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According to a study by Venngage, the average person receives about 121 emails per day. With inboxes this crowded, it’s no wonder most emails go unopened! So, how do you make sure yours stands out and encourages someone to act?

It requires a strategy rooted in behavioral data, not just best guesses. Inbox algorithms are stricter, your audience is savvier, and privacy-related updates have completely changed the game.

Today’s top-performing email campaigns aren’t just about clever subject lines or once-a-month blasts as those messages are ignored. Instead, successful email campaigns are timely, personalized, concise, and data-informed.

So, here are five tips that focus on email structure and design that will help you engage Medicare leads and turn them into active members. Stay tuned for my follow-up post, which takes a deeper dive into email strategy — focusing on deployment approach, segmentation and personalization, tracking parameters, and testing and optimization.

1. Craft subject lines that spark action

Subject lines still matter. They’re the difference between an email being opened or ignored. A recent study found that 47% of recipients will open an email based on the subject line. However, 69% will also report an email as spam based on the subject line.

Here are some quick tips for subject lines:

• Get to the point: 5 words or fewer tend to work best. Longer lines often get cut off
• Add urgency: Trigger with timely cues — but only when it truly matters. Otherwise, it’s just hype.
• Avoid spam triggers: Don’t use ALL CAPS or excessive punctuation (!?!)
• “FOMO” is real: Open-ended, curiosity-inducing lines are great attention getters
• Get personal: Subject lines containing first names still boost open rates
• Have fun: A well-placed pun or a nod to pop culture can break through the noise

2. Entice with a preheader

Think of a preheader as a second subject line. Sometimes called email preview text, the preheader is the text that often appears immediately after the subject line.

• Keep the message between 75-90 characters to avoid truncation
• Use preheaders to clarify/expand on your subject line
• Remember accessibility — voice assistants (e.g., Alexa) read preheaders aloud

3. Design for mobile-first (and for seniors)

Most people, even Medicare audiences, view email on their smartphones. If your emails aren’t mobile optimized, your message might as well be invisible. Consider incorporating the following in your email design:

• Large fonts (16px+ is best)
• Clear hierarchy with generous spacing to allow viewport scaling
• High-contrast color palettes (with considerations for “dark mode”)
• Large, thumb-friendly buttons
• Accessible headers with ALT text
• Brief, concise messaging
• Convey the message without reliance on imagery (remember, Outlook doesn’t load images by default)

4. Tell the story with smart visuals

Consider breaking down complex information via infographics, charts, and/or iconography. For example:

• A timeline graphic showcasing key dates related to Medicare enrollment
• A comparison chart showcasing the different Medicare Advantage plans your company offers
• Highlight tools, such as “Which Plan Is Right for You?,” “Find my Doctor,” or “Prescription Drug Finder”
• Clickable FAQs, interactive polls, or even yes/no feedback questions
• While embedding a video within an email isn’t a good idea, consider showcasing a thumbnail with a link to view the content online

Successful email campaigns are timely, personalized, concise, and data-informed.

Visuals should guide the reader through the message without overwhelming them.

5. Make the call to action (CTA) obvious, clear, and timely

Your CTA is your primary means for conversion. Think about it. An email’s purpose is to encourage a user to take an action elsewhere. So, stop hiding your CTA within never-ending text.

• Use urgency and specific action-oriented verbs as opposed to “learn more.” For example, “Download the Medicare Checklist,” “Book Your Free Plan Consultation,” or “Compare Plans.”
• Make it impossible to miss your CTA. Feature it “above the fold” and at the end.
• Consider vibrant colors such as bright red, orange, or yellow — any color that typically contrasts visually with other colors in your email

Driving better results, one email at a time

By incorporating some of these strategies into your next email marketing campaign, your email marketing performance will improve. And, if you’re ready to improve your Medicare lead conversion with email marketing, reach out to DMW for your next email marketing campaign.