Twelve Tips for Successful Opt-in E-mail Newsletters
An opt-in e-newsletter is one of the most effective marketing tools you can use because it is fast, personal, and inexpensive. Many small businesses are using e-mail newsletters to introduce themselves to new customers
and to communicate with existing ones. By sending useful information on a regular basis, you maintain continuous contact without being annoying. In addition, an e-mail newsletter can enhance your credibility and increase sales. Creating an E-mail Newsletter Producing your newsletter doesn't have to be a monumental task. First, decide on the frequency of
publication. This is based on how much time you have to do the work. Publishing it monthly or quarterly is
probably a comfortable pace for both you and your readers. Next, produce a graphic design for your layout. Many e-mail list management companies provide online templates for their customers. You simply type or paste
in your information online and an HTML or text-based newsletter is automatically created for you. Now it's time for the content of your newsletter. Concentrate on topics that your readers will be interested
in, not only the ones that you find fascinating. Try to use real-life applications. For example, you can
describe past successes and maybe even interview a customer or two. This way, you tell your audience how you
solved a problem that relates to them and conveys that you are a results- oriented professional. 12 Tips for Successful E-mail Newsletters and Campaigns 1. Do not purchase, trade, or borrow an e-mail list Sending e-mail to people who have not specifically requested to receive your mailings (opted-in) is almost
always regarded as spam. 2. Make signing up and unsubscribing easy and visible Add a sign up form to your home page or link to it and ask your customers if they would like to sign up when
you speak with them in person. You may only want to ask subscribers for their e-mail address, first and last
name, and one or two other questions such as their interests. This will allow you to target future
mailings. 3. Use double opt-in registration There are two standard methods for online registration, single and double opt-in. Double opt-in is the
preferred method because it requires confirmation. 4. Link to your privacy policy Place a link to your privacy policy near your list sign-up form. Your policy should describe how you handle
the information you collect and how people can contact you in case they have any concerns or
questions. 5. Send a welcome message to each new subscriber Once someone subscribes, send a welcome message immediately. Include a description of what they will receive,
how frequently, and how to unsubscribe. 6. Keep accurate sign-up records Sometimes, you or your Internet Service Provider (ISP) will get a spam complaint from someone who forgot they
subscribed to your list. Keep accurate records that include the date and web address from which they signed
up. 7. Ask your members to opt-in again if you are using an older list If you have not sent a mailing for a while, ask subscribers to indicate that they want to stay on your list by
sending you an e-mail, clicking a link, or visiting a web page. 8. Remind people that they subscribed Include a standard heading each time you send a message. A short note such as, "Thank you for subscribing to
our newsletter, Mary," will remind recipients that they requested your mailings. 9. Avoid certain terms in your subject line and message text If your message contains words frequently used by spammers, people will delete it and possibly file a spam
complaint. ISPs often filter e-mails with suspicious subject lines and it is also illegal to use deceptive
or misleading ones. 10. Include your physical address and phone number Put your phone number and postal mailing address in your message. This allows readers to contact you to place
an order or inquire about your services. In addition, federal legislation requires physical addresses on
commercial e-mail messages. 11. Send your mailings regularly Keep in touch with your subscribers frequently so they don't forget they signed up to receive your mailings.
They will begin to anticipate your messages if you adhere to a schedule. 12. Reply promptly to each inquiry or spam complaint When and if you receive an inquiry or a spam complaint, respond to it as soon as possible. Always include the
subscriber's sign up information with your response. Following these simple suggestions will help you retain your subscriber base, which is fundamental for a
thriving permission-based electronic newsletter or outreach campaign. Raj Khera is a partner in MailerMailer, a web-based e-mail list management and hosting service that allows you to create and track opt-in e-mail newsletters and campaigns. Try it! Send up to 200 messages free: http://www.mailermailer.com/a/emailnewsletter.html Copyright 2005 by Raj Khera, MailerMailer LLC. All rights reserved.
Related News
Email marketing 'being used more as economy slows' - Digital Response Media
Email marketing'being used more as economy slows'Digital Response Media, UK -Oct 9, 2008Businesses are increasingly turning to email marketing as the economy continues to slow, according to a new report. MarketingSherpa's 2009 Email Marketing... |
Search, email marketing 'should be combined' - Digital Response Media
Search, email marketing'should be combined'Digital Response Media, UK -Oct 10, 2008Businesses would do well to combine their search and email marketing campaigns as the two channels are the most used by consumers. ... |
E-mail marketing secrets and lies - BtoB Magazine
Responsys Shares the Secrets to Better Response Rates at DMA08 - Earthtimes (press release)
Email marketing 'will avoid social networking' - One Stop Click
Email marketing'will avoid social networking'One Stop Click, UK -Oct 10, 2008Firms looking to take advantage of email marketing are likely to avoid social networking campaigns during the current uncertain economic climate as their ... |
Email marketing 'can be a killer app when used cleverly' - Business Strata - Business News
Relevant content 'crucial for email marketing' - DirectNews
StevenPR Acquires E-Mail Marketing Firm and 70 Million Opt-In E ... - MarketWatch
Site Search, SEO and Email Marketing Ranked Top Three E-Commerce ... - MarketWatch
MailChimp First to Offer iPhone and Yahoo! Mobile Access for Email ... - MarketWatch
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Youve Got Mail
It seems that Google is revolutionizing the Net in more than one way. Recently they announced that they will be offering a free email service called Gmail. It will offer its users 1GB of memory space. Now that is a lot of space for anybody to have.
