Regardless of how much you might hear about spam emails clogging up the Internet and Nigerian scams draining people’s bank accounts, the truth is that email marketing is a proven money maker. It is even perhaps the most affordable of all marketing mediums in terms of costs versus individuals reached. Read on to learn how you can tap into this tool.
Always seek permission before sending marketing emails to potential customers. Sending unsolicited emails will quickly have you labeled a spammer. Getting permission to send your messages doesn’t have to be hard; offer something valuable to your customers in exchange for the ability to email them, such as a discount, coupon, or other sign-up incentive.
Consider using a template that allows for each recipient to receive a personalized message in the greeting. People respond more favorably to emails that address them personally, and are less likely to reject the message. This personalization is simple to accomplish, and will grow a greater relationship with your customers.
Let your readers choose the layout of your content. Any messages with images, graphics and JavaScript is likely to get eaten by software filters and never seen by human eyes. Send out basic text or rich text format including a link to your website, and the option of an HTML version for those that want it.
Using a double opt in strategy for your email marketing strategy is the best way to see if your customer is truly interested. This may seem like a lot, but it guarantees that the person is interested in receiving emails, so it eliminates the chances that you or your email service provider gets into any trouble.
Capture the attention of your readers with the right subject line. You might want to se from 30 to 50 characters and create a sense of urgency. The subject line should give an indication of what the reader can expect once they open the email. Including an attractive incentive will increase the interest of recipients.
When you create an email marketing customer base list, make sure that your customer has a clear choice to be on the list. People may consider you to be a spammer if you do not do this. If you have people complaining to your email provider, you might get taken offline for violating their policies.
While in the opt-in process, be sure to ask for the names of your customers, especially their first name. This way, you can customize each recipient’s email so that it addresses them individually, making your message seem more personal. This gives your email communications a better appearance and will set them apart from all the other bulk emails they receive.
Choose appropriate but useful fonts for your messages. Try and select a font family that accomplishes two things. It should reflect your niche or industry, as well as the tone of your content. It should also be a universal category of fonts that will work on all computers and email devices.
Check your email messages across different email providers to see how they look. By doing this, you’ll be able to ensure that your emails are standard enough to be compatible with the most popular email readers. Be as thorough as possible when doing this, so that you don’t miss any segment of your customers.
Use plain text. Plain text emails will be received as more personable and HTML can be more difficult for some people to read. Some email readers may even prevent the delivery of HTML, depending on user settings. Plain, simple text will always be easy to read and very well received.
Show your subscribers respect by not sending them tons of unwanted emails. Two or three email messages a month should be all that they receive from you. If you are flooding their email boxes, not only it will not be appreciated, but it will be highly unlikely they will buy anything that you are selling.
Make sure your customers have an “opt out” option available on your emails. For whatever reason, you may get a reader that no longer wants to receive emails from you. Provide your end of the bargain in your emailing policy by allowing them to choose to end their subscription.
You should use feedback to improve your email marketing campaign, indirectly as well as directly. How your subscribers respond – or don’t – is valuable data, too. You can categorize your subscribers based on what links they’ve clicked, what purchases they’ve made, and when and how they’ve communicated with you. Tailor your subsequent emails to fit your different subscriber categories.
Remember that email marketing is not necessarily a newsletter. Newsletters include general information for everyone on your list, but email marketing allows you to target certain recipients for specific emails about specific topics. Since you can target so specifically, you can provide highly relevant information and your chances of a sale increase.
It’s important to set schedules for your newsletters, but you also need to stick to that schedule. As often as possible, they should be sent on exactly the same day and around the same time each and every week. Your customers will expect you to deliver emails as you promised them and will be looking for them at the times that you stated.
A great email marketing tip that anyone can implement is to include a call to action within the emails you send out. This message should be big, clear and easy to read. It should catch the readers attention so that they understand what it is you want them to do.
Study the CAN-SPAM act, and learn how to be compliant with it. Familiarizing yourself with key requirements listed within the act can keep you out of trouble and leave open doors for your messages to pass through. Handle any requests for opting out within ten days, and do not ever write a misleading subject line.
If you decided to read this article, it was because you were thinking about making money through email marketing. Now that you have read this article, you know a few points about approaching it. Apply the insights and advice provided in the previous paragraphs, and you can find success in email marketing.
