can enhance their experience and significantly increase the likelihood of conversions.

Once you’ve crafted call-to-action buttons that align perfectly with your brand, the next step is to test and refine them to determine which performs best.

7. Triple-check CTA Links 

Each CTA is designed to direct visitors to a specific landing page upon clicking. For instance, in a welcome email, you might encourage subscribers to learn more about your business by using a CTA that leads them to your website or an exclusive offer. In contrast, a promotional email”s CTA could guide recipients to a landing page with more detailed information about the product or service being highlighted.

To sum up, here’s what we’re driving at in a nutshell:

• Define the goal of your email campaign and tailor your CTA to support that objective.
  
• Position the CTA prominently, such as at the end of the email or in a contrasting color, to increase visibility.
  
• Use urgent, action language to encourage immediate action.
  
• Personalize the CTA to speak directly to your audience’s interests and needs through segmentation.
  
• Regularly test and analyze CTA performance to refine and improve your approach.
  
• Utilize dynamic content and AI-powered recommendations to optimize CTA effectiveness in real-time.
  

Wrapping Up! 

Now that you’ve seen some of the best email CTAs, and faithfully copied down the email CTA best practices, put that mug down, clear your throat, and get in touch with our email experts already. IF you need those emails designed and delivered, that is! 

The post A Call to Action: Email CTA Best Practices, Examples (30+), & More appeared first on Email Uplers.

Now, there could be multiple reasons why your subscribers are not converting. But, all things being equal, it boils down to just this: You’re failing to persuade your audience to buy from you. Having worked with over 5,000 global agencies across the world, you can take our word for it. After all, doing the right thing isn’t the same as doing it right. 

How about we con a few tricks of persuasion? We’ll explore what goes into making a truly persuasive email template. And of course, we’ll show you a number of examples. Let’s roll the ball! 

Persuasion in Email Marketing 

Persuasion in email marketing works differently than in other forms of communication. Since the primary goal is to persuade people to buy your product or service, email is concerned with persuading the recipient to click through to your website. 

Let’s put it this way: A truly persuasive email is the result of a series of “micro-conversions,” as Kath Pay has identified. 

To that end, here are a few things to bear in mind: 

• The first micro-conversion starts with the subject line. You must get the subscriber to open your email! The subject line includes both it and the pre-header. Space is limited, but attention, more so. Therefore, you must ace the subject line.
  
• As Pay points out, the body of the email is where your skills as a copywriter “go into overdrive.” Persuasion is a mix of excellent copy and intelligent design. We’ll get to it in detail in a while.
  
• Now, once you’ve persuaded the subscriber to click through to your website, your landing page will do the converting now. But your email copy and landing page copy should be markedly different. Pay advises marketers to “spend generous amounts of time” on crafting their landing pages. Never copy one to/from the other. Email and landing pages are as different as poetry and the novel. You’re addressing two different mental states, if not two different audiences. Email recipients are farther from the conversion stage than the landing page visitor. 

Now, that’s the series of “micro-conversions.” It’s all good, in theory. But do brands follow it? Let’s explore a few examples. 

5 Persuasive Email Examples

Let’s look at 5 brands that have mastered the art of persuasion.  

1. dbrand

The hallmarks of conversion-focused copywriting are imagination, storytelling, humor, and subversion. It bewilders you, shocks you, and grips you. It’s daring and quite often so face-palmingly simple. 

Take a very close look at this cart abandonment email from dbrand; read every line of it. The email’s subject line is: “You did it again ”

Source: Inbox

What makes this cart abandonment email so “persuasive?” Here’s what: 

• Intimacy: The subject line “You did it again” has that heartfelt, love-filled disappointment on the part of someone who cares. You don’t expect it from a stranger, it’d be offensive. But here’s someone who you’d be disappointed to disappoint. Now that’s the vibe such a subject line creates. 
  
• Fear-then-relief: The good news-bad news bit is an example of the well-studied fear-then-relief effect. The goal is to scare, then immediately provide relief. (Incidentally, this is how insurance companies persuade you, but it’s most evident at the hustings.)
  
