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? For a comprehensive guide, see my email marketing Nepal guide.

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. 🇳🇵

For more on this, see my guide to email subject lines in Nepal.

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.

For more on this, see my guide to email design in Nepal.

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.

For more on this, see my guide to email automation in Nepal.

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.

For more mistakes to avoid, see my article on email marketing mistakes in Nepal.

6. Poor List Segmentation and Targeting

One of the biggest mistakes Nepali businesses make is treating all email subscribers the same. Your email list likely contains diverse segments with different interests, behaviors, and needs. Sending the same generic message to everyone results in poor engagement.

Why This Matters in Nepal:

• Different demographics have different purchasing power (e.g., Kathmandu vs. rural areas)
• Age groups respond differently to content styles (youth vs. older professionals)
• B2B and B2C audiences require completely different messaging
• Cultural and linguistic preferences vary across Nepal’s diverse population

The Fix:

• Segment by behavior: Create groups based on purchase history, email engagement, website activity
• Geographic segmentation: Target Kathmandu Valley differently from Pokhara or Terai regions
• Demographic segmentation: Consider age, profession, income level
• Interest-based segments: Group by product interests, content preferences
• Engagement level: Separate active subscribers from inactive ones and treat them differently

Example Segmentation Strategy:

Segment 1: Kathmandu businesses (B2B) → Professional services content
Segment 2: E-commerce shoppers → Product deals and reviews
Segment 3: Inactive subscribers → Re-engagement campaign with special offers
Segment 4: VIP customers → Exclusive early access and premium content

Learn more about Nepali audience targeting strategies.

7. Ignoring Email Deliverability Best Practices

Your carefully crafted email means nothing if it ends up in the spam folder. Many Nepali businesses unknowingly sabotage their deliverability through poor email hygiene and technical setup.

Common Deliverability Issues:

• Using purchased or scraped email lists (leads to high spam rates)
• Inconsistent sending patterns (sudden email blasts after long silence)
• Missing authentication records (SPF, DKIM, DMARC)
• High bounce rates from outdated lists
• Low engagement triggering spam filters

The Fix:

Technical Setup:

• Set up SPF records to verify your domain
• Configure DKIM signatures for email authentication
• Implement DMARC policies to prevent spoofing
• Use a reputable email service provider (ESP) with good sender reputation

List Hygiene:

• Remove inactive subscribers after 6-12 months
• Implement double opt-in for new subscribers
• Make unsubscribe easy and honor requests immediately
• Monitor bounce rates and remove invalid addresses
• Never buy email lists (this is the fastest way to get blacklisted)

Engagement Strategy:

• Maintain consistent sending frequency (weekly or bi-weekly is ideal)
• Send a re-engagement campaign before removing inactive subscribers
• Monitor spam complaint rates (keep below 0.1%)
• Track sender reputation score using tools like Google Postmaster Tools

For more on email marketing in Nepal, check our email marketing service page.

8. Weak or Confusing Call-to-Action (CTA)

Your email should have one clear, compelling call-to-action. Too many CTAs or unclear instructions confuse subscribers and lead to decision paralysis.

Common CTA Mistakes:

• Multiple competing CTAs in one email
• Vague language (“Click here” or “Learn more”)
• CTAs that blend in with the rest of the email
• Not explaining the benefit of clicking
• Too many steps required after clicking

The Fix:

CTA Best Practices:

• One primary CTA per email (secondary CTAs are OK but de-emphasized)
• Action-oriented language: “Download Your Free Guide” beats “Click Here”
• Nepal-specific urgency: “दशैं को अफर सक्रिय गर्नुहोस्” (Activate Dashain Offer)
• Make it visually prominent: Large buttons, contrasting colors
• Explain the value: “Get 20% Off Your Next Order” not just “Shop Now”

Effective Nepal-Focused CTAs:

• “काठमाडौंमा नि:शुल्क डेलिभरी पाउनुहोस्” (Get Free Delivery in Kathmandu)
• “आज नै बुक गर्नुहोस् र १००० बचत गर्नुहोस्” (Book Today and Save 1000)
• “तपाईंको निःशुल्क परामर्श बुक गर्नुहोस्” (Book Your Free Consultation)

9. No A/B Testing or Performance Analysis

Many Nepali businesses send emails blindly without testing or analyzing what works. This means they keep repeating the same mistakes and missing opportunities for improvement.