The List Is The Thing
Many companies begin their online sales ventures with the wrong strategy to build long term success. Thinking that a website is the core of their business leads them to focus on getting website visitors.
Autoresponder Tips
An autoresponder is useful for, well, responding to people who send you inquiries through email. They are actually more than just merely useful - they are an essential tool in any webmaster's toolbox. Used properly, they can enhance your visitors experience and virtually guarantee that they will come back time after time. Used improperly, they annoy people and push them away from ever coming back.
Will Microsoft Kill Free Email on the Net?
Spam has been such a problem that email filters are now
widespread on the Net. These filters are a necessary response
to the menace of spam. However, will the excuse of spam be
used by companies such as Hotmail to charge for email?
Disturbing news that Hotmail (owned by Microsoft) is blocking
perfectly legitimate emails because they have been caught
by their anti-spam filters is increasing these fears.
Email Marketing 101 - What You Must Know Before Starting an Email Marketing Campaign
Before you start an e-mail marketing campaign it is important for you to know what e-mail marketing is, the benefits of e-mail marketing, and whether or not e-mail marketing is right for your business. Once you are educated on the finer points of an e-mail marketing campaign, you will be poised to either learn more and get your campaign going or else find another means of marketing your products.
Wise Ways To Build Your Email List
Just about every successful Internet Marketer will tell you that, "The money is in the list". But, how do you go about building a good-sized email list? Here are several wise ways that you can use to start building your own large list of email addresses.
Email Microtargeting
Email marketing is undergoing rapid changes. Now, more than ever, both the creative and demographic selection and targeting of a message must be highly relevant and qualified.
Guarantee Recipients Opening Your Emails With These Secrets To Successful Subject Lines!
You've done the hardest part; you've captured your prospect's email address. Now it is time to send your email to them. Most webmasters are thinking about what they are going to put in the email; how they are going to persuade the recipient to empty their wallet. This is all very well, but no matter how persuasive your sales letter is, if the email never gets opened, then it is useless. This is why the power of the subject line should never be underestimated. After the 'from' line in an email, the subject line is the next one that gets read. The subject line plays a huge part in whether an email gets read. Everyone is busy, especially more important people and so an email with a poor subject line is likely to be deleted. Here are a few ways to make your subject line extremely effective:
Why Email Marketing Matters
According to a study by the Winterberry Group, email marketing brings in $15.50 per dollar spent. This is about 17% more than direct-mail campaigns and 73% more than telemarketing campaigns. In short, email marketing matters and if you're not sending out at least monthly email newsletters to your subscriber base, you should be. The true cost comes from acquiring the prospects and clients, not the three or four hours needed to create a monthly newsletter.
Email Marketing - How Best To Manage and Distribute Your Messages
This holiday season 15 percent of consumers in the US plan to buy online, spending an average of $585. That's 9 percent more revenue for online merchants in comparison to last year's results.
Your Money Is Still In Your List - Build It!
You are a home business entrepreneur. You have just built a fantastic website, acquired a host of good products but your advertising budget is small. How do you go about enticing people to your website? I know exactly how you feel because, like lots of small home business entrepreneurs, I have been right where you are now.
Email Autoreponder ? How to Put your Business on Autopilot
Answering emails can take up a significant portion of the time you have to do business. Many times the same set of questions are being asked over and over again. Haven't you ever wished that you could have a simple and easy way to respond to your customers automatically? Email autoresponders are the answer!
Essential Rules For Effective Email Marketing
If you want an email campaign to succeed, you don`t want to
offend anyone when sending your messages. Turn off a
consumer with your email and you can be sure they`ll
tune out your message. Don`t let this happen to you!
Autoresponder Services that Boost Your Business
In the world of ecommerce, millions of sites are fiercely competing with each other to gain new clients. For any ecommerce site to succeed, it must capture the interest and the trust of its visitors. It is not enough that your site is impeccably designed or has the latest in animation or content. You should focus your efforts not only in attracting visitors but also in leading them to make a purchase. There are dozens of marketing strategies you can use to attract more buyers and pump up your sales. One of them is by establishing an excellent and professional reputation for prompt and efficient response.
Lesson #5: Four Easy Ways to Kill Your Business Using Your Autoresponder... And How to Avoid Them
The importance of building an opt-in list over spamming (a.k.a., using unsolicited commercial email) is something that I can never stress enough. You must avoid it at all costs!
You Must Build A Customer List
If you run (or plan to run) an online business, it's especially important that you maintain and add to a customer/prospect list. Unlike a store-front business, which can draw on pedestrian traffic, you're only location is cyberspace.
Heres Why You Dont NEED a Blog
The word "blog" seems to be everywhere, and what an ugly word it is!
Avoiding Blacklisting: Making Sure Your Email Gets Through
We all know that email is probably today's most popular way to advertise. Every day our inboxes are filled with messages from people who want our business--whether we asked for the contact or not. Email is today's biggest communication factor; but why shouldn't it be? It's all but free to use, and it's almost instantaneous.
Lesson #3: Capitalize on Your Captures!
One of the underlying benefits of smart autoresponders is that you can use your autoresponder for mailing list management.
How Autoresonders Can Put Your Business On Autopilot
Owning your own online business is a lot of work.
Don't let anyone tell you that it's not.
|