• Bold and brief: The upfrontness of the copy, “just give us your money,” this spitfiery way of talking, all these add up. It’s riveting, makes the reader sit up and notice, and that’s the point. The effect is one of humor obviously, but how often do you see it?
  
• Storytelling: What’s the point of introducing your second cousin, Troy, your mom, and your grandparents? Nothing! And that’s the point, haha. It’s a kind of “useful redundancy.” In this way, the brand re-positions itself as your only problem-solver.
  
• Subversion: Finally, dbrand subverts the way the unsubscribe option is provided. The dig is not lost on the reader.

In terms of design, the dark-color theme, paired with a prominently yellow primary CTA, and good use of white space make this a truly persuasive email template. 

2. Doughp

One of the greatest benefits of being creative is that you can depend on everything and nothing to get the job done. It’s not formulaic as such, though it has its rules and established strategies. Take a look at this persuasive email example from Doughp. It’s an apology email, and the subject line reads: “Yikes! We messed up…”

We almost feel that it’s so well-written it seems like a marketing ploy! But that’s the power of the (well-)written word. 

This is such a good apology that you’d buy in order to forgive than to enjoy a bucket of Doughp. Here’s what stood out to us: 

• The way it ends: What a beautiful way to end the message! The P.S. is so clever. It deliberately places the company in a good light. Because that’s what matters to the customer: The brand, not the occasional goof-ups of its employees. A masterstroke!
  
• The unmissable subject line: Any email that is prefaced by Yikes is hard to miss. It stands out immediately. Your “bad-boy genes” fire, and you want to know how the other party messed up.
  
• The facepalm emoji: Just spot-on, case closed.
  
• The vulnerability component: The human element in the email is what makes it all the more appealing. It shows that Doughp is not out there just to turn a profit. They value what they make. They’re passionate about it, and ergo, vulnerable with respect to it. They really don’t want you to miss out on the experience they are offering. 

When the fast-food joint KFC ran out of chicken, they didn’t chicken out. Instead, they just rearranged their letters. (See below) You might argue that it’s a piece of creative stunt; in fact, one feels persuasion itself is only too glad to put on the stuntman’s rags, but that’s a brawl for another day. 

3. Graza 

In a study on the application of language in advertising, the use of techniques similar to those employed in poetry was highlighted. 

“The utilization of mnemonic devices, including rhyme, rhythm, alliteration and assonance provides a significant advantage due to their mnemotechnical effect. This effect ensures that the recipient of the advertisement retains the information more effectively and can retrieve it at the appropriate time,” state Annye Braca and Pierpaolo Dondio in their paper, Developing persuasive systems for marketing: the interplay of persuasion techniques, customer traits and persuasive message design. 

Take a look at Graza’s persuasive email template. The subject line employs alliteration: “TENNIS, TUNES, TALENTI, TASTY”

Source: Inbox

It’s Graza’s monthly newsletter. Check out what stood out to us:

• The grammar police copped: In another paper, titled Linguistic patterns in advertising messages, author A Teodorescu points out how advertising copy breaks the rules of English grammar with a view to capture attention. Graza’s email also does that. The use of SOOO and Anyways x 2 are two examples here.
  
• Variety of CTAs: Variation is also a much-studied phenomenon in language. Just go back to Graza’s diversely-written CTAs. From Woof Woof to Get Dippin’ to Cheers Mate, these fire up the hippie in us all, don’t they? Much has been said about using action verbs in CTAs. That’s useful, too. And practical.
  
• Positive associations: The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), as conceptualized by Petty and Cacioppo in 1986, attempts to understand how an individual responds to a persuasive message. If the individual is motivated enough to evaluate a message critically, they’re more likely to take the central route. If not, then they take the peripheral route. Graza’s products are meant to evoke automatic responses, so the copy contains a number of positive associations, such as beaches, summer tracks, and the Wimbledon. By associating their products with glamor, pleasure, and just good vibes, Graza is encouraging the reader to take the peripheral route.
  
• Excellent design: Not just how to write a persuasive email, but Graza knows how to design one, as well. From custom typeface to toon figures to checkered dividers to rounded buttons to line sketches, here’s an email that surely burned a lot of calories. 

