We are asked obsessively about open rates…

• “What’s the average email open rate”
• “How can I improve my email open rate”
• “My email open rate is X, is that good?”

Interesting that the focus is always on getting more people opening email, not dealing with those that never open. We send 49 Million emails every month on behalf of 15,000 Australian businesses, and we can guarantee that less than 1% ever focus on dealing with “non-openers”.

The reasons are simple, and completely in line with the assumption that email marketing is only about sending broadcast emails.

8 reasons Your Database Are NOT Opening Your Email Campaigns!

1) You Bought or Scraped Your List: buying a list is NOT opt in. Downloading connections from LinkedIn is NOT opt in. Email addresses from your email program is NOT opt in. Marketing without permission rubs the SPAM act the wrong way and gets everyone offside.

2) They Opted in Once: you met the requirement when they joined in 2007, and now most of them no longer remember who you are! Every guide, check list and resource you offer has to be opted into every time. Each time they reconfirm their interest, you get more buy in, you uncover their interest and know a little more about them.

3) You Know NOTHING About Them: 89% of databases loaded into BrandMail platform contain 4 fields of data or less. First and last name, email and mobile number – sound familiar? If you know nothing about the people on your list, how can you hope to encourage them to do anything?

4) You’ve Always Done It Like This: they’re on the list until they BUY or DIE! Your open rate is in decline and you don’t know what to do, so you keep doing what you’ve always done hoping it will change, otherwise known as the very definition of insanity.

5) One List For Everyone: you’ve have this list, everyone is in here whether they like it or not. You either have not or cannot segment them for interest, or even on what they’ve bought from them. Each time you email out a few actually open them and those that can be bothered complain or report them as spam. A few more unsubscribe, and the rest automatically junk your emails (showing as unopened).

6) One Email For Everyone: this only happens because you don’t know them. It’s impossible send something interesting on purpose, sometimes you just get lucky. They all get the one email, which you stuff with enough angles hoping that everyone will find something interesting. Sadly, most people will find it distracting or hard work which they’ll scan then trash.

7) Number Pride: you’ve nurtured this list of 50K since you were a lad or a young lady, watched that number grow and you are incredibly proud of it. We’ve seen lists of 1500 active interested people generate more revenue than lists of 100K plus, unbelievable right? Imagine having a list that were actually interested?

8) We Send When *Insert Reason: insert either – *We have some time/*We want something/*We get around to it. You probably believe you have an email strategy as you send emails regularly. It’s a lot like saying you are professional chef because you cook dinner every night.

Every business we have EVER MET does at least 4 of the above.

What should you do when MOST of your database ARE NOT OPENING your emails?

A) REMOVE and IMPROVE: You can instantly improve your open rate and your databases reputation with email providers, ISP’s and Email Service Providers by removing them from your marketing database.

• Take EVERYONE out of your prime marketing database that has not opened an email in 3 months.
• Create an Email Re-Engagement Campaign just for them that ensures they earn their way back into your main database by opting in.
• Anyone not making it back in 6 months goes into the bucket, the bucket is where “leads” go to die.

B) DO IT BETTER: this statement is a little like wearing a t-shirt with the word “obvious” written on the front, but spot on. Here you have 2 choices:

• Get your team to do it – Let’s face it, if you had the time, urge, energy, resource or man or woman power or knew it was a problem it would’ve been done by now, so be realistic.
• Get an expert to do it for you. What is it costing you to NOT do it better? We’ve seen campaigns cut advertising spend by half and get the same result.

Creating email campaigns on purpose seek out new customers, turn heads with great value and information, handle objections and give them a reason to call you.

Outsource your email marketing and let’s do something beautiful together…

P.S. For the open rate obsessed – we love you really, take a look at our Australian Email Marketing Statistics Report 2014 (2015 coming soon)