So much work and creativity goes into a perfectly crafted and insightful email. Unfortunately, there’s many instances when you look at the statistics of your email and you noticed something that’s equal parts deflating and disappointing – minimal click-troughs and much more unopened emails than expected. It may feel like an uphill climb to achieve the status of the upper echelon of email marketing, but in actuality, it’s not rocket science. Start with these four basic tips for effective email marketing.

Make it Count: Only send an email if you absolutely, 100 percent have something to say. If you’re filling your followers’ inboxes with unimportant or mundane information, they’re more likely to unfollow your business and unsubscribe from your email list.

Spam is for Eating, Not for Emails: OK, let’s be honest, no one really eats Spam, right? Check out this website to make sure you’re in compliance with BCP Spam Guidelines for businesses. You may be accidentally sending out email content that may appear to be spam when the email server vets the content. No matter how well-written or highly informative your content is, if the email isn’t within BCP compliance, you’ll face the pitfalls of the junk folder!

Develop a Voice: Each brand in every industry has its own unique voice it utilizes when addressing clients. Use the principle terms employed within your industry, and personalize them in order to create a more conversational tone. Write using a quicker pace! Long-winded emails will more than likely be discarded before the reader makes it through the second sentence. Also, adjust the flow of your email so the most important information is listed first.

Show Your Benefits: Don’t sell your service; sell your benefits. When you position your service as something someone can buy, its less attractive because you’re not showing the end results the user will achieve. Think about those fitness infomercials that litter your TV screen after midnight – they sell you on the six-pack abs and chiseled arms-not the actual exercise and work you have to put in to get them. Put yourself in the shoes of the consumer and think, “what am I going to get out of this service?” and construct your email with this thought in mind.