Remember the days when you would come home to find your home mailbox full of junk mail and a few important bills and letters? Today things are quite a bit different. Communication has become an online commodity with the “inbox” on your computer quickly becoming filled with a lot of emails – a few important bills and messages – and a large number of solicitations or junk mail.
While some incoming emails are definitely “spam,” there are those advertisements or messages for a product or service that is legitimate and valuable to the customer. If email advertising is part of your overall marketing strategy, it’s wise to take a look at these best practice guidelines for a healthy, respectful and relevant email marketing relationship with your customers.
Only send marketing emails to those who give you consent. One of the mistakes a business can make is sending unsolicited marketing emails. It is tempting to purchase names from a non-regulated list provider, harvest names from lists belonging to other organizations, and focus on the number rather than adding only qualified names. In today’s very strict and regulated online systems – these practices can result in your business account being shut down.
Make it EASY for your customer to unsubscribe. But wait, you say, why would I want to do that? The answer is simple: If the ability to unsubscribe is hidden, nonexistent or difficult to navigate – your contact may not intend to penalize you with marking your message as SPAM – but simply wants to opt out. Most email services require an opt out or an unsubscribe capability on every email that is released. This option is normally at the bottom of an email – clearly marked, easy to click for the recipient.
Make sure you have something to say! Send emails that add some kind of value for the recipients. Whether it’s a special offer or an interesting bit of information about your product or service, every email needs to identify the who, what and why the message is being delivered – and clearly communicate that this is not spam. A well-thought out and relevant subject line can be the best way to grab their attention AND have them read the message.
Turn to the experts for your email marketing needs. The team at R2R Marketing will design, write the content, manage the database list, and deliver YOUR company eNewsletter every month! We have specialists who work with companies of all sizes and in all industries. Our eNewsletter Service is not only effective, but also affordable. Learn more about how we can help you with a custom eNewsletter for your customers. Call and let’s get started today!
