With consumers accessing e-mail on everything from computers, cell phones and PDAs to MP3 players, gaming systems and social networking sites, this low-cost, high-ROI marketing channel has more potential than ever. Online businesses can easily and affordably increase sales by tapping into their customer e-mail databases to announce special offers, new product launches, seasonal campaigns and more. Here are a few guidelines for a powerful and effective e-mail marketing campaign.
Quality is just as important as quantity. Most businesses want as many names in their customer databases as possible. But having unhappy subscribers is far worse than having no subscribers at all. When building your e-mail list, remember to think quantity and quality. Always give subscribers a way to opt out, use a change of e-mail address form for people to stay up-to-date and include a forward-to-a-friend link for valuable referrals.
Timing is everything. If your readers are anything like me, they probably spend a big chunk of their mornings sifting through the influx of e-mails sent between 6 p.m. and 9 a.m. Anything not deemed high-priority is usually skimmed through and promptly deleted. To spare your e-mail messages a similar fate, try sending between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. or in the afternoon when your recipients’ inboxes are less likely to be bombarded. That way, your messages will have a higher chance of actually being read.
First impressions are sometimes your only impression. Without the right subject line and sender name, your e-mail will likely head straight for the trash. Make a good first impression with a clear, informative and relevant subject. And be sure to include your company or brand name in the “from” field, not an undecipherable e-mail address, a generic department name or the always-ignored “No Reply.”
For best results, e-mail in threes. As I mentioned in my earlier post, effective e-mail marketing campaigns should be blasted up to three times, each with slightly different messaging. The first e-mail should have no expiration date. And as long as it performs well, you should follow up with a second e-mail that conveys that time is running out for your special offer. Then send a third with a friendly “final offer” reminder. By sending several blasts and closely monitoring the results, you’re sure to maximize response rates.
Happy e-mailing!
–Lisa Contoyannis
