1. Weak Subject Lines
The subject line of your email is the first thing customers see. If it doesn’t spark curiosity or clearly explain why someone should open your email, it might get skipped or deleted. To improve your subject lines, keep them short and clear, and ideally under 50 characters. Use action words like “discover,” “save,” or “learn” to grab attention. Avoid using all capital letters or too many emojis, which can look spammy. Testing the results of different subject lines can also help you learn what works best for your audience.
2. Lack of Personalization
Nobody likes to be called “Dear Customer.” Generic greetings feel cold and impersonal, and email content that isn’t relevant to your customer erodes trust. Customers want to feel like you know them. Consider investing in an email marketing platform, point-of-sale (POS) solution, or customer relationship management (CRM) system that can make it easy for you to personalize emails with your customers’ names, preferences, or past purchases.
3. Too Much Text
Long paragraphs and walls of text can overwhelm readers. Most people scan emails quickly, so it’s important to make your message easy to read. Break up your content into short paragraphs and use headlines to organize sections. Bullet points can help highlight key information, and relevant images can support your message. Keep your emails focused and avoid trying to say everything at once.
4. Sending from a Personal Email Address
Sending a business email from an address like “john123@gmail.com” looks unprofessional and reduces trust. Customers are more likely to engage with emails that come from a branded, professional-looking email address. Consider using a domain-based email like “contact@amysflorals.com”. Avoid sending from “no-reply” email addresses, as they discourage customer interaction and can be frustrating for customers who want to get in touch with you.
5. Not Testing Before Sending
Broken links, typos, or formatting issues can make your emails look sloppy and unprofessional. Always test your emails before sending them out. Preview them on both desktop and mobile devices to ensure they’ll look good for all customers. Click every link to make sure it works, check for spelling and grammar mistakes, and confirm that images load properly. Consider pasting your email content into a word processing tool to identify spelling errors or grammatical mistakes. Another option is to ask an AI chatbot to review it for you.
6. Not Offering a Way to Unsubscribe
Not including an “Unsubscribe” link in your emails isn’t just annoying—it’s illegal. Customers should always have a way to opt out of emails they don’t want. Include a clear “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of every marketing email. Even better, offer an Email Preferences page so customers can choose what types of emails they want to receive from you. Respect opt-outs and remove people from your list to maintain trust. Many email marketing platforms can automate this process for you.
7. Emailing Too Often
Sending too many emails can annoy your customers and lead to unsubscribes. Instead of flooding their inboxes, focus on sending relevant, timely messages. Create a consistent schedule and stick to it. Segment your audience so you’re sending the right messages to the right people. And don’t forget to keep tabs on how many customers are opting out of your emails. Too many unsubscribes may indicate that you’re emailing too much.
8. Missing a Clear Call-to-Action (CTA)
If your email doesn’t tell the reader what to do next, it’s a missed opportunity. Whether it’s clicking a link, visiting your store, or replying to your message, make the next step obvious. Use buttons or bold links with simple, clear instructions like “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” or “Book Today.” Place your call-to-action where it’s easy to find—usually near the top and bottom of the email.
9. Using Too Many Images
Images can make your email look great, but too many of them—or ones that are too large—can cause problems. They can lead to long load times or trigger spam filters. To avoid this, keep the images in your email under 150KB and aim for a balance of 80% text and 20% images.
10. Including Attachments
Attachments in marketing emails are a big no-no. They can trigger spam and security filters and slow down email delivery. Instead of attaching files, upload documents to your website or a cloud storage provider and include a link to them in your email. This keeps your message clean and easy to access.
Running a business means juggling a lot, especially when it comes to staying connected with your customers. By taking the time to avoid common email mistakes, you can help build trust with your customers and maximize engagement with your emails. If you’re a business owner in MA or RI and looking for tools to help personalize emails and segment your customer base, check out our point-of-sale (POS) system options. They’re built to help you save time, build stronger customer relationships, and grow your business. Don’t hesitate to contact us today.