Based on the email landing in my inbox, it’s time for a little reminder about Email Marketing Etiquette.
Just the Basics
Most sole proprietors and small business owners I work with struggle with using email effectively for business marketing. When it comes to email marketing, the last thing we want to do is discourage subscribers, cause unsubscribes, or, worse, get reported for spamming!
What to Do, What Works, What Doesn’t
Each business has different goals, business models, and methodologies that can and should be reflected in its email marketing efforts. Therefore, a great deal of time and testing must be done to determine what will work for your specific brand, market, or niche.
But there are some basics that you can use to guide your strategy and ensure a positive marketing ROI.
Always get permission! It’s the law. I discuss this in more detail in my article, “CAN-SPAM and Your Business Email Marketing.” If an interested party emails for information on your product or service, that is NOT tacit permission to add them to your list. Add a checkbox on your forms that is NOT checked by default, asking whether they want to be added to your newsletter list. Then respect that choice.
Have at least two lists. One for folks to receive your new blog post notices via email, and one for your newsletter. Believe it or not, some folks will only want one or the other. You may even want to segment your newsletter list further, allowing you to laser-focus your message to those who have indicated an interest in particular topics.
Today it’s important to be present, be relevant, and add value.
Nick Besbeas
Be Personal & Efficient
Avoid impersonal reply addresses like noreply@, marketing@, support@, without a real person’s name for your newsletters. Instead, always use your name (or the person responsible for managing inquiries) and their address. That’s how you make a connection!
Use a service to handle all the subscribe/unsubscribe, formatting, cross-platform, and mobile display issues for you. You create the text; they control the design. Kit.com is just one of several easy-to-use marketing automation services. These services will make sure you are CAN-SPAM compliant as well.
Spellcheck, then read out loud! Rinse and repeat. Nothing can dent your brand’s professional image like typos and grammatical errors.
Good marketing makes the company look smart. Great marketing makes the customer feel smart.
Joe Chernov
Test & Tune
Send a test email before publishing the campaign to your list. When the test arrives, click on all the links within to ensure they are operational and not 404s (not found).
Be very wary of email lists or databases that are available for purchase. You do not know the integrity of those lists or how they were accumulated. Instead, focus on building your list organically through your website’s contact/subscribe form(s).
Do not wear out your welcome. Email subscribers on a clearly stated schedule (once a week or month) and only when you have something of value to share. Don’t get in the habit of emailing only when you have something to sell. Mix it up with helpful information. Send too many emails or be too sales-pitchy, and you risk becoming annoying and having subscribers jump for that unsub link.
The best marketing doesn’t feel like marketing.
Tom Fishburne
So, as you can see, the above tips are pretty straightforward and common sense. By following the basics above, you can grow your list into valued, repeat customers!
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