# Newsletter Best Practices: How to Write Emails That Get Opened
For many Australian small businesses, an email list is your most valuable digital asset. Unlike social media, where algorithms dictate who sees your posts, your email list is a direct line to your customers’ pockets—but only if they actually click 'open'.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through the strategic and technical steps to ensure your newsletters don't just sit in the 'Promotions' tab gathering digital dust, but instead drive real engagement and sales for your business.
Prerequisites
Before you start, ensure you have:- An Email Service Provider (ESP) such as Mailchimp, Klaviyo, or Hubspot.
- A clean, permission-based list of subscribers (compliant with the Australian Spam Act 2003).
- A clear goal for your newsletter (e.g., driving traffic to a blog, announcing a sale, or building brand authority).
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Step 1: Master the 'From' Name
Before a subscriber reads your subject line, they look at who sent the email. Trust is the primary driver of open rates. Avoid using just a company name (e.g., "Local Marketing Group") or just a first name (e.g., "Sarah"). The Pro Approach: Use a combination. "Sarah from Local Marketing Group" feels personal yet professional. It tells the reader exactly who is contacting them and why they should care.Step 2: Write Irresistible Subject Lines
Your subject line is the most important piece of copy you will write. It has one job: to get the click.- Keep it short: Aim for 40-50 characters so it doesn't get cut off on mobile devices.
- Create curiosity or urgency: "Your weekend plans, sorted" or "Only 4 hours left to save."
- Avoid 'Spammy' words: Words like "FREE," "CASH," or excessive exclamation marks can trigger Australian ISP spam filters.
Step 3: Optimise the Preview Text
Preview text (or preheader) is the snippet of text that appears after the subject line in most inbox views. Think of it as a secondary subject line.- Screenshot Description: In your email builder (like Mailchimp), you will see a field labelled 'Preview Text' or 'Snippet' directly below the Subject Line field.
- Best Practice: Use this to elaborate on the subject line. If your subject is "Our New Summer Menu is Here," your preview text could be "Check out our new grilled barramundi and seasonal salads."
Step 4: Personalise Beyond the Name
While "Hi [First_Name]" is a good start, true personalisation involves segmenting your list. If you own a pet shop in Brisbane, don't send dog food offers to cat owners.Use the data you have (purchase history, location, or interests) to ensure the content is relevant. Relevant emails get opened; irrelevant ones get the 'Unsubscribe' treatment.
Step 5: Time Your Send for the Australian Context
There is no "perfect" time, but there are local trends. For B2B businesses, Tuesday to Thursday mornings (around 10:00 AM AEST) often perform well. For B2C and retail, Sunday evenings or Thursday pay-day lunches are frequently high-performing slots. Tip: Consider the time zones. If you have customers in Perth and Sydney, a 9:00 AM Sydney send is 6:00 AM in WA—likely too early.Step 6: Design for Mobile-First
Over 60% of Australians check their email on a smartphone. If your newsletter has tiny text, massive images that won't load, or buttons that are too small to tap, your engagement will plummet.- Screenshot Description: Look for the 'Mobile Preview' toggle in your ESP. It usually looks like a small smartphone icon. Ensure your font size is at least 16px and your Call to Action (CTA) buttons are 'thumb-friendly' (at least 44x44 pixels).
Step 7: Focus on Value, Not Just Selling
Apply the 80/20 rule: 80% helpful, educational, or entertaining content, and 20% promotional. If every email is a sales pitch, people will stop opening them. Share a tip, a local news story, or a 'behind the scenes' look at your Australian business to build a relationship.Step 8: Include a Single, Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Don't confuse your readers with ten different links. What is the one thing you want them to do? Whether it's "Book Now," "Read the Blog," or "Shop the Sale," make it a prominent button with a contrasting colour.Step 9: Clean Your List Regularly
High bounce rates and low open rates hurt your 'sender reputation.' Every six months, identify subscribers who haven't opened an email in over 90 days. Send them one "We miss you" re-engagement email; if they don't respond, remove them. A smaller, engaged list is far more valuable than a large, dead one.Step 10: Test and Iterate (A/B Testing)
Most modern email platforms allow A/B testing. This is where you send two versions of an email to a small percentage of your list to see which performs better.- What to test: Test two different subject lines (e.g., one with an emoji and one without). The winning version is then automatically sent to the rest of your list.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Buying Email Lists: This is a violation of the Australian Spam Act and will get your account banned by your ESP.
- Huge Image Files: Large images take too long to load on mobile data. Always compress your images before uploading.
- Forgetting the Unsubscribe Link: It must be easy to find. Hiding it only leads to people marking your email as 'Spam,' which ruins your deliverability.
Troubleshooting
- Low Open Rates? Your subject lines might be boring, or your emails are landing in the 'Spam' folder. Check if you have set up your SPF and DKIM records (technical settings that verify your identity).
- High Unsubscribe Rate? You might be sending too frequently. Try reducing your frequency from weekly to fortnightly.
- Images Not Showing? Many email clients (like Outlook) block images by default. Always include 'Alt Text' for your images so readers know what the picture is even if it doesn't load.
Next Steps
Now that you've mastered the art of the open, it's time to focus on what happens after the click. Check out our guide on "Optimising Landing Pages for Conversions" or learn more about "Australian Email Marketing Compliance."Need help setting up a high-performing email automation for your business? Contact the team at Local Marketing Group today for a strategy session.