Promotional emails 'must grab attention straight away'

Businesses that are planning to start an email marketing campaign have been urged to make sure their messages are interesting to recipients straight away.

According to Carol Lustig of marketing specialist Media One, a company must outline its intent at the very start of an email, Campaigns & Elections magazine reports.

This, she said, would ensure readers know what the sender is trying to say immediately and make them willing to read further.

"When someone receives your email, you have about three seconds to grab their attention," Ms Lustig commented.

Marketers were also encouraged to consider the impact of formatting and design, particularly as people now routinely access emails on mobile devices and can choose not to display images on incoming messages.

"When it comes to your email marketing strategy, be prepared to capitalize on opportunities as they present themselves," Ms Lustig added.

This comes after global branding and marketing strategist Kate Adamson advised businesses to make promotional emails part of their wider online program.