Next, let’s consider the place of humor in email marketing. Humor is a potent persuasion tool. However, it is important to bear in mind that humor as an emotion is something which may only be leveraged against the backdrop of your peculiar brand identity. It presupposes a certain type of brand attitude. You can’t be funny anytime you feel like. Accordingly, let’s consider a brand like Shinesty. Keep reading! 

4. Shinesty

Shinesty has to be one of the funniest brands out there. And they’re proud to flaunt it in their emails. Consider the following example. How can you not be led to buy by such a persuasive email template?

Source: Inbox

Before diving into the “excellencies” of this email, appreciate the fact that it’s not meant for everyone. Shinesty’s audience is of a certain kind. Not everyone responds to such emails. We underscore this since we don’t want you to take what works for this email as a template. 

Now, obviously, many things stood out to us. Here’s some of them:

• Problem-focused subject line: The subject line, which reads “is it a perma-wedgie?” is not just funny but problem-focused. But wedgies can be serious, notwithstanding their association with humor. So, the subject line gets into the heart of the matter. In addition, Shinesty isn’t serious about their email address either. This email’s address reads: cracking.up@shinesty.com.
  
• Customized CTA buttons: CTA copy is widely overlooked by most brands, but Shinesty doesn’t leave anything to chance. We love all the CTAs, not least because they use a first-person POV. And of course, they’re hilarious.
  
• Two-sided messaging: A two-sided message in advertising is one that highlights the negative aspects as well as the positive aspects of a product. In this email, “Am I naked?” illustrates this. The point is, Shinesty’s panties are so comfy that they don’t even seem to touch your skin, so you’d feel like you’re naked. So, being naked and being comfortable are the negative and the positive aspects, respectively. It’s a very well-known technique.
  
• The hilarious footer: Shinesty’s footer is a hoot! It deserves to be quoted in full: “This extremely tasteful, hand crafted, organic, non-gmo, vegan, gluten free email was designed by Car and written by Paige.” Does it get any funnier than this? This is one of the less crass instances of Shinesty’s use of humor. 

We’ll study one last persuasive email example, before moving on to a few expert tips on how to write a persuasive email.

5. L’Oreal Paris

It’s one thing to write persuasively, another to design persuasively. In our last example, we explore what goes into designing a persuasive email template. For that, check out this email from L’Oreal Paris first.

Source: Milled

L’Oreal Paris exudes power, empowerment, and confidence. That’s their brand attitude. Their tagline “Because you’re worth it” was the first tagline to highlight self-confidence in the history of advertising. Does their email design also show this? Let’s find out. 

• One-action-at-a-time strategy: You can only persuade if you let the viewer focus on one thing at a time. An unbusy design keeps the viewer busy. L’Oreal confines their content blocks to one viewport at a time. It almost has an immersive quality to it. Each viewport has just one type of content and just one CTA.
  
• Brand-identified images: Iconic images, A-listers, and a TikTok sensation, these persuade the recipient that they’re worth it. If you’re the right audience, you’d want L’Oreal to feature Kendall Jenner right at the top. The photos are also brilliantly shot; as professional models, the featured icons easily exude confidence and power. In this respect, it’s interesting to point out how persuasion leverages illusory superiority. The term explains itself. You praise to persuade. Advertisers use “authority-based endorsements,” a phenomenon known as the Captainitis effect.
  
• Visual appeal: L’Oreal rules the visual department. From those vignetted dividers to bold typography to Dark themes, the email is an eye candy. The black-and-silver combination is classy.
  
• The TikTok effect: No other social media channel has proven to be so persuasive as TikTok. (Sorry, Zuck!) You just have to drop those two alliterating syllables to get tongues wagging. By leveraging TikTok in their email, L’Oreal has won the battle of persuasion criminally easily. In featuring Kensington Tillo’s, not Kendall’s, favorites, L’Oreal is being real with a vengeance. 

That wraps up the examples part. We’ll leave you with a few expert tips on how to write a persuasive email. 

10 Tips on Creating A Persuasive Email Template

1. Know your tribe: You want to persuade, but persuade who? Do you know your audience well enough to dare to persuade them? The fuel of persuasion is stored in the other party’s tank. So make sure you know your audience like the back of your brand.
   
