Does This Email Campaign Make Me Look Fat?

There are many things to consider when someone writes copy for an email
campaign, this includes but not limited to the Audience (grammar used and
reading level), Subject Line, the introduction paragraph, html
or plain text or both, to the use of images, links or video inclusion. 
All these different elements add to the length of your email.

However, the length of an email should be reflective of the subject at hand. 
For example, Mary, a normal subscriber to the Hand Lotion Newsletter, only
expects and wants information on hand lotion.  She is interested in the
content of the email when the Subject is: ‘Brands That Are Proven to Relieve Dry
Skin”, and cares less about the subject “Free Moisturizes to Try.”

Likewise, Ken also a subscriber, doesn’t really relate to the Hand Lotion
Newsletter when the title is “Rose Scented Lotion”, but is interested in the
subject “Save on Fragrance Free Natural Relief Lotion.”

Both Mary and Ken are interested in content, Mary wants to learn how a product
could help her, Ken wants to save money.

Because each of these emails are different, the length should be too, although
secondary, as long as the email content is well-defined,
brief, and compelling.

Here are a few tips for maintaining proper email manners and keep your email
campaigns from looking fat.

A Fat @

1. 
   
   To Say or Not to Say that is the Subject. Keep the Subject
   Lineunder 50 characters, as most mail clients only show that many
   characters in the inbox.
2. 
   
   What is your point? Write
   a personalized, focused messaged.  Do not add unnecessary verbiage by
   adding an introduction paragraph with links and images.  This adds to
   the length of the email message and adds to the time to get to the
   purpose of your message, if the reader actually takes the time to read
   it.
   3. 
      
      Who Are you? What
      industry you’re in will play a large part on what length of email
      you’ll be sending.   Non-profits may prefer more donor stories with
      links than images, subscribers to a big box retail email list may
      prefer several clickable images with minimal wording.  For best
      results, test
      your emails.
   4. 
      
      It’s Individuality that counts. Mary, as stated wants
      information, she expects a longer email than Ken who is skimming
      down your message to see if there’s’ a coupon.  As the content
      creator of the email, length is relative to the Subject and the
      person reading your message.

Offering a preference page to capture unique interests, demographics along with
their ideal frequency of your mailings, may help you categorize your list
members, and maybe, just maybe help you come up with the right length of words
to send.

With a reputable
mailing list, businesses of all sizes can grow.  Stick to a sending
schedule, use all the tools available to segment your list, send personalize,
timely, relevant messages based on your recipient’s preferences.  Keep your
messages focused, your sentences simple, not too wordy and test, test, test,
because in the end results can vary.  Remember a fat, information laden email
may be warranted and expected in certain circumstances and deleted in some
others.