10 Email Marketing Best Practices

Most people around the world spend a lot of time on the Internet to check their emails. As a result, companies organize email marketing campaigns to stay in touch with their clients and promote their products and services. Email campaigns, when used correctly and wisely, can boost your online reputation, website traffic and sales. There are certain ethics associated with email marketing. These are known as the best practices. The following are some of them.

Avoid spam filters

Sending unsolicited marketing emails to users is known as spamming. Many Internet Service Providers are very strict about spam control. They scrutinize every single commercial mail that’s sent to users. Test your campaign for spam like terms, which are free, save, discount and so on. You should also avoid currency logos in your subject line for they are likely to set off spam filters.

Personalize your campaign

You should address your subscribers by their first name; for instance, “Hi Martha.” A personalized email is more likely to be read than a general one. Personalization will help you to develop and nurture relationships with your clients. They, in turn, will feel that you are prepared to give them their due importance.

Include unsubscribe link

As per the law, you have to include an unsubscribe link in your email campaign. Clients, who wish to leave, should be allowed to do so. An unsubscribe request is much better than a spam complaint. Make sure that the unsubscribe link is at the top of the email.

Stick to your frequency schedule

A frequency schedule is very important in email marketing. If you have promised your clients that you will send emails only once in a month, then keep it that way. Do not increase that number or you may get labeled as a spammer. Most experts agree that one email per month is sufficient.

Write a catchy subject line

Your clients will look at the subject line and decide, whether they want to open and read your email. Hence, you should come up with a subject line that will compel them open your email.

Add your contact information

As per the law, you are expected to add your contact details in your email campaign. This includes a registered postal address, a functioning telephone or helpdesk number, a registered email address. This will boost your credibility in the eyes of your clients and those interested can get in touch with you.

Add your signature

Like your contact details, you should also add your signature at the end of every email. This is an effective way to increase traffic to your website. Include your name, designation, details of your company and an unsubscribe link.

Give relevant content

Supply relevant content to your clients. You can provide articles, tips, product reviews and industry related news. They are unlikely to look at your emails again, if they think the content is irrelevant.

Test the campaign thoroughly

Test your campaign thoroughly before you send it to anyone. In doing so, you can make sure that it looks the same on web based email services and email clients. You may use email marketing software to test your campaign.

Organize the content properly

The effectiveness of an email campaign also depends on how well the content is organized. The message you intend to communicate should be placed on the top as it is unlikely that your subscribers will read the entire email.

The above mentioned tips are very important and useful to all those who wish to organize free email marketing campaigns.

Karrie Beth is a best practices activist and advocate for Benchmark Email ( http://www.benchmarkemail.com ), a leading Web and permission-based email marketing service.

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