2. Attract from the get-go: If you want to capture attention, do it quickly. Master the headline. It ought to grip the reader. Don’t rely on words only; leverage emojis, exclamation points, even numbers, why not? Bespoke Post did it with their subject line. 
   
3. Embrace colloquialism: In other words, write informally. Write as you speak. Doesn’t matter whether you’re a hip brand or not. Keep it cool. Save the formal style for the legal bit at the end.
   
4. Be as concise as possible: That’s David Ogilvy’s advice, no one less. You can get there by trying this 15-minute exercise created by Eddie Shleyner, founder of Very Good Copy.
   
5. Embrace persuasive design: Keep it simple, make it appealing, don’t forget visual hierarchy, and leverage white space. For more on persuasive design, read up on the process of persuasion.
   
6. Break up with ChatGPT: We mean it! Do NOT use AI. AI can’t persuade. The best copy is created, not generated.
   
7. Get acquainted with cognitive biases: The human mind is biased as hell. Read up on the different types of biases. Use them. Some of the well-known biases include the cognitive ease bias, the anchoring effect, the Von Restorff effect, the peak-end rule, etc.
   
8. Exploit the Rule of Three: Here’s Pay: “Things in threes have a natural cadence and rhythm. They’re memorable, they flow easily in our minds, and they’re sticky. (See what I did there?)”
   
9. Highlight the benefits: How will the would-be customer benefit from your product/service? Let them know. Apply social proof.
   
10.  Be aware where the customer is: Before hurrying to write an email, consider at what stage the customer is. Are they exploring? Are they ready to buy? Expecting a post-purchase email? Be certain about the funnel, and craft copy accordingly. 

Copy that? Then Let’s Start Persuading Together!

Now you know what goes into making a persuasive email template. We’ll take a cue from our own book, and inform you that we deliver over 3,000 email templates per month. So far, we have successfully persuaded over 5,000 agencies in more than 60 countries. If you want a taste of it, get in touch with our email experts pronto!   

The post Unsellably Yours: How to Write/Create A Persuasive Email Template appeared first on Email Uplers.

Just like your skin acts as the first line of defense for your body, signup forms are the first line of lead generation strategy for your business. Once you can get your signup forms right, you can pave the way for enhancing your business.

To make the task easy for you, we will be sharing how to create a Mailchimp email signup form and signup forms in Campaign Monitor. Let’s start with Mailchimp first.

How to Create A Mailchimp Custom Signup Form

Once you have created your mailing list in Mailchimp, you can customize the Mailchimp signup form according to your branding principles and add exclusive Offers to woo new customers. If it gets too technical for you, just hire Mailchimp email expert from Email Uplers and make your lives easier.

How to Initiate the Process?

First of all, modify your Mailchimp email signup form and the response emails with the help of <Form Builder>, before generating the embedded form code.

You have 5 embedded signup form design options:

1. Classic: It is similar to hosted Mailchimp signup forms

It is useful if you wish to go for a traditional signup form. You can create a signup form in Mailchimp with additional fields or options you wish to add, that includes form title and width, visible and required fields, groups, and other formatting options.

For professionals who use JS on the webpage, it is recommended that they check the box <Disable JavaScript>.

2. Super Slim: Can be used as a sidebar on the website

The Super Slim Mailchimp custom signup form templates come in handy when you wish to have only an email address field in your Mailchimp email signup form. It is easy to customize the title and width of the form too.

3. Horizontal: Pan out as footers

The horizontal form is almost similar to the Super Slim form with minor changes. You can customize the title and figure out whether you need it or not.

4. Naked: No defined styles

The Naked form is just like the Classic form without any CSS or JS. The advantage of these forms is that it gives you more control and flexibility. It is possible to include a form title, change the form width, add or remove form fields and even link to your campaign archive.

5. Advanced: Host Your Own Signup Form – Using API.

Just check out your hosted ‘Mailchimp form’ for form action, user ID, list ID, and input name elements from the page source. Merge these details in the form hosted on the website and you’re all set!

