How do you get started in email marketing? Well, reading this article is a great first step! We’ve filled it with tips, tricks, techniques, secrets and strategies which will arm you with the tools you need to boost your profits and increase the traffic to your online presence in no time flat!
Make sure to email only people you know. Sending messages to those who do not have any prior relationship with the company or your offerings may give the appearance of spam. This type of random emailing can just cause a person to question whether they know you or your company, and they probably will end up caring less about your company if they run across it in the future. This can result in them deleting your email, which would mean your time was wasted.
Before using email marketing, create a test email and send it to a friend or family member. Your loved one can see how the email looks and give you feedback. This way, if any changes need to be made, you can do it before sending the emails out to customers.
While online promotion is essential, don’t overlook the opportunity to promote your mailing list offline. To build both new subscribers and potential clients, look for any opportunity possible to get the word out. Some great opportunities to build your business can be found at networking events, trade shows, conferences and local gatherings.
Send your opt-ins a link that they must click on to confirm their subscription to your email list. This way, you ensure that it is something that they want to do, and it will protect you from getting complaints about spam. Let your opt-ins know in your pitch that they will need to click on a link.
You should avoid sending mass emails during holidays. Because people tend to be out of their offices and away from their computers, your emails will probably go unnoticed. There are, of course, exceptions. Black Friday, for example, is one occasion where a date relevant campaign is warranted.
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.
You want every email campaign to have feedback that is passive as well as active. You can get active feedback from your target audience by asking what people think of your emails. To get passive feedback, you need something that is subtle. There are many tools and software programs available that will tell you the links that get the most attention.
Try to make it as easy as possible for customers to unsubscribe from your emails. By not making it simple, they will feel like you are being too pushy and may be turned off from your product or business. Give them the option to opt out from some of your emails or all of them.
You must be persistent where it counts. Persistence is a critical part of any email marketing strategy, but misplaced persistence can be quite damaging; so, make sure to understand the difference between good and bad persistence. Persistently emailing disinterested customers is obnoxious to them, and it wastes your time and effort.
Not only should you provide your subscribers with an easy way to unsubscribe, but also you should ensure that it goes into effect immediately. Receiving emails from you after they have unsubscribed will give recipients a negative impression about you, harming any future relationships with them. Process requests to unsubscribe right away.
Let customers know how to add your email address to their “safe sender list”. Many people do not know how to prevent certain emails from being sent to their spam folder. Inform them of how to prevent this from happening and encourage them to add you to their address book.
Do not send too much information in one email. Customers will get frustrated and overwhelmed if there is an overabundance of information in a single email. Instead, put a sufficient amount of information in a series of emails and be sure that each one contains a few paragraphs. This will keep their attention.
Keep the emails you send out for marketing purposes short. Make sure that you get straight to the point. This will demonstrate your respect for the value of your readers’ time. Also, readers will read the whole email this way. Keep in mind that you are likely to have important content throughout the entire email which makes this critical to your success.
Solicit feedback in your emails. Ask a thought-provoking question and ask your readers to respond. This will engage those on your list, and they will feel like they are having a more personal experience than they otherwise would. You will also glean valuable feedback that you can use to adjust your emails if needed.
Pay attention to the words and phrases that get the most attention in your industry. This means knowing who your audience is and what they’re looking for. Consumer products sell best when advertised through words such as “new”, while informational products sell better when combined with words like “advice”. Always be sure you know what your audience is looking for and word your copy accordingly.
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.
It’s time for you to start your email marketing campaign, so take what you’ve learned here and get started! Focus on working step by step and day by day to build your business, your income and your reputation. In the end you’ll be proud of your hard work when you see the profits rolling in!