Writing effective business-to-business (B2B) emails is a craft that one must learn and master. It may not be immediately obvious, but there are specific practices and techniques that one can employ to maximize the efficacy of their emails. With the right know-how, you can captivate your audience, build trust, and turn leads into valuable sales opportunities that'll make your competitors green with envy.
Tips to improve your B2B Email Open Rate
Did you know that the average office worker receives 120 emails every day? That's a ton of digital correspondence! So, if you want to boost your B2B email open rate, let's pause and ponder two key questions that will take your message from ordinary to extraordinary:
What challenges are your ideal customers currently facing? Put yourself in their shoes and really understand what keeps them up at night.
Why should they care about what you have to say? Make your message compelling and relevant. Speak their language and grab their attention right from the start. Convince them that what you have to say is worth their valuable time.
TIP №1: Know your audience. Really.
Ready to personalize your emails like a pro? It all starts with deeply understanding your audience. Before you start typing away, make sure to follow these best practices to reach the right prospect, with the right message, at the right time:
1. Set clear goals for your campaign and decide how you'll segment your ideal customers. Knowing what you want to achieve will guide you in targeting the right people.
2. If possible, take advantage of those nifty search filters when doing your prospecting. These handy tools will help you find the contacts and accounts that fit your campaign criteria. Be aware, however, that quite often search filters do not provide enough data granularity. For example: if you are targeting specific functional roles or departments (e.g. bioinformatics), search filters may not allow you to qualify out undesirable leads.
3. Create powerful Buyer Personas. Dive into the defining characteristics of your audience and uncover their biggest pain points. Let this valuable information shape the content of your emails in every sequence.
4. Don't forget to organize! Build segmented lists to categorize your target contacts and accounts effectively. This will ensure you're sending the right messages to the right people.
5. Craft irresistible sequences. Tailor your messaging to each buyer persona's specific needs. Show them that you understand their challenges.
6. Keep the momentum going by using Sequence Statistics. Analyze the data, refine your segmentation tactics, and take personalization to the next level.
And when it's time to write those emails, let your audience feel seen and heard. Make your messages relatable, personalized, and crystal clear. They'll appreciate it, and you'll see the results!
TIP №2: Master the Art of Intriguing Subject Lines
Here's the deal: subject lines must be short and spike your prospect's curiosity.
Length
Why is the subject line of your cold emails so important? Well, if it doesn't catch your prospects' eye, they won't bother opening your email, and all your efforts will be wasted. So, do yourself a favor and keep it short. You could go on and on with a lengthy subject line, but guess what? Email clients will just chop it off. Aim for a length between 10 and 60 characters. Less is definitely more!
Content
Pause for a moment and take a quick glance at your crowded inbox. It's highly likely that you'll find numerous emails vigorously vying for your attention. Now, picture this: your subject line is the enticing lure, the irresistible bait that has the power to either captivate your prospects and draw them in or make them turn away. How can you make sure your hook is irresistible? The key lies in differentiating yourself from the rest. One approach is to harness the power of curiosity, by posing a compelling question or providing a tempting glimpse of what awaits inside your email. Skillfully craft your subject line to make it impossible for your prospects to resist the urge to click that "open" button. Tap into their interests or concerns, say something valuable. It's all about their irresistible curiosity! Think of a movie trailer: your goal is to get your audience to be captivated. Write something short and catchy.
Personalization
Say goodbye to generic terms and hello to a human touch. Use those nifty {{company}} snippets to personalize your approach. Let your emails feel like they were written by a human just for them. It's all about that personal connection! Warning: although personalization may work, stay away from first name snippets in the subject line. While {{company}} name snippets tend to increase open rates, email servers often flag as spam any subject lines that include {{first_name}} snippets.
Urgency
Let's skip the tired cliché subject lines like "LAST CHANCE BEFORE THIS AWESOME DEAL IS GONE FOREVER" – they're outdated. Definitely not recommended for your first cold email. This subject line sounds overly dramatic and could seem like false urgency because it implies that the offer will never come back, which may not be true. This tactic could create a sense of mistrust, since it gives the impression that the company is trying to pressure customers into taking advantage of the offer before it disappears for good. If you really want to add a sense of urgency to your subject line, make sure it sounds authentic. You might want to include specific numbers, or a realistic time frame that emphasizes what they stand to lose if they don't open your email. As a general rule, however, we do not recommend using urgency tactics to your subject line.
A/B Test
Please note, every niche, and target audience within the life science industry is different. Follow best practices as a starting point, but make sure you A/B Test your subject lines to improve your open rates and uncover what works best for your specific niche. Remember: the best way to determine the most effective sales messaging for your campaigns is to let the data do the talking. A/B Testing allows you to test multiple messages in a sequence step. With more than one email template per step, you can analyze and leverage the data to tweak your messaging and improve the effectiveness of future emails.
So, go ahead and craft subject lines that grab attention, inspire curiosity, and create an instant desire to click that open button.
