E-mail Marketing Gets Sophisticated

As postage rates continue climbing, many companies have turned to e-mail marketing as a key component of their overall marketing strategy.

"One of the advantages of this medium is that it's actionable," says Jon Parks, S&A Cherokee's online media manager. "It's very easy to access more information, order a product, register for an event or send an e-mail with one click."

Parks offers the following tips to help optimize e-mail marketing.

• Build your e-mail list internally. Buying lists is generally not as effective building your own. Purchased lists may contain a lot of bad addresses, and sending e-mails to people who did not ask for them could label you as a spammer. Improve deliverability by building your list through permission-based marketing. Collect e-mail addresses from customers, registrants, prospects, etc., and let them opt out if they so choose.
• Provide good, concise content. The content should have a hook to engage the reader, whether it's a special offer or call to action. Since most people scan e-mails, don't inundate them with details but provide a link to additional information. An intriguing and concise subject line (49 characters or fewer) will improve the chances your e-mail is opened.
• Don't create the e-mail as a standalone communication. Always pair it with a Web site landing page, e-mail address, etc. Determine what your desired outcome is and make your message action-oriented.
• Enlist a third-party e-mail service provider. Sending out bulk e-mail yourself increases the chances that a spam filter may block your messages from reaching inboxes. Also, if a recipient adds your e-mail address to their blocked sender list, any business or personal e-mails from you won't get through.
• Take advantage of analytical data. New programs can track who opened your message, who forwarded it, who clicked on a link, etc. That information helps build customer profiles and gives you information on how to customize specific messages for segmented campaigns.

S&A Cherokee uses a wide variety of communications specialties to ensure our clients are fully prepared to meet the demands of an ever-changing marketplace. Communications needs differ from one organization to another. S&A Cherokee assists with taking control of the communications process and develops strategies that are uniquely customized for each client.

To discover how S&A Cherokee can help you manage your e-mail marketing campaigns, including setup of mailing lists, writing and designing messages, and tracking e-mail responses, contact them for a free consultation at (919) 674-6020.

Comments

[Michelle Courtney / WellthyLifeStyle NC]

Tim,

Great overview. I'd like to point out that as far as purchasing email address lists goes, many ISPs, companies, etc. will "seed" directories with "honeypot" addresses--designed to catch spammers. Any third-party delivery service is likely to ban and blacklist you from emailing with any other service if you threaten their relationships with ISPs.

Also, this includes sharing your list with a colleague. Remember, they asked for information from YOU, not your business network. Plug the guy you want to send business to in your own newsletter, coming from your own address instead.

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