If your email campaigns aren't getting the results you want, you might be making some of these common mistakes. But don't worry, we're here to help you get the deliverability you deserve.

1. Keeping Unengaged Contacts

Having a big email list is great, but it's important to make sure your subscribers are still interested. Regularly clean your list by removing inactive contacts. 

If your email client hasn’t done so already, create a list of unengaged subscribers who:

• Haven't opened your emails in six months or more
• Hard bounce several times in a row
• Haven’t clicked an email in a year or more

Send them a reactivation campaign, asking if they still want to hear from you. You can also test new content or change the email frequency to see if engagement improves. If they remain unresponsive, it's best to delete them to maintain your deliverability rates.

2. Forgetting the Power of Segmentation

Don't send the same email to everyone on your list. Instead, segment your list into smaller groups based on specific interests or characteristics. This allows you to send messages that are targeted, personalised and have a better fit with the reader’s interests.

You can segment by location, demographics, purchase history, preferences or any other information you have stored on your email database. Ask subscribers what type of content they want to receive by sending an email with a preferences form and remember to include a link to this form in all your emails.

For example, a pet products store should try to segment their newsletters by the types of pet that each subscriber has. A customer who only owns cats will have little interest in dog food or bird toys and is therefore unlikely to engage with that type of content in a newsletter.

3. Sending Emails at the Wrong Time

Finding the perfect time and day to send emails can be tricky. While studies suggest optimal times, there's no one-size-fits-all solution. Experiment with different send times to see what works best for your audience. If you have customers in different time zones, take this into account when choosing when to schedule.

Delivering messages at the right time can boost open and click rates, leading to more conversions and revenue.

4. Not Checking Your Analytics

Sending regular email campaigns is great, but it's crucial to analyse their performance. Look at your campaign reports to see what's working and what's not. Check which subject lines and content have the highest open and click rates and try to replicate that success in future campaigns.

Also, keep an eye on your unsubscribe rate. Understand why people are opting out and use this information to improve your strategy.

5. Not Being Consistent with Your Emails

Consistency is key in email marketing. If you email too infrequently, subscribers might forget about you and mark your emails as spam.

Maintain a regular schedule, such as sending on the same day every week. Ensure that your content always adds value and includes a clear call to action so readers have a clear next step.

6. Forgetting to Send a Welcome Email

A welcome email is essential for new subscribers. It typically has much higher open and click rates than regular emails and helps build trust.

Use this opportunity to show what new subscribers can expect from your emails and encourage further engagement by highlighting other content on your site.

7. Using Misleading Subject Lines

It might be tempting to use clickbait subject lines to get more opens, but this can backfire if the content doesn’t follow through on your promises.

Misleading subject lines frustrate and alienate subscribers. Be honest and clear about what's inside your email.

8. Skipping A/B Testing

Don't set your email strategy in stone—use A/B testing to improve your campaigns over time. A/B testing, also known as split testing, involves comparing two versions of an email to see which one performs better. This method allows marketers to test different elements in order to understand what drives engagement and make small changes that add up over time.

For example, a jewellery company tests whether sending their weekly newsletter at 9am or 7pm is more effective. After a few weeks they find that a 7pm send results in more opens and clicks, so they make this timing permanent.

A/B tests you can run:

• Send Times: Determine the best time to send emails for maximum open rates.
• Subject Lines: Test different subject lines to see which ones capture your audience's attention.
• Offers: Compare various promotional offers to identify what your audience finds most appealing.
• Email Designs: Experiment with different layouts, images, and colour schemes.
• Call-to-Action Buttons: Test different CTA buttons to see which ones drive more clicks and conversions.

9. Hitting "Send" Without Testing First

Always test your email before sending it to your list. Send a test email to yourself and review it carefully. Check for typos, broken links, and ensure it's mobile-friendly. Getting this part wrong can harm your brand image and deliverability.

It is tough to check your own work thoroughly so try to get at least one other person to review the email’s quality before sending to your database.

10. Missing Chances to Collect Email Sign-ups

Make the most of every opportunity to collect email addresses and grow your database. Try using these strategies to increase your sign-up rate.

• Gated content: refers to valuable content that is accessible only after a user provides their email address. This can include eBooks, whitepapers, exclusive articles, case studies, or detailed guides.
• Offer Discounts: special offers are powerful incentives for customers to subscribe to your newsletter. Clearly advertise the discount on your website, social media channels, and at checkout.
• Promote at Events: these are great opportunities to capture email addresses from attendees who are already interested in your industry or products. Use sign-up sheets, digital forms, or QR codes that attendees can scan to subscribe.
• Pop-Ups on Your Website: these are effective at grabbing visitors' attention and encouraging them to subscribe. Ensure the pop-up is visually appealing, offers a clear value proposition, and is easy to close if the user is not interested.
• Social Media Campaigns: Leverage your social media following to promote your email list. This can drive engagement and encourage followers to sign up.

Capturing as many email addresses as possible at different touchpoints can help grow your list, and in turn, your customer base.

By avoiding these common mistakes and following these tips, you can improve your email marketing results and build stronger relationships with your subscribers.