Did you know that email is still one of the most effective means of getting your agricultural target audience to take action? Around 30% of farmers open emails (almost) all the time. This makes it a low-threshold channel to get your message noticed.
The effectiveness of an email depends on a number of factors. In this article, some tips that contribute to a successful email campaign.
#1 Spend time on your subject line
If you send an email to agriculturalists, your email is likely to be among one of many in the recipient’s inbox. So make sure your subject line grabs attention. Of course, a successful email starts with the recipient opening it. A few examples of good and not so good subject lines:
- Newsletter June 2021
- Latest news from us.
- How arable farmers can make money with solar panels
- How to get the most out of your milking robot
- Call: give your views on changes in greenhouse farming
Probably the emails with the last three subject sentences stand out the most, as they give a taste of the content as well as adding value to the recipient.
#2 Make sure you have a good call-to-action
An email campaign is only truly successful when your recipients take action. Whether that is visiting your website, filling in an online form to request a quote, or registering for an agricultural fair. You encourage this by placing enough (but not too many) buttons and clearly stating what happens when people click the links: Check the benefits; Subscribe; Discover the possibilities; Read more.
#3 Do an A/B test: measuring is knowing
In doubt about which call-to-action or topic sentence works best? Then do an A/B test. To do this, create two versions of the e-mail (with two different subject lines, for example) and send them to a small part of your target group. Wait a day and send the best-performing version to the rest of your target group.
Note: only change one item at a time to find out what works best.
#4 Target group: The more specific, the better
Try to make your target audience as specific as possible, and address recipients accordingly. If your target audience is seed potato growers, do not speak of ‘arable farmers‘. Moreover, tailor your content and images to your target audience.
Do you still target a more general audience? Then divide them into regions or provinces, for example, and adjust the content of your e-mail accordingly. The recipient will feel much more addressed, making the relevance for the recipient much higher.
#5 Keep it concise
In a split-second (often subconsciously), a reader decides whether your email deserves their attention. So your message should also be clear at a glance. After all, the recipient does not have the ‘sense and time’ to read through rags of difficult text. Therefore, try to formulate your message as concisely as possible.
#6 Personalize your emails
You can personalize e-mails in several ways. By using e-mail software programs, you can automatically load in the salutation and company name. Or use them in the subject sentence. The sender can often be made more personal too. Instead of using your company name as the sender, use the name of an employee of your company.
#7 Stick to the law!
According to the Telecom Act, you may only use an e-mail address if you have obtained your own permission (opt-in) from the owner. The responsibility for a correct opt-in lies with the sender of the e-mail. So using a bought or rented e-mail address database for e-mailings is not allowed in most cases. Moreover, make unsubscribing easy. That way you avoid complaints and only farmers will receive your e-mails who actually want to.
#8 Aligning subject line, preheader and CTA
Make sure these three key elements are well aligned. Then the message will be clear to the recipient and form a unified whole. Example:
Topic: How dairy farmers can make money with solar panels
Preheader: New subsidies give you benefit with solar panels
Call-to-action: Calculate your benefit here
#9 Make sure you have an appropriate landing page
Once you have convinced the reader to click through, they should land on a landing page that matches the expectations outlined in the email. Do you want the recipient to explain the benefits of your product? Then don’t let them click through to the general services page or overview page. Create a separate landing page that explains the benefits and provides more information, preferably in the same (house) style of the e-mail. Or use anchor links that point to a specific section on a particular page.
#10 Send in the evening or just before the weekend
A frequently asked question: when is the best time to send e-mails to farmers? There are several answers to that question.
- Research by AgriDirect shows that farmers often have more time to read their e-mail in the evening. During the day, of course, they are busy at work.
- Weather may play a role. In bad weather, farmers are more likely not to be outside working and more likely to be at their computer.
- The purpose of the e-mail can also influence the sending time. Do you want farmers to complete a survey? Then the weekend might be a better time to send as they will have a bit more time.
#11 Make sure your email is responsive
AgriDirect research shows that three quarters of farmers have a smartphone. It is therefore vital that your email also displays well on mobile. If it doesn’t, most readers will drop out immediately. Use responsive templates so that your emails display well on all devices.
Want to target your agricultural audience by e-mail?
AgriDirect has 22,000 opt-in e-mail addresses of unique agricultural companies in the Netherlands. You can easily reach your potential clients and comply with the law via AgriDirect’s channels. Read more about our e-mail service here.
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