Effective and affordable, email marketing can be a great tool to promote your product or service. It’s also easy to do from home, making it a form of marketing that enables you to balance your business and your baby. However, this type of business writing has to be done right to be effective, or else all your efforts will go to waste. Here are a few do-it-yourself email marketing tips to follow when embarking on an email marketing plan.
Do: Proofread for Grammatical Errors
In the days of advanced spell check and grammar suggestion tools, there is little excuse to let an email fly with these types of errors. If your marketing materials are chock full of spelling mistakes, misplaced commas, and missing words, the recipients could assume that it’s spam and delete it right away. Equally, they could write you off as incompetent and be unable to process your message.
Don’t: Skimp on the Link Placements
If the goal of your e-mail marketing campaign is to get your readers to head to your blog, your online store, or a price list on your website, be sure to include multiple links within the email. Add a link towards the beginning of the email, include one with anchor text, and add another at the bottom so the reader doesn’t have to scroll up to find the first links.
Do: Include an Unsubscribe Link
Obviously, you don’t want readers to unsubscribe from your mailings. However, presenting the option at the end and making it easy for them will save them a headache and annoyance. On the landing page to confirm the unsubscription, include a nice but not overly aggressive note that says something like, “We’re sorry to see you go! We look forward to serving you again in the future.”
Don’t: Skip the Opt-In Form
Don’t buy a business email marketing list. Using only contact information from people that actually want to receive your e-mails will save you wasted effort as well as keep your marketing reputation in good standing.
Do: Use Personalized Email Marketing
“Dear Sir,” is a great way to get your email deleted right away. You should know who your targeted client is and greet them accordingly. Scan your email database and look for contacts that you have met face to face or have had some type of previous communication. Reference the conversation in the first e-mail you send. “Hi Kathy, I really enjoyed meeting you on Thursday at the X Conference.” People will be much more receptive to your message with this personalized touch.
Don’t: Write a Boring E-mail
Keep your subscribers entertained with fun stories, colorful language, and short e-mails. They are likely sorting through a long list of inbox items daily. Make your email entertaining, and you could be the one e-mail they actually look forward to receiving.
Do: Tell Your Readers What to Expect
On the initial sign-up form or landing page, be honest and direct about what you’ll be sending them. Whether it’s weekly specials, product release news, or a weekly newsletter, knowing what to expect will increase the likelihood that they will sign up and read your emails.
Don’t: Blow Up Their E-mail Box
You may be extremely excited about your product or service and want to share news frequently. However, if you send too many emails, people will view them as spam and start unsubscribing en masse.
Do: Include Social Media Links
The use of social media for businesses is also an important aspect of promoting a business. If you have a Twitter or Facebook fan page, make sure you are including links to each account in every email.
Don’t: Skip the Welcome Email
Many opt-in forms come with an auto-responder email that confirms their subscription was received and welcomes them to your email database. This sets the stage for future emails and helps eliminate repeat subscription requests.
Jasmine Stephenson is a freelance writer currently living in Colombia. She is a guest blogger for Pounding the Pavement and a writer on electrician school for the Guide to Career Education.