Do You Cater to the Mobile Crowd?
If you’re a B2B marketer who is still sending out graphics-heavy e-mails, here’s something to consider: nearly two-thirds of the high-level decision makers in corporate America –- you know, the people that you’re trying to reach — probably can’t read your e-mails!
You see way back in 2007, 64% of these decision makers were already telling MarketingSherpa that they “regularly view e-mails using a mobile device,” and given that more than 269 million mobile devices were sold to users during 1Q09 alone, I’d be willing to bet mobile e-mail readership is closer to 70%.
When it comes down to it, mobile devices (not lack of interest) might be the real reason behind your recent drop off in open or click-thru rates. The only way you’ll really know is to start catering to the mobile crowd with messages that render properly on their mobile devices.
Here are 5 mobile-friendly e-mail tips, a few which I lifted straight from MailerMailer’s 2009 E-Mail Marketing Metrics Report.
Mobile-Friendly E-Mail Tip #1: During signup, give people the option to receive a mobile version of your e-newsletters and promotions.
If you give subscribers a mobile box they can check on the signup page, you’ll know right away what percentage of your audience plans to use their mobile device to read your messages.
Mobile-Friendly E-Mail Tip #2: Ditch the images.
Images can turn an otherwise great e-mail message into a horrible mess on a mobile device. To be safe, save the flashy graphics for your brochures. Instead, focus on solid content.
Mobile-Friendly E-Mail Tip #3: Shorten your subject lines.
MailerMailer’s research suggests that succinct subject lines can pull nearly 4% more opens. How short is short? Thirty-five characters or less.
Mobile-Friendly E-Mail Tip #4: Ditto for your e-mail content.
For as long as I’ve been writing e-mails, there’s been a long-standing debate between long copy versus short copy. I myself have always tended towards long, because my own experience told me long outsells short. The trend towards mobile, however, is making me rethink my position.
If you have a mobile audience, MailerMailer suggests that you give readers an abbreviated version of your message with link they can use to get the full story.
Mobile-Friendly E-Mail Tip #5: Test your messages on a mobile device.
Fine advice if you have a smartphone, but what about us traditionalists who still believe a phone is just for talking?
Fortunately, there are free simulators on the web. Here are a few links to get you started:
- iPhone: http://www.testiphone.com/
- Blackberry: http://www.blackberry.com/developers/downloads/simulators/index.shtml
- Windows Mobile: http://www.g-site.com/ppc/
Let’s get a discussion going. If you’re already a savvy mobile e-mail marketer, what tips and best practices do you use when creating content for your mobile crowd?