Three ways to incorporate personality into email marketing campaigns

According to an article in Time Moneyland, luxury retailer Neiman Marcus sent subscribers more than 500 emails in 2011 despite the fact consumers are reporting opening fewer emails from businesses. The article also reported that the top 100 retailers sent an average of 177 emails to subscribers in 2011.

"It's no mystery why retailers flood customers with emails," Time said. "It's cheap marketing, and considering that customers must subscribe to these messages, the messages are going to consumers who should have some level of interest in the store's products and services."

Although many people are reporting feeling "overloaded" with emails in their personal and work email accounts, retailers continue to send business advertising messages as often as they deem fit. Although many companies currently employ common email practices - using mobile-friendly formats and adding an "unsubscribe" option - the Search Engine Journal recently released additional ways businesses can inject personality into their email strategy:

1. Give worthwhile advice

Even if a small business can't offer a discount or promotion in every email, it should still give people a reason to open the email. Advice or free tips about an industry or products could convince people that reading the email will benefit them and not waste their valuable time. This can also give companies a helpful voice and personality that could resonate with customers.

2. Add video to email newsletters

Not only can the addition of video break up text in a wordy email (which is less likely to be read by people who skim the message), but data from Experian's 2012 Digital Marketer Benchmark and Trend Report found that the addition of the word "video" in an email subject line convinced more people to open the message. Reception to emails with video was also higher than emails that included images.

3. Add top-notch graphics

Funny graphics may not have a place in a company's email messages, but it doesn't mean business owners should do away with sharp graphics entirely. Professional-looking imagery can attract recipients' attention once they open an email. Because graphics reside inside an email and are unseen until people actually open a message, businesses must incorporate enticing, attractive subject lines to their emails.

As innovative or creative as a company's email marketing campaign may seem, it isn't successful unless well-received by customers. All marketing tactics work best when tested on several groups of intended recipients that match pools of prospective customers.