What to Test:

• Subject lines: Different tones, lengths, emoji usage
• Send times: Morning vs. evening, weekday vs. weekend
• Content format: Long-form vs. short, text-heavy vs. image-heavy
• CTA placement: Top vs. middle vs. bottom
• Personalization: Generic vs. personalized greetings
• Language mix: English vs. Nepali vs. hybrid

Key Metrics to Track:

Metric	Good Benchmark	What It Tells You
Open Rate	20-30%	Subject line and sender name effectiveness
Click-Through Rate (CTR)	2-5%	Content relevance and CTA strength
Conversion Rate	1-3%	Overall campaign effectiveness
Unsubscribe Rate	<0.5%	Content value and frequency appropriateness
Bounce Rate	<2%	List quality and deliverability
Spam Complaints	<0.1%	Relevance and permission quality

Analysis Tips for Nepal Market:

• Compare performance across different regions (Kathmandu vs. other cities)
• Track which product categories get most engagement
• Identify peak engagement times specific to your audience
• Monitor seasonal patterns (Dashain, Tihar, New Year, monsoon season)

For detailed guidance, see our email marketing ROI guide for Nepal.

10. Not Building Trust and Credibility

In Nepal’s close-knit business community, trust is everything. If subscribers don’t trust you, they won’t engage with your emails, no matter how good they are.

Trust-Building Strategies:

1. Consistent Branding:

• Use the same logo, colors, and design style in every email
• Match your email design to your website for recognition
• Include your physical address and contact information

2. Social Proof:

• Feature customer testimonials from Nepali clients
• Showcase recognizable Nepali brands you’ve worked with
• Highlight media mentions from Nepali publications (Kantipur, Republica, etc.)

3. Local Authenticity:

• Show understanding of Nepali culture and festivals
• Use local references and imagery (not just generic stock photos)
• Address Nepal-specific challenges and solutions
• Write in a natural, conversational tone that resonates locally

4. Transparency:

• Clearly explain what subscribers will receive when they sign up
• Show preview text before emails (not just “View in browser”)
• Be honest about promotional content vs. educational content

5. Permission and Control:

• Let subscribers choose email frequency preferences
• Offer topic preferences (PPC tips, SEO updates, case studies, etc.)
• Make it easy to update preferences without unsubscribing

Bonus: The Nepal Email Marketing Checklist

Before sending your next campaign, run through this checklist:

Pre-Send Checklist:

• Subject line is compelling and under 50 characters
• Preview text is written (not default content)
• Email displays correctly on mobile devices
• All links are working and point to correct pages
• Images have alt text for accessibility
• Unsubscribe link is visible and working
• “From” name is recognizable
• One clear primary CTA
• Content provides value (80/20 rule applied)
• Personalization tokens are working (test with your own email)
• Send time is optimized for your audience
• Email is sent to appropriate segment (not entire list)

Post-Send Analysis:

• Open rate compared to previous campaigns
• CTR and conversion rate tracked
• Spam complaints monitored
• Feedback and replies reviewed
• Learnings documented for future campaigns

Real Nepal Email Marketing Success Story

Case Study: Kathmandu-Based E-commerce Store

Problem:

• Email open rates: 8%
• CTR: 0.3%
• Almost no sales from email campaigns

Changes Made:

1. Switched from generic sender to “Anjali from [Brand]”
2. Wrote Nepal-specific subject lines with urgency and local context
3. Redesigned for mobile-first (single column, large text)
4. Segmented list by purchase history and location
5. Added Nepali language for CTAs
6. Sent at 8 PM (evening relaxation time)
7. Changed from 3 emails/week to 2 emails/week with better value

Results After 3 Months:

• Open rate: 28% (3.5x improvement)
• CTR: 4.2% (14x improvement)
• Email-attributed sales: NPR 185,000/month
• Unsubscribe rate dropped from 2% to 0.4%

Advanced Email Marketing Strategies for Nepal

Once you’ve mastered the basics, consider these advanced tactics:

1. Behavioral Triggers:

• Cart abandonment emails (recover lost sales)
• Browse abandonment (remind about viewed products)
• Post-purchase follow-up (request reviews, suggest related products)
• Re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers

2. Seasonal Campaigns:

• Dashain shopping guides and gift recommendations
• Tihar light festival special offers
• New Year resolution campaigns
• Monsoon season promotions (waterproof products, indoor activities)
• Visit Nepal campaigns for tourism businesses

3. Lifecycle Email Series:

• Welcome series for new subscribers (3-5 emails)
• Onboarding sequence for new customers
• Educational drip campaign building expertise
• VIP program for loyal customers

4. Interactive Elements:

• Countdown timers for offers
• Polls and surveys to gather feedback
• GIFs and animations (use sparingly - consider load time)
• User-generated content showcasing Nepali customers

For automation strategies, check our guide on email automation in Nepal.

Tools and Resources for Email Marketing in Nepal

Recommended Email Service Providers (ESPs):

For Small Businesses:

• Mailchimp: Free up to 500 subscribers, user-friendly
• Sender: Generous free plan, good deliverability
• MailerLite: Great for beginners, affordable pricing

For Growing Businesses:

• Brevo (formerly Sendinblue): Good value, includes SMS marketing
• ConvertKit: Excellent for content creators and bloggers
• ActiveCampaign: Powerful automation, ideal for established businesses

For Enterprises:

• HubSpot: Full CRM integration, advanced features
• Klaviyo: Best for e-commerce businesses
• Marketo: Enterprise-level sophistication

Supporting Tools:

• Canva: Design email graphics and banners
• Grammarly: Proofread your email copy
• Really Good Emails: Inspiration for email design
• Litmus or Email on Acid: Test email rendering across devices
• Google Analytics: Track email campaign performance on your website

Common Questions About Email Marketing in Nepal

Q: Should I write emails in English or Nepali? A: It depends on your audience. For young professionals and tech-savvy audiences, English or a mix works well. For broader audiences, especially outside Kathmandu, incorporate more Nepali. Best practice: test both and see what your specific audience prefers.

Q: How often should I send emails? A: Start with once per week or bi-weekly. Monitor unsubscribe rates and engagement. If people stay engaged, you can increase frequency. Never send daily unless you’re a news/deal site where that’s expected.

Q: Is it legal to send marketing emails in Nepal? A: While Nepal doesn’t have strict laws like GDPR, always follow best practices: get explicit permission (opt-in), include an unsubscribe link, and honor unsubscribe requests immediately. Building a permission-based list is always the right approach.

Q: How do I grow my email list in Nepal? A: Offer valuable lead magnets (free guides, checklists, discount codes), use website pop-ups strategically, promote your newsletter on social media, collect emails at events, and consider partnerships with complementary businesses.

Q: What’s a good open rate for Nepal? A: Industry averages globally are 20-25%. In Nepal, well-targeted campaigns can achieve 25-35% open rates. Under 15% means you have significant issues to fix. Over 35% is excellent.

Final Thoughts: Making Email Work in Nepal

Email marketing in Nepal is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s about building trust and providing value over time. The key differences in the Nepali market—mobile dominance, linguistic diversity, cultural nuances, and relationship-driven business culture—require a tailored approach.

Your Action Plan:

1. This Week: Audit your last 5 email campaigns against this checklist
2. This Month: Implement mobile optimization and improve subject lines
3. Next Quarter: Set up proper segmentation and test different sending times
4. Ongoing: Continuously test, measure, and refine based on your specific audience data

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 and profitable marketing channels. Remember, every business in Nepal is different—what works for an e-commerce store in Kathmandu might not work for a B2B service provider in Pokhara. Test, learn, and adapt.

Need help fixing your email marketing? Our team specializes in email marketing strategies tailored specifically for the Nepal market. Get in touch for a free email audit.

For more email marketing resources, explore our comprehensive guides:

• Email Marketing Nepal Guide
• Email Design Best Practices for Nepal
• Email Automation Strategies
• Email Marketing ROI Calculator
• Nepali Email Habits and Culture