TIP №3: Say More with Less
In this fast-paced world, attention spans are shorter than a sprinter's dash. Back in 2018, studies showed that people spent an average of about 13.4 seconds reading an individual email. Now in 2022, this number has declined to just 9 seconds with all things having been considered and taken into account. Not all emails are given the same level of priority either, with about 30% of emails getting less than 2 seconds of attention. Just 29% of emails get the full nine seconds, with 41% getting between 2 to 8 seconds of time.
So be concise and get to the point. Trust us, your ideal customers aren't looking for your life story. They want to know why you are contacting them and what's in it for them. If they don't see value in the first few seconds, your email might as well take the trash express to the dumpster.
Make it easy to digest and impossible to resist. When it comes to B2B sales emails, simplicity is the name of the game. Find that sweet spot between friendly, casual, and informative. Avoid overcomplicating things or drowning them in a sea of details.
Keep your emails clean, concise, and conversational. No need for bullet points or excessive punctuation. Just make your point crystal clear, provide enough value to pique their interest, and leave them hungry for more.
TIP №4: Master the Art of Irresistible CTAs
Call-to-actions (CTAs) are the secret sauce that gets your readers to take action. Whether it's a question, link, or button, a well-crafted CTA grabs attention and compels your audience to make a move. Every email you send - including the first one - must have one.
So, how do you create CTAs that pack a punch? Keep these tactics in your back pocket:
1. Stand Out: Make your CTAs easy to spot. You do not necessarily have to use bold colors, catchy wording, or eye-catching designs. Just make sure it is easy to spot by using powerful action verbs and clear instructions that leave no doubt about what to do next.
2. Be Thoughtful: Put yourself in your reader's shoes. Align your CTA with their needs and preferences. Show them that you understand what they're looking for. Craft compelling language that persuades readers to take the desired action.
Examples of effective CTAs:
"Are you looking for regulatory support right now?"
"Click here to learn more"
"Claim your free consultation"
"Shop now for special offers"
"Try a free trial"
TIP №5: Add multiple touchpoints
No matter the campaign, every contact you make with your prospect is a touchpoint. This could entail emails, LinkedIn messages, calls, voicemails etc. The best number of touchpoints you should use for any given campaign will vary depending on the buyer personas, the stage in the sales cycle, and the industry segment you are approaching.
Don't give up after the initial attempt; nurture your contacts, supply them with helpful content, and be confident in your approach. Remember why you are reaching out to your targets and the value your product or service can bring.
On average, any combination of 5-8 different touches is a good place to start—provided you segment your leads correctly and share a clear, valuable message with every touch. Don't forget to A/B Test though. Analyzing the data will help you to find the ideal number of touchpoints for each specific campaign you run.
TIP №6: Learn when and how to link
When it comes to an outbound campaign, you are initially a stranger to the people you contact. In order to gain their trust and convince them to click on your links, you need to prove that your message is worth their time. Provide context, create enticing CTAs (calls-to-action) using short, action-orientated phrases. Give your reader a basic idea of what they will get out of clicking on your links.
Warning: you should keep the number of links down to 1 or 2 maximum per email or your bounce rate may rise. In the first touch email, it's very important to avoid sending any links, attachments, or images as the recipient's server is more likely to flag you as SPAM
TIP №7: Don't get spammed
If you want to ensure that your sales emails make it to their destination and remain out of the spam filter, here are some best practices to keep in mind.
Catchy subject lines that pique your contact's interest are highly effective. However, be cautious as certain subject lines can lead your emails into the spam box. Most email providers utilize spam filters and algorithms that swiftly reroute emails with particular keywords to the spam folder. Therefore, to steer clear of the spam box, refrain from using words such as "Cash", "Earn", "Get Paid Now", "100% Off", "Make Money", etc. For a more detailed list of words and phrases to avoid in your emails, refer to this HubSpot article.
Emojis can also have a detrimental impact on your email marketing campaign right from the start. According to a study, emojis tend to generate negative sentiments towards emails and do not necessarily lead to higher open rates. While they might appeal to your target audience, it's crucial to carefully evaluate whether they truly align with your business before incorporating them into your emails.
Remove any unnecessary links from the body of your email and signature. This is especially significant when sending the first email.
Do not include any images or attachments in the body of your email unless it is absolutely necessary. Once again, this is especially pertinent for first-contact emails.
Try to keep your paragraphs brief; longer content can result in SPAM blockers being triggered. To figure out which messages have the lowest bounce rate, consider A/B testing your emails.
Conclusion
In conclusion, honing your skills in writing effective business-to-business (B2B) emails can be a game-changer in today's competitive life science market. By implementing the proven practices and techniques we've explored, you can craft emails that not only engage your target audience but also establish a sense of trust and credibility. So, buckle up and embark on this exciting journey into the world of email conversions—we're confident that your efforts will yield remarkable results and take your B2B marketing strategy to new heights!
And if you need further assistance with your life science prospects, Outbound Pharma is here to help you navigate the world of lead generation.
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