Email marketing can be one of the best ways to introduce yourself to potential customers or to build on the relationship they already have with existing customers. The information and tips in the article below can help you implement an email marketing campaign that will help you have an effective email marketing strategy.
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.
If you buy a list of emails to send to, check and make sure it is up to date. Sometimes lists for sail might match your target demographics but be woefully out of date. The number of addresses now defunct can be as high as 25% of the overall list.
While you want to use your email marketing to improve your sales. The only way to get potential customers to read your emails is to convince them that they have value. To do this, your emails should always contain concrete, useful information and relevant links, and not just generic sales fluff.
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.
Find out who your competitors are and sign up to their emails. You will be able to see what content, they are sending to their subscribers and figure out what aspects to use and which to stay away from. Just be sure not to steal their content, as this could constitute plagiarism.
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.
In addition to using email marketing, incorporate SMS marketing into your campaign. Have customers sign up for an SMS option and send them text messages when on the go. When these two methods are used together, you have a better chance of getting more customers to sign up for your product.
Your emails should be readable sans images. Many email providers disable images by default, and unless the user changes their settings, they will not be able to see any images you include. Because of this, any images you include in the emails that you send should also be followed by comprehensive text.
Provide customers with some incentive in your emails to them. Subscribers will be more likely to execute a particular action if they feel as though there is something in it for them. As an example, give them free shipping when they order more than $50 worth of merchandise or services directly from a link on your site.
During the subscription process for your emails, take the time to set a realistic expectation with the subscriber in terms of what they will be receiving. Let them know exactly the types of emails they will receive and how often they will receive them. Being up front with this information prevents surprises for your subscribers.
Balance when you send emails. Sending them too frequently can come across as spam and may cause you to lose readers. Not emailing frequent enough can make the recipients feel like they’ve wasted time signing up for emails that they’re not getting enough of. Remember your goals and audience so you can pick a happy medium for your campaign’s frequency.
There are zombie email addresses, and people do sell them. This not only wastes your time, but it keeps your messages from getting to the right targeted customers. Make sure you know what you are getting into, and make sure you are sending messages to people that could actually do business with you.
Ensure that your subject lines are succinct. If a subject line has less than 60 characters, it has a better chance of attracting attention. This means it will have a higher open rate than a subject that goes on for too long. If there is no way around using a long subject line, be sure that you mention the most relevant information first so it is not eliminated when it gets to the recipient’s inbox where it may be truncated.
A big part of every good email marketing campaign is respect for your subscribers. One way you can demonstrate that respect is by making it as easy as possible for them to unsubscribe. You should, ideally, include an “unsubscribe” link with every message you send out. Losing a subscriber is a shame, but annoying one before they leave is downright dangerous!
Program your email messages to include the recipient’s name in the subject line or body of your message. An email message that includes the recipient’s name will feel much more personal. This sense of connection with the marketing will make them inclined to read the email and more likely to follow links within it.
After about nine months, ask your subscribers to re-confirm their wishes to receive emails from you. Retention can be tricky, but those on your email list will appreciate you asking, and will be less likely to unsubscribe. The re-confirmation process will also let you know which readers are loyal to you.
No doubt, email marketing can be very effective in interacting with potential customers. As well as developing an ongoing relationship with customers whom you already have. Using the tips and techniques from the article above can help you create an email marketing campaign that will make your business and your customers very happy.
