The email is one of the greatest inventions of the internet age. By using a simple message, anyone can communicate with anyone else in a matter of seconds. This near instant communication makes it a great marketing tool. Here is a bit of advice that will show you how to harness the power of emails for marketing purposes.
Steer clear of renting or purchasing lists to pad your email promoting database. Not only do you not know if the emails you have purchased are truly your target market, but the lists can actually hurt your deliver-ability rates and ultimately your reputation. As much as possible, build your list organically.
Slowly build your contact list. Start with those who have already appreciated what you offer and then move on to areas where you can engage your prospects. It can take a while to pick whom should be receiving your emails, but it'll be worth it in the end to build a reliable contact list.
When you ask people to opt-in, let them know what to expect. Tell them what you will be sending and how often you will send it. People will be more likely to sign up if they know that you are not going to flood their inboxes with wordy emails that they have no intention of reading.
Avoid major email promotions around holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas. This is because people are usually out of their office and not next to their computers, so they won't notice your emails. Keep in mind that there could be exceptions to this. For example, an email about your Black Friday deals.
You should send your emails as a plain text every once in a while instead of always sending them in HTML format. This gives things a more personal touch and helps the subscriber feel that you are trying to connect. Do not use it too much though because then you may be seen as being too unprofessional.
It is significantly more effective to build your own e-mail list for e-mail marketing than to purchase a list, or acquire the services of a marketing company that has their own lists. The reason for this is that everyone who submits their e-mail address to be a part of your list is interested in the services or products that you have to offer. These people are far more likely to be receptive to your e-mail.
Playing with fonts is fun, and you may be tempted to spice up your emails with exotic fonts. Resist that temptation! Fonts may display differently, or even be replaced by defaults, on someone else's computer. Even if an odd font does display correctly, there is no guarantee that your recipient will appreciate it the same way you do. To avoid any font-based mishaps, stick with fonts that are widespread, easy to read, and understated.
Allow for conversation through your email marketing message campaign. Ask questions of your subscribers, or posit thought provoking queries. The responses will make your readers feel like they are part of a relationship instead of marketing targets. The responses you get will help you know where you are going right, and you might discover useful information about your base.
Be persistent. Studies show that it takes a minimum of 7 to 8 impressions before your advertisements will take effect on a potential customer, and it could take many more. You need to touch base with your customers at least once every few weeks, and assume they will not buy your product or even click your links for several iterations of messages.
Include an audit memo on the follow-up emails that you send to your clients. Paste a link on your message that tells them to download this right now. The ending postscript could convince these clients that now is the time for them to experience success, and they can do so by following the link provided.
Your customers will be more open to your marketing with email campaign if you let them choose the frequency of your messages when they sign up. Knowing how often they can expect to hear from you will keep them from feeling surprised or overwhelmed by your messages. This will make them more receptive to what you have to say.
Make your email messages tell the reader a story. Storytelling is one of the most powerful advertising techniques. Each installment of your newsletter or mailing should tell the next bit of the advertising message "story". They need to be connected in some way, for example by having each message end with a tip or a testimonial.
Every email that you send out to your customers as part of your marketing campaign should offer them something of value. If you give them a discount on your products, exclusive access to new offerings, or free shipping, they will be more likely to respond positively to your message and come back to you again.
Use plain text and hyperlinks in your email messages, and save the images and Flash animation for your web page. Many email services now filter out images and animations in the name of consumer safety, meaning that your lists may not even see your carefully-crafted images. Plain text messages are guaranteed to go through intact, and then the images on your website will catch your viewers.
Have an exit strategy for customers that stop responding to your mailings. If a customer is no longer interested in the products you have to sell, they're going to be irritated and even angered by continued contact. Determine a number of messages or a length of time that you'll keep sending messages, then if the customer doesn't respond, remove them from your mailing list.
Due to its speed and simplicity, the email is a great invention that allows people to communicate with little time or effort. Thanks to these attributes, emails have unlimited marketing potential. Hopefully, you will keep the advice from this article in mind so that you can use email marketing in the most effective manner. Go to email marketing tracking and learn more today.