Email Marketing Automation: How to Boost Open Rates and Conversions

Low open rates and poor conversions can be frustrating, making email marketing feel like a wasted effort. But when done right, the rewards far outweigh the challenges.

Often, the issue isn’t email marketing itself—it’s the way you approach your strategy. Customers expect personalised, timely, and relevant emails that offer real value. If your emails don’t meet these expectations, they’ll get ignored.

This is where email marketing automation changes the game. By automating your email strategy, you ensure the right message reaches the right person at the right time—boosting engagement, increasing conversions, and saving time.

Let’s break down how to use email automation to increase open rates, nurture leads and drive more sales.

1. Improve Your Email Open Rates

Even the most well-crafted email is useless if no one opens it. Here’s how to optimise open rates and ensure your message reaches your audience.

Write Compelling Subject Lines

Your subject line is the first thing your audience sees—it determines whether they open or ignore your email. To make it irresistible:

• Keep it short and punchy (50 characters max)
• Spark curiosity (e.g., “You’re missing out on this exclusive offer!”)
• Use personalisation (e.g., “Hey [First Name], this is just for you”)
• Avoid spam triggers like excessive capitalisation, exclamation marks, or words like “free”

Segment Your Audience for Better Targeting

Not every subscriber is the same. Sending a blanket email to your entire list is a sure way to get ignored. Instead, segment your audience based on:

• New vs. existing customers
• Past purchases or browsing behaviour
• Geographic location or time zones
• Engagement levels (active vs. inactive subscribers)

The more targeted your emails, the higher the open rates and engagement.

Optimise Your Send Times

Timing is everything. Sending emails when your audience is most active increases the chances of them being read.

Best practices:

• Weekdays work best – Tuesdays and Thursdays tend to have the highest open rates.
• Avoid Mondays – People are catching up from the weekend.
• Test different times – Mid-morning or early afternoon often work well. Consider different time zones if your audience is spread out between US, UK, and EU.

Remember to test your approach and use A/B testing to find what works best for your specific audience.

2. Increase Email Engagement and Click-Through Rates

Getting subscribers to open your email is just the first step. Now, you need to get them to act.

Create Valuable, Engaging Content

Your audience won’t engage with an email that doesn’t offer them something valuable. Every email should:

• Be clear and concise – Avoid long, overwhelming blocks of text.
• Solve a problem or provide value – Offer tips, insights, exclusive deals, or helpful resources.
• Be visually appealing – Use images, buttons, and white space to make it easy to read.

Example: Instead of just saying “Check out our new product,” say “Here’s how our new product can save you time and money.” A clear value proposition makes your email more compelling and drives higher conversions.

Personalisation Beyond Just First Names

Personalisation goes beyond addressing the reader by name. Use dynamic content to tailor emails based on user activity:

• “Since you bought X, you might like Y” (cross-sell or upsell)
• “You left something in your cart!” (abandoned cart emails)
• “It’s been a while—here’s something special for you” (re-engagement email)

The more relevant your content, the higher the engagement. Personalised emails create a stronger connection, making readers feel valued and understood.

Include a Strong Call to Action (CTA)

Every email should have one clear CTA telling the reader what to do next.

Good CTA examples:

• “Claim Your 10% Discount Now”
• “Download Your Free Guide”
• “Start Your Free Trial Today”

Weak CTA examples:

• “Click here” (too vague)
• “Read more” (no urgency)

Make your CTA stand out by using buttons instead of just plain text links.

3. Convert More Leads with Automated Email Workflows

Email automation shines when used for lead nurturing and conversion-focused campaigns. Here are some high-converting automated email sequences:

Welcome Email Series

• Sent immediately after someone subscribes.
• Introduces your brand and sets expectations.
• Includes a first-time discount or helpful content.

Example: “Thanks for joining us! Here’s 10% off your first order.”

Abandoned Cart Emails

• Reminds users to complete their purchase.
• Includes product images and a “Buy Now” button.
• May offer an incentive (free shipping, discount).

Example: “You left this in your cart—don’t miss out!”

Re-Engagement Campaigns

• Targets inactive subscribers with special offers.
• Asks if they still want to receive emails.
• Helps clean your email list by removing unengaged contacts.

Example: “We miss you! Here’s something special to welcome you back.”

4. Measure and Optimise for Long-Term Success

To get the most out of your email marketing campaigns, you must move beyond a ‘set and forget’ mindset. The key to success is continuous improvement.

Key metrics to track:

• Open Rate – Are your subject lines effective?
• Click-Through Rate (CTR) – Is your content engaging?
• Conversion Rate – Are emails leading to sales or sign-ups?
• Unsubscribe Rate – Are you sending too many irrelevant emails?

A/B Test Everything

To maximise performance, test different elements:

• Subject lines
• CTA placements
• Email length
• Sending times

Small changes can make a big difference in your conversion rates—test, measure, and refine for better results.

Unlock the Full Potential of Email Marketing with Iconic Digital

The right email marketing strategy doesn’t just send emails—it drives real business growth. With advanced automation, personalised segmentation, CRM integration, and lead tracking, your emails can reach the right people at the right time, increasing engagement, conversions, and ROI.

Stop guessing and start seeing results. Let’s optimise your email marketing with a strategy that works.

Get in touch today for a free audit and discover how Iconic Digital can transform your email campaigns.