First impressions count. No debate. We are constantly being judged, especially in business. When someone first meets you for a business need, they ask questions. Will there be another meeting? Do I like this person? Do they seem trustworthy? For better or worse, today, most of the first “meetings” happen over email. And a good portion (if not the majority) will be from your mailing list. Are you making the right impression with that first contact? Or are you making mistakes right out of the gate that will sink your chances?
The open rate for the average welcome email is between 50% and 60%.
According to MailChimp, the average open rate for regular travel (and transportation) emails is just over 20%.
So, how to stay ahead of the game?
Make sure you let your clients know they made the right decision.
- Create the right subject line—remind them why they are getting your email. Catch their attention. Make them do more. Something as simple as “Thanks for signing up for the ABC Travel Gram, what’s next?” will do the trick.
- Thank them for signing up—listen to your grandmother; manners matter!
- Tell them how many subscribers you have—establish yourself as an authority. Peer pressure.
Set the expectations
- Tell them what to expect—weekly, monthly, quarterly. And stick to it. If you change, give them notice!
- Ask them to whitelist you. You can always check your spam score before sending it, but if they whitelist you, it will be easier. No one will whitelist anyone without asking!
Deliver the goods
- Did you promise them something as an enticement to sign up? Information? A discount? Destination Guide? Make sure you fulfill that offer immediately! Most email programs have auto-responders or campaigns to handle this. A good idea might be packing lists for specific destinations or travel types. “Download our handy packing list so you won’t be stuck buying that $20 bottle of aspirin in the hotel gift shop.”
Most businesses (including your competitors) aren’t giving much thought to their initial email to a prospect. In fact, most are using a cookie-cutter website that looks no different than the next guy. Is that the impression you want? Some time spent considering the message in your opening email will pay dividends to you for a long time and set you apart from the others. Consistent emails with the proper branding and messaging will turn your prospects into raving fans!
After all, how excited are you to buy a car from a salesperson with a weak handshake?
Got any tips yourself? Leave a comment!