Do you include graphics or only send text? What sort of layout is most effective? How the heck do I build an opt-in list? There are so many items to consider when you create an email marketing campaign that it can be hard to know where to start. Use the tips in this article and you’ll be up and running in no time.
Never send out emails that are unsolicited. Messages sent to recipients who did not request them are at risk of being marked as spam. Your IP address could be blacklisted if there are complaints of spam and it could also give your business a bad rap.
Always get permission! Unsolicited email is not welcome, and in certain cases, can get your ISP blocked. When contacting someone, always include a newsletter or an offer – this way the customer has the chance to agree to receive your messages. The last thing you want is to be branded a spammer.
Only make one clear message for each email you send. Keep your content concise and focused, so your customers do not become disinterested. Formulate one text only, and make sure it is brief and concise. Your readers will like your brief and to the point newsletter, which isn’t burdened by tons of unwanted information.
When emailing clients, try following up with a free warranty on your products or services. You could insert an order on the email that tells them to get this warranty immediately. The ending P.S. could tell them to act now and not to miss this incredible opportunity to try out something they may love.
An email marketing campaign needs a design and testing phase, just like anything else. Plan on putting in time making sure that your messages get past all techniques used for fighting spam, from content filters to image blocking and java-script suppression. You can send out a million messages blindly and not ever know if they are even seen.
Consider using text emails instead of graphically intense HTML emails for your campaign. You may be thinking that the graphics will engage your reader more, but it’s usually not the case. Many people today have trained themselves to delete emails with lots of imagery, assuming they are spam. As well, those images often trigger spam filters, meaning your message is never received by some people on your email list!
Email marketing marches on, and the good old newsletter has become largely obsolete. Instead of sending around a general circular for all of your subscribers, expend the effort to tailor emails to the interests of their particular recipients. There are many robust programs and services that can help you do this automatically.
Avoid using exclamation marks as crutches in your emails. If you want to express a sense of urgency or importance, use the structure of your sentence and the words you choose to to make that impact. Overusing this form of punctuation can turn potential customers off and make your message seem insincere.
Try to make it as easy as possible for customers to unsubscribe from your emails. By not making it simple, they will feel like you are being too pushy and may be turned off from your product or business. Give them the option to opt out from some of your emails or all of them.
To improve your email reading rates, offer subscribers the option of seeing your newsletters in either plain text or HTML. Too many companies send their emails out in only one format, discouraging their less tech-savvy readers or alternately disappointing readers that expect a more dynamic presentation. Offering every newsletter in both formats makes it more accessible.
Remember that the point of an email marketing plan is to build a reputation with your customer base. Don’t use misleading tactics, cut corners or attempt to target the wrong customer. The business reputation you have is at stake here, so make sure that you take that into account.
When following up with customers, try following up with a sale schedule. Include a link in order for them to view this schedule. The end of the email could inform them that they can get all the specifics on this sale schedule by clicking on the link that was provided to them.
Write good content in your emails. Do not copy something, whether from another site or your own, directly into your email. Emails are not like web pages; they must be short and concise to hold your reader’s attention. That said, the content must be well-written, grammatically correct, and free of spelling errors.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your opt-in list is truly opt-in, so include an email confirmation as an added security measure. Those who have signed up for your list should immediately get a confirmation email regarding their subscription. Add two links to the email – one for confirmation and one to opt out. Not only will your customers like this security measure, but you will also benefit from possessing proof that not a single email of yours can be thought of as spam.
In today’s mobile world, almost nothing will hurt your email marketing campaign more than not making your message and hyperlinks accessible to mobile users. Imagine many people getting your email when they check their phones but not being able to access your site. This would affect your campaign in a highly negative manner.
You will have found the answer to many of your questions here, so take what you’ve learned and implement it into a successful email marketing campaign. If you have further questions, you can continue learning by reading articles, blogs and forums, never stop searching out knowledge. Your rewards will be worth it in the end!
