Email newsletters are excellent marketing tools. But creating quality newsletters that grab the reader's attention takes work.

As your subscriptions grow, getting readers to open your newsletter in crowded inboxes is a constant challenge.

You may already have a few tactics that you employ in nudging readers to open the newsletter; now's the time to add a few more. Let's pool our ideas and increase open rates for everyone! What are effective ways for increasing email newsletter open rates?

Already have a high open rate? We hope you share your secrets. If you don't have a newsletter or any suggestions to share, perhaps you have a situation needing a few hundred thousand brains to generate ideas. If so, 100,000 "MarketingProfs Today" readers are ready to deliver their thoughts to help resolve your problem. Submit your dilemma and receive a complimentary copy of our book, A Marketer's Guide to e-Newsletter Publishing.

This Week's Dilemma

Open me, I want your attention!

We've tried many tactics to nudge readers to open our email newsletter. But we think we can do a lot better. What are the one or two top ideas for increasing my e-newsletter open rates? What are the most effective ways to increase e-newsletter open rates?

—Dylan, Marketing Rep

Previous Dilemma

Help! I'm in over my head.

I have worked in accounts all my life. My company, a small ISP, had a promotional campaign last year and I was asked to help coordinate it. My bosses liked my input so much that one year later I'm promoted to Marketing Rep. Now, this is a new area for me and I must admit it bothers my confidence as to what kind of a job I can do with it. I'm not even sure where to start. I'm trying to enroll in a college to do a degree in marketing. But the work starts now. The competition in providing Internet access is stiff and we only provide dial up access. What should be my first approach, my strategy for taking on this new position? How do I learn the basic stuff that governs marketing—and get the tools I need to excel in my new job?

—Jack, Marketing Rep

Summary of Advice Received

First, everyone says, "Congratulations on the promotion, Jack!" Enjoy it and avoid questioning it. Obviously, you're doing something right. It's time for you to go to the next level, and readers provide five ways of going about this:

  1. Expand on your strengths. 
  2. Know your customers. 
  3. Do your research. 
  4. Use resources to increase your knowledge. 
  5. Follow the marketing process.

1. Expand on your strengths

Jack, since you have earned the promotion, focus on the reasons why you have been promoted. A reader encourages taking the position with confidence:

You were chosen for a reason, so try to probe what that reason(s) was/were. Then, approach your strategy that way. For example, let's say that you were chosen because you are innovative. Try to continue to come up with new ideas that can make the company money.

Start the new job with what you do best, and build from there.

2. Know your customers

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hank Stroll (Hank@InternetVIZ.com) is publisher at InternetVIZ, a custom publisher of 24 B2B e-newsletters reaching 490,000 business executives.