4 Guaranteed Ways to Make your Association’s Emails Stand Out

Emails: They’re a constant in the marketing world

‍In fact, according to Statista, around 269 billion emails are sent every day. That number alone is enough to make anyone’s head spin.

In addition, Radicati’s 2016 Email Statistics report claims by the year 2020 the expected amount of people using email will reach 3 billion. That’s more than the amount of people living in both North and South America combined.

So, why are emails still so popular in the new age of technology? Why hasn’t a different source of marketing or communication stepped in to take their place? It all has to do with their low-cost and high-ROI.

‍For example, did you know that for every $1 spent on email marketing, the average return rate is $38? Talk about multiplying your investment!

Email marketing is also a sure way to grow your association. Out of 254 professionals surveyed by Emarketer, 80% claimed that email marketing had driven up both their customer acquisition and their retention. We get it, email is powerful. But as the beloved Ben Parker once said to Spiderman: With great power comes great responsibility.

‍It’s up to your association to drive its email engagement up and boost your overall engagement. You have a powerful marketing tool right at your fingertips. But if you don’t know how to properly use it, you won’t see the growth you’re looking for.

Not to worry. We’ve rounded up the top 4 email tips, tricks, and tools your association can use to skyrocket your member engagement. By the end of this blog, your association will be well versed in what it takes to make great email campaigns that your members will love. Let’s get started.

1. Email personalization

Personalizing your association’s emails is both an easy and effective way to deliver your content. But how do you get started? Your email’s subject line is a perfect spot. According to the Hubspot blog, emails with personalized subject lines are 22.2% more likely to be opened. That’s right- adding something as simple as your member’s name to an email can convince them to open it up and see what’s inside.

It doesn’t just have to be about names, either. Any sort of personalized token can be used to spruce up your email subject lines.

What is a personalized token? It’s best defined as any sort of fact or information your association might know about your members that can be used to personalize content. Whether it’s a name, location, career field, or even general interest, your association can use it to reach out to its membership.

Use personalization not just in the subject line, but throughout the email. As long as the personalization is appropriate and makes sense where it is placed, it’s good to go. Personalization works to strengthen the bond that your members have with your association. By using text they can identify with, your association can catch the eyes of its membership.

2. Innovative email design

Everyone knows that successful marketing and appealing design go hand in hand. Without a powerful email design, your association’s messages can fall flat. You don’t want your information being lost in translation, or even worse - ignored. So, what does it take to make an email design great? There’s a few things you should know.

You first want to make sure any design you use will compliment the email’s contents. Your design should never smother your information or make readers confused as to what to focus on. Choose something practical, yet interesting.

You also want to make sure your email design is well-branded. Having a branded email campaign will enhance the way your members see your emails. Using your association’s brand colors and fonts can help make this process easy.

Let's not forget about the importance of a mobile-friendly design. 44.7% of email opens occur on a mobile device, which is more than tablet or desktop opens. On top of that, 80% of email recipients will delete an email if it doesn’t read well on a mobile device. You want your emails to reach that percent of audience.

But, why is mobile design so impactful? A mobile-friendly email shows that your association is not only tech savvy, but that it knows how to engage with members in a way that works best.

‍According to Email Monday, a mobile-responsive email design can lead to a 15% increase in unique clicks from mobile users. It also increases the average of unique mobile clicks from a 2.7% to a 3.3%.Consider designing your email template for mobile devices to start. Then, make the necessary changes in order to take that design to laptops and computer screens.

3. Exclusive offers

Let’s be honest, who doesn’t enjoy getting an offer in their email inbox? Sending your members exclusive offers to things like free content, new ebooks, and event discounts can really help your association jump out from the inbox web page.

One form of offer that performs well among audiences is a member loyalty incentive. According to Yes Lifestyle Marketing, loyalty incentive offers included in an email subject line can lead to higher open rate (9%) and click through rate (20%) than a typical email subject line. You want to make sure the offer you include is member exclusive, otherwise it loses its appeal and won’t receive the best engagement possible. Want another way to make your offer appealing? Make it time sensitive. A time sensitive offer is exciting for members because it creates a sense of urgency. In fact, the urgency created by a time sensitive subject line can produce a 22% increase in open rates. Those are serious results!

Create a subject line including your time sensitive offer. Make it something hard to ignore, like “today only” or “a limited time offer for you!”. You want your members to feel an urge to receive your offer as soon as they can.

4. Content-packed newsletters

Yes, the classic association newsletter. While it’s not a new concept, it can still be modified to increase your email traffic by a significant amount.

‍According to Content Marketing Institute, 83% of B2B marketers use email newsletters in their content marketing strategy. That’s well over three quarters of marketers who believe in the power of a newsletter.

There’s a reason why; Audiences are asking for them. Nielsen Norman Group reports that when asked which medium consumers would like to receive updates from, 90% preferred an email newsletter.

‍So, why do newsletters perform so well? They’re a time-saving way for your association’s members to catch up on all important updates and information during the week or month. Think about it this way: It’s all of their important news rolled up into one valuable email.

‍If your association doesn’t already, it should be sending out a newsletter. It’s up to your team to decide whether that newsletter should be monthly, weekly, or even daily. Just remember- you don’t want to overwhelm your members with too many emails. Once you decide your format, pack your newsletter with interesting content and maybe even some offers. Think about what matters to your members: Is it membership benefits? Or maybe it’s renewal fees? You want to know what your members are looking to hear.

You can add a link to your newest guide or e-book at then end of the letter as an incentive for your members. Any form of content that can add value to your newsletter is perfect to include.

We hope these 4 strategies will help your association’s emails become the success you’re looking for. In the future, consider incorporating these tips into your association’s email campaigns.