Email Applied: 6 Ways to Increase Engagement

5. Humor
You have to get the tone just right to pull it off, but this could inject some fun into your email program.

Moosejaw Mountaineering. The retailer of outdoor clothing and gear has a wonderfully irreverent copy style that makes each email a must-read. For example, the company's rewards program offered bonus points for any purchase in a recent email. A portion of the copy read: "We're offering the same, plain old Double Rewards points on anything you get this week. Same deal as usual, no surprises. We've found that Double Rewards are so good that we're not doing anything to mess it up."

Golfballs.com. The purveyor of golf equipment occasionally features the ability to personalize golf balls. It's fun to peruse examples. One recent email showcased a ball that read: "Hey, JIM, hit the ball and not the grass!"

Despair.com. This seller of demotivational products also uses a tongue-in-cheek approach to copy and product offerings. Its email program is called "The Wailing List," and most emails are written in first person. To announce a recent sale, a portion of the copy read: "I'm keeping this one short. You know the drill. Twice-a-year, Despair does a big purge of slower-selling items so we can write-off inventory, clear-up warehouse space, and basically squeeze one last bit of cash out of some underperforming assets before we set them on fire. This is that sale."

6. Alternating Promotional Emails With Newsletters
This technique requires additional internal resources, but it does serve to engender loyalty.

Geeks.com. This computer retailer sends daily email deals. But about once a week, it supplements its promotions with a tech-tips newsletter that provides timely advice on different topics. A recent newsletter discussed how to protect oneself from malware, including what to do if something bad does get through.

Drs. Foster & Smith. This pet supplies retailer supplements promotional emails with two different newsletters. About every other month it sends Pet Tails - Stories from our Clinic, which deals with issues faced by pet owners such as flea infestation or lumbar injuries. The marketer also sends a bimonthly edition of its e-letter Pet Care Today, customized to the type of pet owned by the recipient, in which it provides information on topics such as vaccinations and more.

Wine Enthusiast. This wine accessories merchant sends about three promotional emails a week, and a Wine Enthusiast Magazine newsletter once a week. This e-zine includes reviews of wines with the best ratings, recipes and news from the authority in wine. There's no direct selling in the e-zine, just loads of content for wine connoisseurs.

These are just a few ideas. You might also include customer ratings and reviews, testimonials, how-to animated images, or video links. And, if you can identify customers on your email list, be sure to support your catalog mailings with an email that prominently features your catalog cover.

Reggie Brady is president of direct and email marketing consultancy Reggie Brady Marketing Solutions (reggie@reggiebrady.com).