Wondering why it seems like prospects are ignoring your emails? You may not be catching their eye and engaging them with your content. Let’s explore the do’s and don’ts of interacting with your email prospects, and how to get them to engage them with your content.

Start off strong: write effective subject lines

Your prospects receive hundreds of emails per day, so if the subject line isn’t eye-catching enough, they can often go unopened. Make sure your emails don’t get lost in the masses. Write subject lines that create curiosity, but don’t, under any circumstances, trick prospects into opening your emails with a promise you can not deliver.

Think of your subject lines as your only chance to make a good impression and get creative. You can pose a question to get readers thinking. Another way to create a subject line is to personalize. Include your prospect’s name to build rapport with them and strengthen the relationship.

Here are some additional tips from JeffMolander.com:

• Make your subject line familiar sounding yet also vague (don’t be too specific)
• Have it be provocative…a little bit weird…yet credible
• Keep it as short as possible (2-4 words is best)

Keep emails simple and straight to the point

If you want to increase the likelihood that sales prospects will open your emails, then keeping emails short and to the point will be hugely beneficial to you. Again, remember that people are busy, so make sure that your email conveys every point you want to offer while keeping it short enough to scan quickly.

Establish your credibility

If you want to build trust with your email recipients, then you can provide useful stats or testimonials within the email. Tell prospects about the percentage of successful customers you have had in the last year, or the number of people who would recommend your business to a friend. You can also provide PDFs with testimonials, case studies, and awards you have received.

Emphasize the solution

Show your prospects why the information in the emails you send is beneficial and establish how your services solve the problem the customer is facing. The biggest mistake in an email is to highlight your services without explaining how it solves the customer’s problem. Customers want to know how you will make their lives easier.

Create a sense of urgency

Make yourself in demand, by including limited-time offers. Prospects will be more apt to looking out for your emails to follow up on promotions they know they may lose out on. However, it’s important that prospects don’t feel rushed. we’ll talk more about this later on.

Include a call to action

If you want a prospect to take action, then you have to encourage them. For example, including a button at the end of an email that allows prospects to call or schedule an appointment can inspire prospects to engage further with your business.

Check for errors

Nothing is worse than receiving an email riddled with spelling and grammar errors. Not only is this unprofessional, but these mistakes will also dampen your credibility. People want to do business with professionals that are educated about the subject matter they are selling. Another way to ensure that your emails are free of errors is to get a second opinion. Try a tool like Grammarly to help proofread your emails before you send them out.

Beware of the spam folder

There is a myriad of reasons that your emails could go to spam. For example, if you’re misleading your readers with your subject line or you neglected to include your physical address, you may get marked as spam. Make sure that keep your code simple, don’t use spam words like “amazing,” “dear friend,” or “this is not spam,” optimize your images for email and mobile, use clear fonts and keep the image-to-text ratio low.

Don’t overwhelm your prospects

Do not put too much pressure on your prospects and give them the appropriate amount of time to respond to your emails. If you want to build successful relationships with prospects, you need to let them receive and digest all of the information you have given them.

Use Split Testing

If you want to know which email will obtain the most results, then use the A/B split testing method. By testing one subject line over another or different copy, you can see what methods work best for your business. This can be very beneficial, allowing you to practice your new methods of email while getting real-time audience feedback. Use data from email sites like MailChimp to show you the open and click rate results you get from your emails. Key metrics to track for split testing include email deliverability, open rates, click-through rates, and leads.

The 1,2,3, Email Method

If you’re trying to gain more sales or leads through cold emailing try the 1,2,3 email method for closing down more deals and increase your response rates.

The idea behind the method is to provide the prospect with three problems that they are likely to experience that your services can solve. The reason you will get less friction from doing this is that you’re giving the prospect 3 clear options that relate to big problems that they want to fix. The prospect doesn’t have to feel pressured, they can just leave a reply with their number of choices and click send. Close.io says to “Present your prospect with three scenarios that are likely to apply to them based on the information you have about them. Ask them to choose which scenario applies to their situation. All they have to do is hit reply, enter a number and click send. Friction removed.” You can use this method to get replies and follow-ups as well. This method can be also helpful to re-engage your prospects.

This version of the email provided will help your prospects see that you are paying close attention to them. Furthermore, you will be able to show them why they need you in an efficient manner.

Getting responses from emails to prospects can help turn potential leads into customers. Create emails that are simple but eye-catching, and empower prospects to further engage with your business after reading your email. Even with the rise of social media, email is still an effective means of reaching customers. Make sure you’re giving this method of communicating the attention it deserves.