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Email Marketing 101: Preaching to the Choir

Email marketing is a great way to keep in touch with your customers. It’s cheap, it’s direct, and when done right, you’re dealing with people who’ve already expressed interest in your product or service. So how can you “preach to the choir” to increase sales? Here’s a few general pointers based on my experience:

I. Always ask for permission

Even if it wasn’t against the law to send unsolicited email (see the CAN-SPAM Act), it still would be bad practice. Respecting people’s privacy isn’t only the right thing to do, it’s more profitable as well. Those using a double opt-in sign-up process (where the user must confirm enrollment) report higher response rates.

II. Automate where possible

Email lists can get unwieldy fast. Keeping track of subscribers, unsubscribes, and undeliverable email manually is asking for it (trust me on this one). Use a third party email service provider to manage your campaigns. There are dozens of companies that cater to small business, I recommend MailBuild, Mailchimp, Vertical Response, or iContact.

III. Expand the number of topics you cover

It’s okay to veer from the hum-drum company updates, even welcomed. Your only criteria for inclusion should be (a) whether it’s interesting or not and (b) somehow related to your offering. Seek out interesting customer stories, dig up some industry history, or offer your insight into a particular topic. Think magazine, not advertisement.

IV. Make offers as simple as possible

Most people don’t read through your entire message – they scan. Don’t make them calculate, look anything up, or investigate the fine print. Make an offer that the biggest airhead you know could understand without further explanation.

V. Measure your efforts

Stats allow you to track things like who opened what, and what they clicked on. Don’t fly blind – stats allow you to pick up on things you wouldn’t notice otherwise.

Stay tuned for more email marketing tips, including email marketing software reviews, and email design tips.

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