Email marketing is most successful when you use your own in-house email list rather than using a bulk email marketing list. This way you can develop and maintain a consistent relationship with your customers, build trust and clients and potential audience. Here are some tips for successful email marketing.
Know What You Want to Achieve.
Decide who you’re trying to reach and what you’re trying to communicate. Do you want more visitors to your website? More sales for your products? More signups to your newsletter? Whatever your goal, keep it in mind when formatting your email and offer your customers something of value.
“Spend more time on emails,” says Gail Goodman of Entrepreneur Magazine. “If you want your emails to be valued by those on your list, put more time into them. The little bit of extra time and energy you spend on creating your emails can get a big return.”
Use Permission Based Email.
To find out what your customers need. When they subscribe to your email, ask if they’re interested in learning about your sales, receiving your monthly newsletter, or reading company announcements and press releases. Provide the tools recipients need to contact you and get more information about your company.
Get to the Point.
Studies have shown that sending a long email to prospects will get your email deleted instantly. Use the first two sentence of your email to tell readers who you are and what you want them to do. Unless you’re sending a regular newsletter, discuss one topic per email.
Maintain Your Subscriber List.
Loren McDonald of Lyris/EmailLabs says that “thirty to fifty percent of a company’s email list may be inactive, meaning that subscribers have not opened or clicked on a link over a reasonable series of messages or time period.” You can interest dormant subscribers by experimenting with various subject lines, mailing frequency, and formats. Try offering special deals, free articles, and sweepstakes to generate attention.
Test and Improve
Email marketing evolves and changes faster than any traditional marketing. What works for your competitors or worked for you a few months ago might not be as effective today. Try testing and changing your format, design, subject line approach, offers, personalization, and content. Fine-tuning your email marketing campaigns will raise response rates and bring in more business
Remember to comply with the CAN-SPAM Act by following these simple rules. Don’t misrepresent your purpose or your identity. Include your company’s physical street address. State that the email is an advertisement (unless it has been specifically requested). Include an unsubscribe feature. Don’t share the email address or collect email addresses from other sources.
“Whether you want to trumpet a new product, spread the word about a sale, or simply say, ‘Hey, [first name], you are important to us,’ email marketing is a great way to interact with customers,” says Ryan Underwood of Inc. Magazine.
Mimi Hashemi - Mimi Hashemi has more than twenty years experience in marketing, public relations, and new business development. With particular emphasis ...