The advantage of using this method over other Mailchimp signup form design options is that it allows you to select whether you want to have ‘single opt-in’ or ‘double opt-in’ for your subscribers who fill up this sign up form. With the conventional method, Mailchimp, by default, will apply double opt-in which might reduce the lead conversion up to certain extent. This method helps you decide whether you want a single or double opt-in.

Note: The embedded forms take up the style sheet of your website, so the form may look different in Mailchimp and the website. To make sure that your website design and form are visually in sync, you will have to modify the form code after adding it to your site.

How to Get Embedded Form Code?

Now let’s look at how to create a Mailchimp embed signup form. 

Select “form option” after creating your signup form. Customize the settings and generate the form code that you wish to add to your website.

Steps to get the form code:

1. Go to the Lists page.
2. Click the drop-down menu adjacent to the list and <select Signup forms>.
3. Go to Embedded forms.
4. Select a form type- Classic, Super Slim, Horizontal, or Naked and customize the Form Options.
5. Copy the code from the Copy/paste onto your site field and paste the entire code into the HTML of your website where you wish to see the Mailchimp embed form.

Done! That’s how you create a Mailchimp embed signup form. 

Form Options

In addition to the types of forms, Mailchimp also gives you the option to include reCAPTCHA so that there are no spam signups. By enabling reCAPTCHA, subscribers will have to check a reCAPTCHA box in a pop-up window once they click the link in the confirmation email.

How to Create A Pop-up Form in Mailchimp?

You can’t neglect pop-up forms while learning how to create a form on Mailchimp. So, to create a pop-up form, follow these steps: 

• You need to access the pop-up form builder. For that, click Audience, then select Signup forms.

• Click Create new form, followed by Create pop-up form

• Name your form, then click Audience again, and choose your preferred theme.
  
• Click Begin. 

Now you have successfully created a pop-up form. You can now customize it. 

How To Add Tags to Mailchimp Signup Forms

In this section, we’ll learn how to use WP forms and Mailchimp to add tags to signup forms. To begin with, you need to add WPForms to your WP website. 

Next, go to the WPForms page and select Add New. Enter a name for your form and choose your preferred template as shown below. 

Having chosen your preferred template, you can go on to customize your form. But the next important step is to connect the form to your Mailchimp instance. 

Go to Marketing, then select Mailchimp as shown in the screenshot below. 

Next, go to your Mailchimp account to locate the API key. Click your profile photo on Mailchimp, and select Extras. Choose API keys from the Extras dropdown. 

Generate a new API key, then copy and paste it into WPForms. Click on Add New Connection, and enter a name for your connection with Mailchimp. Click Ok. 

Now, you just need to add Mailchimp tags to your signup form. On the same page, click on the Actions to Perform dropdown, and select Subscribe. 

Next, click on Select Tags, and select how you want to tag your subscribers.

Voila! You have successfully added tags to your Mailchimp signup form. 

How to Add Form to A Third-Party Website?

You have to embed the code under a container/div to get its functionality right.

Check out the preview of the code below.

Mailchimp supports third-party platforms enlisted below:

1. Blogger and Blogspot
2. WordPress
3. Jimdo
4. Weebly
5. Webs
6. Yola

That’s all folks, for Mailchimp!

Moving on to Campaign Monitor now…

How to create signup forms in Campaign Monitor

So we’ve looked at how to create a signup form in Mailchimp. Now, have a look at the steps below to create a signup form in Campaign Monitor.

1. Go to Lists & Subscribers.

2. Select the list for which you are looking for signups.

3. Click <Signup> forms in the right sidebar, on the list page.

4. Select Copy or paste a form to your site on the Signup forms page

5. You can add and remove form fields by checking the box against it. If you wish to reorder the field, you can do so by clicking and dragging the handles.

6. Click on Get the code.

7. Copy and paste the HTML code into your website.

Bingo! You have just “created” a signup form on Campaign Monitor.

Some Additional Actions

1. Add, remove, and reorder form fields

Only the “Name” and “Email” fields will be included in default form. Besides, you can add or remove form fields and even change the order of display. To add custom fields, you only need to select the checkbox next to those fields. To reorder the fields, click and drag the handles.

