In email marketing, A/B testing is the best way to communicate more effectively with your company’s audience. Although it’s a frequently used method, it can be intimidating to marketers who haven’t had the opportunity to use it. The truth is that despite the marketing jargon, it’s pretty simple to do. Even better, it’s the best way to gain understanding of customer preference as it relates to your emails.
A/B testing, or split testing, is defined as a method of experimentation using two variants on a group of users. By trying two versions of one thing on a group of people, marketers can measure which one generates the most interaction. After using a small group to determine which option is preferable, the full campaign can be launched using the customer favorite. Tailoring aspects of emails to user preference will increase open and click-through rates and inch leads closer to conversion.
Going out of your way to cater to customer preference, even in small ways, strengthens relationships and engagement. The good news is that most useful forms of A/B testing aren’t necessarily complicated.
One key element of email marketing is identifying optimal times to send your emails to get them opened. These times vary according to company and industry, so it’s important to get personal. Test your email list to find out when they’d like to hear from you most.
Have you ever wondered which subject line will get your email opened by more people? Run an A/B test to find out. Then you can send your email confidently with the knowledge that you’ve optimized your open rate.
Regardless of who manages email marketing for your company, prospects like to hear from people they know. Experiment with the “from” name attached to your email. You can try the sales representative associated with a lead, or even the CEO. Testing will help you determine what your leads find most friendly or intriguing.
It’s no secret that email marketing is veering more towards the visual, but especially in B2B, text might still be important to your readers. Testing can help you strike an optimal balance.
Is your company A/B testing to get the most out of email?
Image via (cc) Marc Levin
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