How Psychology Can Help Improve Your Email Marketing Campaign

As consumers, we like to think we are rational when making purchasing decisions. We want to think we take everything into account, from the bottom line price to the long-term value. At the end of the day, however, human beings are emotional creatures, and our emotions play a part in every buying decision we make.

As email marketers, we can use that emotional decision making to our advantage. By deploying sound psychological methods and tried-and-true marketing processes, we can improve our results, increase awareness for our brands and turn casual shoppers into loyal lifelong customers.

From the types of images we incorporate into our newsletters to the fonts and colors we use in our emails, there are plenty of ways for us as email marketers to use psychology to our advantage. Here are some tips and suggestions you can to improve your results today.

Start with a compelling From line.
The From line is your first chance to get the attention of busy readers. Make the most of it by keeping a consistent From line. It will build your brand and train your readers to look out for your messages.

Know your readers.
Do your list members prefer flowery language, or do they want you to get right to the point? Knowing the preferences of your readers will improve your response rates and boost your bottom line.

Set a colorful tone.
Understand the psychology of colors and how people respond to them. Blue is often associated with trustworthiness and professionalism, while black is seen as sleek and minimalist. Red gets attention and conveys a warning, while green is soothing and often used to convey wealth. Orange is seen as an aggressive color, and many marketers use it for their call to action.

Include relevant images with your message.
Psychologically speaking, a picture is worth more than a thousand words. The image may be the first thing your readers see. If they like what they see, they are more likely to check out what you have to say.

Give your messages a personal touch.
Many studies, including a recent survey by Experian Marketing Services, found that personalization was one of the best ways to improve open rates. If you are not yet personalizing your emails, now is the time to start.

Use smart segmentation to personalize your emails further.
Personalization is more than using the customer name in the subject line. You can further personalize your marketing messages by incorporating all kinds of information. From demographic data and location to past purchases and survey answers, there are many different ways to segment your list and personalize your message.

As rational as we like to think we are, psychology plays a role in virtually everything we do. Psychology definitely has a role to play in the world of marketing, and incorporating emotional responses into your messages is one of the best ways to improve your results, build your brand and boost your sales.