2. Multiple lists to single signup form

You can even allow people to opt-in to multiple lists at the same time. Say for example, if you have newsletters as well as marketing emails, you can give the subscribers the provision to sign-up on multiple lists according to their preferences.

While using Mailchimp multiple signup forms, keep in mind that the selected lists should all be either confirmed opt-in or single opt-in. Subscribers will receive a single confirmation email even if all the lists are confirmed opt-in.

3. Make signup form fields required

A simple code can set a field as “required” which means that the subscribers will have to compulsorily fill that field.

Here’s the code:

<input id=”fieldiddtyu” name=”cm-f-iddtyu” type=”text” required />

Safari versions older than 10.1 on MacOS and Safari on iOS don’t support this feature. A workaround is to use Hyperform or html5 Forms..

4. Use HTTPS to make the signup form secure

Use the below mentioned code to use HTTPS instead of HTTP.

<form action=”https://accountname.createsend.com/t/i/s/tikpjy/” method=”post” id=”subForm”>

5. Add CAPTCHA to the Mailchimp email signup form

Add CAPTCHA as a verification step to ensure that there are no spambots corrupting your list. All the non-human responses will be eliminated by doing so.

To add CAPTCHA, search for input id=“fieldEmail” in the generated code.

Change the name=“cm-[unique identifier]” to name=“email”.

This successfully adds CAPTCHA to the signup form.

Campaign Monitor also allows you to host your own signup form through an API just like Mailchimp.

Wrapping It Up

Many enterprise ESPs like SFMC, HubSpot, Marketo too support similar logic to get lead form created on your assets and use them to bring all your leads to one platform and trigger emails helping your subscriber get the information they need. 

Wanna try out creating signup forms for your website? Get in touch with us and Email Uplers would be happy to help.

The post How to Create Signup Forms in Mailchimp & Campaign Monitor appeared first on Email Uplers.

Are you taking up a customer-centric approach for your email marketing so as to deliver what subscribers are looking for? If yes, you’re on the right track. The cut-throat competition has made it imperative to live up to the expectations of your subscribers/ customers. In this article, we are going to explain how to create a survey in Mailchimp and how you can embed polls in your email campaigns.

You can stand true to the customer’s expectations by keeping them engaged and asking for their reviews and feedback – that is best done through email marketing.

Table of Content:

• Importance of customer feedback
• How to collect customer feedback through email?
• How to Embed Polls to an Email Campaign?
• How to Add Surveys to an Email Campaign?
• Some Useful Tips for Polls and Surveys
• How to View the Poll Results?

I. Importance of customer feedback

1. To know your customers better

When you embed surveys in a newsletter, you are essentially giving your customer an opportunity to share exactly what they like or dislike about a service/product. The information can be helpful in improving operations and customer satisfaction.

2. To retain and recover customers

If your customer is happy, it is obvious that you are less likely to lose them to a competitor. Customer feedback helps to retain customers, as you can act on the suggestions identified in feedback surveys. If an issue is resolved in the customer’s favor, there is a 70% chance of return.

3. To manage the negative reviews

A negative review online is always a bitter pill to swallow, especially for the service industry. With the MailChimp survey tool, you can provide the customers with direct feedback options, thus reducing the amount of negative feedback on review websites (which can hurt you financially. Direct feedback gives you a chance to solve your customers’ issues, thereby strengthening your relationship with them.

4. To establish a link

If you have run a feedback program for a year or more, it will be possible for you to compare financials to determine whether an enhanced customer experience results in a better business outcome or not. More often than not, it does.

II. How to collect customer feedback through email?

You can collect customer feedback in two different ways in email marketing.

1. Web-based or Traditional

Many email marketers redirect the subscriber to the respective landing page or Google Forms so that the recipient can hop on to the webpage and fill the Mailchimp survey. This is known as web-based feedback email. Here’s an example by Dairy Queen.

The advantage of using this approach is that you can put in the questions of your choice without stressing over the limitations of the email client or ESP.

