Email marketing is in no way dead, but it has evolved, the Entrepreneur.com article  “The 8-Second Challenge: Email Marketing for Our Shrinking Attention Span” explains. Email still has a higher average ROI than any other medium, but these days it’s got to be short and sweet. Research shows that the average adult’s attention span is down to just 8 seconds, people aren’t good at multitasking, and more than half of emails are opened on mobile devices. So, you’ve got to be able to grab their attention in an instant and avoid confusing them with unnecessary clutter. Here are some more tips for dealing with the evolution of the email blast:

Tell a compelling story. Let’s be honest – people sign up for your emails in order to get something. It’s probably for great deals, which you should definitely provide. But you can also strengthen the bond between business and customer by keeping them updated on new things in your salon, your community involvement, and much more. Just keep it short and sweet.

Make it scannable. Unfortunaly, most people aren’t going to read every word you write in a marketing email. To help engage them, choose strong images that support your message, and place the images strategically to draw the eye down the screen and to where you want them to look.

Have just one goal. The most effective email campaigns get the right message to the right person at the right time. Don’t cast a wide net – use your customer metrics to create segments, so you can send offers and information that you know people want. And don’t confuse them with multiple offers in one email – pick the most attractive one and reel them in.

Make it mobile friendly. These days, if your emails don’t load properly on mobile, not only will people not read them, they’ll probably unsubscribe. Compelling headlines, striking images, large fonts and a clear call to action are musts for mobile and desktop versions alike.

Click here for the article from Entrepreneur.com.