Why Your Emails Are Failing in Nepal (And How to Fix It)

A crowded inbox is the first hurdle to overcome in Nepal (Photo: Unsplash)

You’ve built an email list. You’re sending out campaigns. But the results are disappointing: low open rates, almost no clicks, and zero impact on your sales. What’s going wrong?

Email marketing in Nepal has its own unique set of challenges. Simply copying strategies that work in the West is a recipe for failure. After analyzing hundreds of campaigns targeting Nepali audiences, I’ve identified the top reasons why emails fail here—and how you can fix them.

1. Your Subject Lines Are Boring and Irrelevant

This is the single most important factor. If your subject line doesn’t grab attention, your email will never be opened. Generic subject lines like “Our Weekly Newsletter” or “New Products Available” are death sentences for your open rates.

The Fix:

• Personalize: Use the subscriber’s name. “Arjan, check out these new trekking deals!”
• Create Urgency: “Your 20% discount expires tonight!”
• Spark Curiosity: “The one mistake every Nepali marketer makes…”
• Use Emojis (Sparingly): A well-placed emoji can help your subject line stand out in a crowded inbox. 🇳🇵

2. You Are Not Mobile-Optimized

Over 90% of Nepalis access the internet via their mobile phones. If your email is not designed for a small screen, it will be deleted in seconds.

Common Mistakes:

• Tiny, unreadable text.
• Images that are too large and slow to load.
• Links and buttons that are too small to tap.

The Fix:

• Use a single-column layout.
• Keep your font size large and legible (16px is a good starting point).
• Use smaller, compressed images.
• Ensure your call-to-action buttons are large and easy to tap.

3. Your Content Provides No Real Value

Are your emails just a constant stream of “buy now”? People don’t sign up for your email list to be sold to constantly. They sign up because they expect something of value in return.

The Fix:

• Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% of your content should be helpful and valuable, and only 20% should be promotional.
• Educate your audience: Share tips, tutorials, and insights related to your industry.
• Tell stories: Share customer success stories or behind-the-scenes glimpses of your business.
• Offer exclusive content: Give your email subscribers access to content they can’t get anywhere else.

4. You Are Sending at the Wrong Time

Sending an email at 3 AM on a Wednesday is unlikely to get good results. You need to send your emails when your audience is most likely to be checking their inbox.

The Fix:

• Experiment with different sending times. I’ve found that for a Nepali audience, the best times are often in the morning (around 8-10 AM) and in the evening (around 7-9 PM).
• Consider the day of the week. For B2B businesses, weekdays are usually best. For B2C, weekends can also be effective.
• Use your email marketing software’s analytics to see when your subscribers are most active.

5. Your “From” Name is Not Recognizable

People are wary of opening emails from unknown senders. If your “from” name is something generic like “info” or “admin,” your emails are more likely to be ignored or marked as spam.

The Fix:

• Use a real person’s name, if possible. “Arjan from Gurkha Tech” is much more personal than “Gurkha Tech Marketing.”
• If you must use your company name, make sure it’s easily recognizable.

Final Thoughts

Email marketing in Nepal is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building trust and providing value over time. By avoiding these common mistakes and focusing on the needs of your Nepali audience, you can turn your email list into one of your most powerful marketing channels.