However, it adds an extra click for the subscribers who want to share their feedback… and it is quite likely that they skip the step altogether. Generating a response from the subscribers would become a challenge if you cannot convince the visitors to go to the landing page.

Consequently, you would end up missing out on a sizable section of potential subscribers.

According to GetResponse email marketing benchmarks, your average click-through rate can be somewhere between 5-7%. Going by this statistic, the success rate of your email campaign would be merely around 2-3%.

Moreover, proper landing page and ESP integration is of paramount importance if you choose to go by this approach; and it naturally takes more effort and resources to create a dedicated landing page.

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2. Email-based or Embedded

An email-based feedback email consists of survey questions embedded right there. According to a study, embedded feedback emails enhanced the survey engagement by 210% in comparison to the traditional feedback email.

For instance, take a look at this email by brooklinen.

III. How to Make a Poll Newsletter?

• Go to the Design step of the Campaign Builder.
• Edit the text content block you wish to work upon by clicking on it.
• Use the syntax given below to place the poll merge tag into the editor.

*|POLL:RATING:x|*
<Your Poll Question Here>
*|END:POLL|*

• Click on “Save & Close”.

You’ll be able to determine the orientation of the poll in your campaign by the x value in the merge tag. It can be either H or V. If you want to display the poll horizontally, replace x with H. Replace x with V for vertical placement.

Close each and every *|POLL:RATING:x|* tag with a corresponding *|END:POLL|* to get separate responses.

You won’t be able to change the lowest and highest labels in the simple poll.

The merge tags get converted into a clickable rating scale when the subscriber receives your poll campaign, as shown below.

You’ll be able to view the total votes that each option received, its percentage, and the last vote that was recorded in that poll. By using the poll merge tag, you can check how many subscribers voted for each of the numbers 1-10. To see which subscriber clicked on which number, go to the response numbers in the Option column.

Check out the below image:

Points to Remember

• When you use a poll merge tag, it redirects the subscribers to the survey landing page on answering every poll question. If you’ve added multiple poll questions, subscribers will need to come back to the email to answer the next question.
• Polls will work even if you haven’t enabled click tracking.

Applications of Polls in Email

Now that you know how to make a poll newsletter, here are some of its applications:

• Determine the likeliness of customers to recommend your product or service.
• Gauge the level of your customer service.
• Ascertain whether your customers are satisfied with your offerings.
• Ask for feedback about the quality of content in your resources.
• After a product delivery, eCommerce websites can get feedback on the product quality and delivery, gathering valuable insights about their overall checkout experience.
• Companies can ask for feedback about a newly launched product.
• Travel, food, hotel, and retail industries can make use of polls in emails to solicit feedback about their services, products, and amenities.
• The automobile industry can determine how efficient its manufacturing and maintenance programs are with the help of a MailChimp survey in email.

IV. How to Add Surveys to an Email Campaign?

• Go to the Design step of the Campaign Builder.
• Edit the text content block to create the email survey template.
• Place your survey question into the editor.
• After the survey question, add the *|SURVEY:|* merge tag into the editor. Type in the survey response after the colon.

Make sure you use a separate *|SURVEY:|* merge tag for each and every response.

Let’s take an example:

Q. What do you prefer as a beverage?

*|SURVEY: Tea|*
*|SURVEY: Coffee|*
*|SURVEY: None of these|*
*|SURVEY: Both of these|*Click on “Save & Close”.

• Click on “Save & Close”

The merge tags get converted into a survey question when the subscriber receives your survey campaign.

This is how it’ll appear:

The survey results will appear as below:

Points to Remember

• Your subscribers can vote only once.
• You can add only one survey in a single campaign. The system will link every response option you add to the first question, as it can’t discern the *|SURVEY:Response|* tags in the campaign. Subscribers will see every question but only be able to answer one.
• Make sure each of your survey responses is unique. For example, don’t include *|SURVEY:None of these|* more than once in the same campaign.
• Survey merge tags take up the link style for the campaign section they’re added to. Even when you style the links separately, you should preview and test the campaign without fail so that the changes you made are in sync with the back-end code for the survey merge tags.

