If you've been running an email campaign, then you can surely appreciate the importance of doing things right. With the quantity of junk out there today, spam filters are getting ever more stringent and the tolerance of people for what they consider to be unsolicited mail is dropping to lower lows than anyone could have foreseen a few years back. That's because email usage is such a casual, common aspect of daily life now, whereas just a few years back it was still considered a relatively recent, under-exploited phenomenon. Of course, the best strategy for keeping your email campaign out of the junk folders is by staying double opt-in and not committing any infractions of the law with how you handle people's personal data. Beyond these (hopefully) self-evident principles, there are some slightly more nuanced techniques that can help you achieve results that will surely surpass your most optimistic forecast. In light of this, I've drafted the following list of what are in my opinion the five most effective tips for the email marketer that already has the basics set up, but wants to start seeing some more reaction to the constant efforts they surely expend. 1) React to your results. If you've been tracking your email campaign with email marketing software, then be sure to notice what it is that provokes more interest, more open rates, and more sales! Don't pretend to obey some strict, orthodox formula that someone you don't really know passed on to you: the market is not a sedentary force, but rather one that is in constant movement and frequently changing its likes and dislikes. You need to stay at the pace of your readers and customers, otherwise you'll slip into oblivion and obsoleteness. 2) Get some better PR. Find creative ways to get recipients with a certain media presence to opt-in to your list: it could result in you getting some positive PR and spreading awareness of your existence. Think of how you can hook media personalities like a reporter, a politician, a public employee, or even simply a local business leader (not your competition, obviously!). Though it's a bit of a long shot, even one such case would be a big deal for an average, middle-sized business. 3) Worship the opener. You've got to understand that your subject line and first 40 characters of text are your one and only hope. Do not risk your campaign's success by making this precious space a wasteland of useless words; each, precious bit of vocabulary is essential to getting your subscriber to open the email. Don't use exclamation marks or $ in either part, and don't make it too salesy. The more relevant and personal it is, the better. 4) Include links to the right places. If you're trying to sell something, then make sure to put a direct link to the purchasing page, with no pop-ups or detours along the way. Your homepage is also an obvious link to put in the email. 5) Know your ISP. You may think you're following all the right guidelines, but if you don't keep your ISP informed about your activities, you run the risk of upsetting them and being completely shut down. The wrath of ISPs is instantaneous and merciless, and you are unlikely to withstand the blow. Hopefully these tips will help sharpen your email marketing tactics a bit. Good luck with getting the results you need.
Monday, February 09, 2009
Five Strategies For Improving Your Email Campaign
