Email Marketing Basics
- Direct Email Marketing is direct marketing, or opt-in marketing of a product or service to 2 or more people simultaneously via their email address.
- Not just for online businesses
- Remember consumers shop/research online purchase offline
1.) Get your message delivered
- Keep Database current by allowing multiple Opt-in & update methods Web, Phone, DM, Invoices, in person, etc.
- Watch for "throwaway" email addresses, i.e., hotmail, yahoo, etc. Ask for a "better" email address after building trust
- Track bounce backs
- Make sure message is not interpreted as SPAM by avoiding certain punctuation and words. "!", "Free", "Viagra" and test against a spam filter.
2.) Get your message opened
- Format - HTML v. Plain Text
- Recognizable and consistent "From" address and "From" column, i.e. Strategic eCommerce Solutions [info@sescommerce.com]
- Targeted Subject line
- Quality content that is not overly commercial
3.) Get subscribers to take action
- Targeted/Relevant message
- Personalized
- Remember Sweepstakes and "Freebies" rarely attracts profitable customers
- Clear call to action
- Quality content
Comply with CAN-SPAM Act of 2003
- Double opt-in
- Working and audited unsubscribe process
- Stick with initial frequency expectations
- Double check From address, From column and Subject line
- Audit your email messages to avoid spam filters
- Respect your subscribers