Applications of Surveys in Email

• Get information on customer behavior.
• Know their interests and preferences.
• You can identify buyer personas through surveys.
• Employees can ask employers about their opinion on the latest services introduced.
• Ecommerce industry can take the help of surveys in emails to understand what kind of products customers like and leverage the information mined to personalize their emails.
• Companies operating in the travel industry can send out surveys in emails to understand which time of the year their subscribers deem the fittest for going on a vacation.
• Players in the education industry can send a survey to their students and act on the insights provided to enhance their course modules and teaching methods.
• Surveys are invaluable for the electronics industry to identify the diverse buyer persona that interacts with them and send them customized product recommendations accordingly.

V. Some Useful Tips for Polls and Surveys

• ONLY subscribers on your list can vote in the poll or survey. Mailchimp’s system can’t record the responses received through a forwarded email.
• Mailchimp can record the results only if the recipient responds to the poll or survey from their email inbox. Subscribers can’t respond to the poll or survey if they visit the campaign archive page.

Once the subscriber votes on a question, they are redirected to a “Thanks for voting” message.
If the subscriber tries to vote again, they will be brought to the message “Sorry, you can only vote once per poll”.
You can edit these messages from the “Translate it” tab for the survey landing page.

VI. How to View the Poll Results?

Mailchimp’s system stores the captured responses in the campaign report whenever a poll or survey campaign is emailed to your list.

• Go to the Reports page.
• Click on the View Report button for that campaign.
• Go to Analytics360.
• Scroll down to the Poll Results section on the page.

All the information regarding the poll question- votes cast, pending votes, last vote cast and a table with all results- is displayed under Poll Results.

Creating Segments According to Results

You can segment your list on the basis of responses received on a poll or the specific responses received in a survey. Whether the subscriber has responded to the poll or survey can also be a parameter to segment the list.

Wrapping It Up

Despite the slight limitations of using polls and MailChimp surveys in emails, it’s a convenient and cost-effective method to understand how your products and services are being perceived by your customer. Ask the right questions through polls and surveys to discover the right direction toward business growth.

Are you ready to use polls and embed surveys in newsletters? You can add polls in Mailchimp Templates to boost ROI.

Let me rephrase that.

How likely are you to recommend the usage of polls and surveys in email for your business?

Share your thoughts in the comment box below.

Helpful FAQs

Q) When to plan a poll or survey email? How long does the planning to execution process take?

A) The objective of email surveys and polls is to get into your readers’ opinions. In the service industry, usually, brands roll out their surveys at-least once in a month. This helps organizations to work upon the feedback received from a monthly survey email. 

Other than that, a poll can be planned on an event that might have taken place around your business recently. For instance, if you have updated your website design, you may politely ask your subscribers about the feedback of the new changes. Similarly, a mailchimp survey can help you better understand the taste of your audience’s preferences. You can also use it to compare your old and new services efficiently.

Q) I received low audience interaction using Mailchimp survey tool and polls. What might have gone wrong with my email campaign?

A) There are a number of things that might go wrong resulting in low audience participation. However, to quickly summarize the causes, we can assume the following reasons:

• Low readers engagement could be due to a festival or holiday season
• Your email got lost in the inbox
• Your email went into spam folder
• Email subject line failed to engage the reader
• Email content wasn’t compelling enough to engage the user in taking action
• Your emails have rendering problems across email clients and are probably not responsive

Q) Should we hire a freelancer or a dedicated resource for handling our Mailchimp email campaigns?

 A) Working with freelancers and dedicated resources can be both productive and challenging depending upon the project requirements, available budget, and business understanding. Whatever sources you choose, make sure it is legally documented and accountability for the resource is owned. 

Hiring a dedicated resource for your email campaigns can offer you multiple benefits. Read more. 

Q) Can you help me find budget-friendly Mailchimp template production services?

A) Sure, at Email Uplers we offer email template productions services at an affordable price. For instance:

• PSD to Email conversion starts at $59
• Custom Design and Email Coding starts at $159
• Email Template Audit starts at $499

Want more details on pricing? Visit our email marketing pricing page. 

The post How to Create A Survey in Mailchimp: Boost Your Email Campaign ROI appeared first on Email Uplers.