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If there’s one metric you should aim to improve for your automotive email marketing campaigns, it’s your open rate.
Why does this matter? Your open rate is the percentage of recipients who open your email out of those who received it, so a higher open rate means more eyes on your business.
Let’s see how you can improve your open rate and boost the ROI of your automotive marketing strategy.
1. Create Strong Subject Lines
You get one chance to grab attention and engage with your recipients with an email campaign, and your subject line is essentially your first impression—your foot in the door.
Here are some ways to make sure your subject lines stand out:
- Incorporate Emojis: Using relevant emojis can help your headline stand out in the crowded inbox. They help to convey what words can’t and should be used with purpose, to emphasize a message. Although using emojis sparingly is recommended, studies have shown they can increase open rates by 56% and click-through rates by 28%.
- Use Compelling Language: Spark recipients’ interest using language that elicits a sense of urgency, curiosity, and exclusivity.
- Maximize Your Preview Text: This space can highlight a key benefit, tease a piece of valuable information, or pose a question to add context to your subject line, without being repetitive. Think of it as an elevator pitch: concise, direct, and compelling.
- Use Numbers: Open rates significantly increase when subject lines contain numbers. This is also a way to build credibility, using hard numbers and data. For example, “7 Ways to Cut Your Car Maintenance Costs by 50%!” tends to perform better than vague titles like “Ways to Cut Your Car Maintenance Costs.”
2. Follow an 80/20 Rule for Email Content
There’s no doubt about it that your subject line is key for engaging your readers, but the content you provide in your email is equally as important. The best approach involves providing 80% valuable content that your customers actually want to read, while 20% focuses on revenue-driving or promotional content.
Here are some ideas of what to include:
- Educational content such as explaining common vehicle problems or the importance of regular oil changes.
- Tips and how-to guides on vehicle maintenance to build trust in your auto shop and technicians.
- Customer testimonials relating to your customers in a positive and friendly way, humanizing your brand.
- Seasonal automotive advice to help meet customer needs throughout the year.
- Introduce any new services and special offers that your shop is promoting.
3. Automate Your Campaign Workflow
Automated, targeted emails make each communication more relevant, resulting in better open rates and more timely vehicle maintenance, improving customer satisfaction and repeat business.
A great way to use automation is to send reminder emails based on the customer’s last service date or mileage. For instance, if a customer came in for an oil change six months ago, an automated email could be sent reminding them it’s time for their next oil change.
4. Consult the Automotive Email Marketing Experts
By improving your open rate, your auto repair business gains more visibility while building a rapport with your customers, who will be more likely to engage with your content —and take action.
If you want more information about boosting your open rates and running a successful automotive email campaign, contact the experts at UpSwell. We’re here to help and can’t wait to help take your business to the next level!
