Are your carefully crafted insurance email marketing messages successful at boosting conversion rates and closing deals – or are they languishing unopened in the spam folder? Sure, there’s a good chance you already know the basics of avoiding the spam folder: don’t write subject lines in all caps, don’t make spelling mistakes, and don’t include excessive punctuation.
As a subject line, “GREAT INSURANCE DEALS!!!!” is clearly a recipe for disaster. What you may not realize, however, is that spam filters can trap legitimate campaigns due to minor factors you may have previously not considered, such as the sender’s email address, subject line, or seemingly innocuous message content.
These four tips will help keep your messages out of the spam folder and increase open rates:
#1: Use double-opt in.
Double opt-in is a process that protects your email list from bots and ensures that subscribers are real people who genuinely want to learn more about your insurance offerings. The double opt-in process works like this: subscribers sign up for an email via a form on your site; they receive an email confirmation message; they click on a link in this message to confirm their interest and are added to your email list. Using double-opt in is one of the best ways to increase the likelihood that your messages will actually be delivered and, most importantly, opened.
#2: Watch out for “spammy” words in your subject lines.
In the context of your subject line, words like “free”, “trial”, “quote” and “sample” may be completely innocuous; however, that’s not how a spam filter sees it! Be careful when offering a free insurance quote or discounted deal on auto, home, life or health insurance. And while “help”, “percent off” and “reminder” don’t usually trigger spam filters, many recipients still consider these words to be spammy, which leads to low open rates.
#3: Include your company name in the email subject line.
This may sound redundant, but Mailchimp found that companies that include their name in the subject line increase their open rates. In fact, 17 of Mailchimp’s top 20 performing email campaigns include a company name. Why are company names effective? They clarify the sender and convey legitimacy.
#4: Use your email program’s “spam check” tools.
Popular email campaign platforms like Mailchimp and Constant Contact also offer tools to help reduce spam complaints and improve delivery. For example, Mailchimp’s “Inbox Inspector” tests how your campaign will hold up against major email programs, giving you a pass or fail report based on filters, firewalls and gateway servers. Mailchimp’s “Delivery Doctor” tests campaigns against common spam filters. Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to successful delivery and open rates for your next email marketing message!
Source: http://kb.mailchimp.com/delivery/spam-filters/my-campaigns-are-going-to-spam-folders
