Email marketing is a field that is in constant change, and using the same methods that worked a few months or even weeks ago may no longer do the trick. Studies have shown that many pharma marketers are still using words and phrases that are certain to lower their opening rates without even realizing that they’re doing harm to themselves.
That’s why I’ve created this blog about 7 things you need to avoid in your future email marketing endeavors.
Can you chat/ are you ready for a chat
“Can you chat” is a common question that often pops up in email opening lines. But as it turns out, most physicians are not ready for a chat. In fact, they are not even ready to open an email that’s inviting them to chat. Using can you chat as a phrase will keep your open rates 30% lower and your reply rates 20% lower than average. So this phrase is definitely something you should avoid.
Something of interest won’t get your physicians interested
Adding the phrase “something of interest” will decrease your open rates by 15% and your reply rates by 20%. The phrase something of interest by itself indicates to the recipients that they have received a marketing or a sales email. Whether you like it or not, these type of emails usually end up in the bin.
Trying to connect will not get you connected
You may be trying to connect. And maybe you’ve been frank about that and placed trying to connect in the opening line of your email. But sadly, these days, nobody cares about your connection efforts. This phrase is too general and doesn’t tell your readers anything about your offer. Instead of using this general phrase you may try to use some statistical data to explain the value of your email for the recipient. This will get you some much-needed attention and the clicks you are looking for.
Avoid touching base
Even though it’s been used by thousands and thousands of pharma companies out there, the subject line “touching base” is more likely to place your email in the trash than into the read section. Emails that contain touching base have almost 50% lower open rates than the average.
The longer the email opening line, the lower the open rates
Email open rates decrease with every added word. And email opening lines with more than 5 words have a 50% less chance to get opened than their shorter counterparts. Long opening lines are certain to get cut off and fail to convey your offer in full.
So if you want to give your email a better chance of being opened, you should definitely keep your first line under 5 words.
Your questions will remain unanswered
Despite popular belief, people (read: physicians) don’t like questions in subject lines. Replying to a question demands an intellectual effort from the recipients and people feel pressured to reply. Most people just don’t need that kind of pressure in their life… And physicians are no exception tothe rule. So they are more likely to leave those emails in the unread folder, or even worse, delete them. Emails with a question in the subject line have 10% lower open and reply rates. With this in mind, they are definitely something to be avoided.
Exclamation points trigger spam filters
Adding an exclamation point to your subject line will lead to even worse results. Exclamation signs are a spam trigger, so emails that contain exclamation sign in their opening lines have high chances of ending up in the spam folder immediately, together with your value proposition.
These were 7 common mistakes that will make physicians skip your email or simply throw it in the bin. If you have been making any of these 7 mistakes in your email stop right now. And you should see positive results right away. I know I have. So get to email writing right now and just watch your open and click-through rate increase overnight.
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