The Dos and Donts of Email Marketing

Is there a future for email marketing? The answer is a resounding yes. Email is one of the most popular channels of advertising, marketing and communicating to the world. Marketers use email marketing because it provides communication directly to users, it is faster and less costly, and email tends to get to the targeted audience. The postal service generally is slow, costly and will not give you feedback on your advertising options.

Consumers will allow the use of email advertising as they build more trust and familiarity with advertisers. As companies use email campaigns more and more, and use them wisely and without spam, consumers will readily accept the need to open and read emails for content and information.
An email campaign is quick and efficient. Actions can be performed within hours and the marketer can send products, services, advice and information back in a matter of minutes after inquiries. If you use email strategies that are personalized and combine email manners with professionalism, your profits and traffic to your website can be slated to increase tenfold.

Be aware, however, that more and more challenges are being faced by email marketing due to unscrupulous marketers that use spamming. To keep spam from blowing up email boxes, filtering and blocking software is becoming used more and more by internet service providers. To afford that your email marketing campaign is above board and legal, use these following measures to maximize your marketing campaign potential.

• Advanced personalization with customers. Make sure they have signed up for your information campaign and use their individual names;

• Allow feedback. This will personalize your campaign and set up a dialog;

• No more than two or three emails should go to a customer;

• Use email addresses that you have collected through opt-in means from your website/blog.

When a user clicks on a subscription link, make sure that you are upfront with the type of information and communication users will receive. If you want to include potential subscribers on an email list, provide that information and a signup sheet.

Use double-opt-in subscription which is defined as having a subscriber’s sign in and sending to their inbox confirming the subscription. This will give you double protection that you are collecting emails and names from parties that are interested in your products and services.

Most emailing lists should be password-protected. This will prevent hackers or viruses getting into your email lists and corrupting these lists. Again, if you provide no protections, you will be spammed.

Do not offer to pass an email on to another website. Even if another site is related in some way to your site, do not use co-registration to boost up anyone’s list. Use the list for your own promotion and avoid offering to provide communications for other websites.

Red flag words such as discount, free, special, bonus can be used if you are familiar with the list you are using. However, these words can cause your email promotion to be sent to a spam folder. Use more specific words and information.

Implement these strategies to ensure that you are legal and professional. Do not take advantage of your potential client’s good will.