Spam emails are something your patients deal with continuously. In fact, there were over 88 billion spam emails per day worldwide last September. Even legitimate email marketers can see their emails end up in the spam folder. Despite precautions, 21% of permission-based emails end up in the spam folder. We offer tips to make sure you’re not one of them.
Get familiar with Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation.
Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation protects consumers and businesses from the misuse of digital technology, such as spam, and gives recipients the right to stop emails. It also lists penalties for violations. Here are some of the legislation’s main requirements:
- Get consent to send emails.
- Identify who sent the email in the header information.
- Tell recipients how to opt out of future emails and process requests promptly.
- Be truthful in advertising (for instance, indicate whether taxes are included or not if you’re listing a price).
- Include your physical postal address.
Healthcare is subject to additional regulations. Be sure to check requirements specific to your industry.
Make the most of email addresses
Who you send emails to and how you do it impacts whether your email is identified as spam. To keep your email from ending up as spam, remove any email addresses that cannot be delivered because they are closed, non-existent or invalid. Encourage subscribers to add your email to their address book, and don’t use a no-reply address.
Follow best practices for subject lines
The subject line is one of the first things a recipient sees when they receive your email. Not only can it flag your email as spam, but it can also influence whether the recipient opens it. Consider that 69% of email recipients report email as spam based on the subject line. Here are some tips to keep in mind when writing subject lines:
- Avoid using all caps.
- Use no more than 3 punctuation marks per subject line and don’t use exclamation points.
- Use no more than 9 words (or 60 characters). Keep in mind that recipients may be reading subject lines on a mobile device, so shorter is better.
- Personalize it. Emails with a personalized subject line are 26% more likely to be opened.
Use the subject line to let your recipient know an exciting healthcare marketing giveaway and personalize it to your email subject. For example, a weekly newsletter about staying safe while exercising outdoors could include a bike light set or cool wrap. Or, thank customers for ‘growing’ your business with a mini watering can kit as part of a quarterly update.
Create personalized and relevant email content
Taking a one-size-fits-all approach to email marketing is not as effective as creating relevant content. In fact, 56% of consumers opt out of emails because the content no longer pertains to them. And 51% opt out because the content isn’t what was expected.
- Create segmented campaigns based on the varying needs of your patients. Find out what’s important to them and create content around that.
- Use a relatable tone instead of industry jargon.
- Make your emails more personal with a healthcare marketing giveaway that your patients can relate to, such as a pill organizer, mood spoon or a colourful hot/cold pack.
Pay attention to what’s on the inside
Email length, fonts and other factors can mean the difference between ending up in the spam folder and making it to the inbox. The contents of your email also reflect how credible your organization appears to be. Use easy-to-read fonts consistently throughout the email and don’t use embedded forms. Aim for content that is concise and to-the-point. And be sure to check for spelling errors, which frequently trip spam filters.
Consider email frequency
Frequency plays a big role in recipients’ perception of emails, with 45% saying that sending emails too often is the number one reason they unsubscribe from mailing lists. Do some research to figure out what frequency works for your campaigns and industry and be careful not to overload recipients’ inboxes.
Enjoy an effective healthcare email marketing campaign
By following some simple tips, you’ll create healthcare email marketing that doesn’t go to spam. Capture the attention of patients with relevant content paired with some marketing giveaways for maximum engagement.