You’ve spend hours coming up with clever content and a great promotion to share with your email subscribers. With all the writing, designing and testing out of the way, it feels fantastic to click “send.” But wait, what happens next? Do you leave the line in the water hoping the fish reel themselves in? No, my friends… You follow-up!

Here are some proven ways to catch more customers with your email campaigns:

1. Check your email reporting.

Before you follow-up with both your engaged and maybe not-so-engaged email subscribers, take a closer look at your email statistics. How did the open rate of this email compare with previous emails you’ve sent? If it was lower, could it be due to a weak subject line? Take a minute to see what your emails with the highest open rates have in common.

Next take a look at your click-through rate and compare it to previous emails. If it seems low or average, maybe you can improve it with clearer calls-to-action or an improved email layout. You should also review your previous emails with the highest click-throughs and see what they have in common. It could be that certain promotions get a stronger reaction than others.

Together your opens and clicks, and ultimately conversions/sales, show the engagement your readers have with your email. Don’t look at just one stat and think something’s gone wrong, look at the information collectively and see what’s getting the most attention, then follow-up with more of that.

2. Send a follow-up email to your non-responders.

After reviewing your stats, you may notice that many folks didn’t open your email (gasp) or click links inside. It’s okay, though, because you’re ready with a follow-up email for those who may have missed the first one. To be effective, you’ll want to change-up some of the content and definitely the subject line.

For your subject line, try something different from your first email to see if it sparks more opens. (Also check out these great subject line tips.) Then for your email content, try personalizing the email by using the subscriber’s first name and an introductory message. For example, “We noticed you haven’t purchased in a while, we’d love to have your feedback on how we can improve our services. Here’s a short survey and a coupon for your next purchase.”

3. Follow-up with people who clicked links inside your email.

Depending on how large this list is, you may choose to follow-up with phone calls or another email. If you’re calling, ask if they have any questions or if you can tell them more about your product or service. Because these readers clicked, they already have shown some interest. You may be able to entice a sale with a slightly sweeter incentive, such as an additional 10% off. An additional incentive is a fantastic thing to offer in a follow-up email. Here’s a nice example from ProFlowers:

4. Wait.

Don’t try to force a sale by resending the same offer again too soon. This can result in higher unsubscribe rates and lower open rates. Space out your promotional emails by a few weeks and keep the messaging (and the promos) fresh. They say the first sign of insanity is trying the same thing over and over, and expecting a different result… Well, this is also true of email marketing! If something doesn’t seem to be working, mix it up. Have a brainstorm session with your colleagues (or a clever friend if you’re an army of one) and try out another approach.

Remember sending your email is only step one. For a successful email campaign, you need a good follow-up plan! For more tips on how to engage your readers, check out these resources:

Savvy Subject Line Writing for Success

Email Non-Responders: How to Deal with the Disengaged

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