An opt-in email series, also known as a nurture email series, is a campaign where subscribers have explicitly asked to receive messages from your company. This clearly indicates their interest in doing business with you. With this in mind, a well-executed nurture email campaign can be an excellent way for your business to improve metrics such as email engagement.

An opt-in email series can drive higher engagement in several ways, including:

Relevant & Targeted Content

When subscribers opt-in to receive your emails, they have expressed interest in your brand and are more likely to engage with content that is relevant to their interests. By segmenting your audience based on their preferences, you can create targeted content that speaks to their specific needs and interests, increasing the likelihood that they will engage with your emails. Relevant segmentation data can include:

• Personalized product recommendations
• Educational resources
• Exclusive offers
• Event promotions
• “Sneak peeks” of new products or services

Providing subscribers with valuable and informative content can help build trust and credibility with your brand. This can lead to increased engagement and a stronger relationship with your audience over time.

Consistency & Frequency

A nurture email series typically consists of a sequence of emails sent at regular intervals over a set period of time. By providing subscribers with a consistent and predictable schedule, you can build anticipation and expectation, increasing the likelihood that they will engage with each email in the series.

Consistent communication can also help keep your brand top-of-mind with subscribers, even if they don’t immediately engage with every email in the series. This can lead to increased engagement over time as subscribers become more familiar with your brand and are more likely to take action on future emails.

Additionally, regular communication can help establish a sense of community and connection with your subscribers. By providing valuable content on a consistent basis, you can build a relationship with your audience that goes beyond individual email interactions.

Personalization

Personalized emails that address subscribers by name and speak to their specific interests can build a stronger connection and increase engagement. This can include personalizing the content of the email itself, such as using subscriber data to make product recommendations or provide customized content. It can also include personalizing the email subject line or preheader text, which can help increase open rates and engagement.

Call-to-Action

Including clear and compelling calls-to-action in your nurture emails can encourage subscribers to take action. By making it easy for subscribers to take the desired action, you can increase engagement and drive conversions. Examples of easy CTAs might include:

• Clicking on a link to go to your website
• Registering for an upcoming event
• Filling out a survey
• Making a purchase

Providing a reward for taking action (for instance, a free gift for early-bird event registration) can also help increase engagement and drive conversions.

Storytelling

Telling a story through your nurture email series can help build a narrative and create a sense of emotional connection with your audience. This can include using storytelling techniques such as character development, conflict, and resolution to create a narrative that resonates with your audience. Visual elements such as images or videos can help bring the story to life and make it more engaging for subscribers.

Better yet, using storytelling in your email series can help create a sense of anticipation and excitement for future emails. By leaving subscribers wanting more, you can increase engagement and encourage them to continue following along with the series.

This is an excerpt from our newest white paper: The Value of a Nurture Email Series. For a closer look at the benefits of opt-in email campaigns, click here to download the full white paper for free.