3 Simple A/B Tests You Can Run on Your Next Marketing Email

I've got a sneaky suspicion that you could be getting more from your marketing emails. 
 
More opens. More clicks. More conversions. 
 
It's not that your current copy is bad, per say, but could it be better? Is there something you're missing?
 
An effective A/B test has the ability to answer just that. Serving as a data-backed way to make more informed marketing decisions, A/B testing is an overlooked approach that could mean the difference between a good email and a great email. 
 
Aware that we're all after the latter, we've come up with 3 A/B test suggestions that you can run on your next marketing email to get those numbers up.  

Timing

Google the question, "When is the best time to send an email?", and you'll surely turn up a dozen different answers. 
 
We did a little digging and uncovered the following insights:

• Workday hours (9am - 5pm) are when over half of all email opens happen (Campaign Monitor) 
• Peak open times are just before and after lunch (Campaign Monitor) 
• Sundays are the best day to send emails. (Experian)
• The best time to send emails is from 8pm – 11:59 PM. (Experian) 
• Emails sent on Tuesday have the highest open rate. (GetResponse)
• Emails sent on Friday have the highest click rate. (GetResponse)

Looks like a lot of conflicting information, right?
 
In an effort to determine the top performing day and time for your business, you'll want to conduct a test for both. 
 
From here, you can take the results from the day test and the results form the time test to come about the most optimal time to send out your next email. 
 
(Don't hesitate to base your tests off the findings above. You may find that your results adhere to some of those outcomes.)

Subject Lines

It's pretty scary to think that the email you worked tirelessly to perfect could go entirely unseen if the recipient deems your subject line unfit, isn't it?
 
Rather than let this notion cripple our efforts, it's important for marketers to define what works and what doesn't, to ensure that their emails do, in fact, see the light of day. 
 
Rather than put all of your eggs in one subject line basket and hope for the best, consider the benefit of serving up two different variations. 
 
For example:
- Test first name personalization against no personalization
- Test a subject line formatted as a question against one that is not
- Test the inclusion of the word free against a generic subject line 

Sender Name

Would you be more likely to open an email from a brand or a real person?
 
Testing different sender names could reveal a great deal about your recipient's preferences. 
 
Jorens Kovalovs from the Xnet online store explored this concept by testing the send name "Xnet internet shop" against the personalized version, "Martin from Xnet." (Source: Mailigen)
 
The result? Martin from Xnet received noteworthy opens and engagement, helping the campaign become the second best Xnet campaign in 2014. 
 
While Kovalovs saw success, we'd advise that the key to seeing positive results here is largely dependent on the recipient's familiarity with your brand.
 
While the name of a widely recognized member of your team might be well received, recipients could be easily thrown off by a name they don't recognize, and in turn, ignore the email.