Hit the Mail on the Head

How to send out email marketing campaigns that really work.

Engaging and communicating with large quantities of your clients can be costly and time-consuming. But thanks to technology, we can build, maintain and track these relationships online with a fraction of the cost and time commitment. Knowing how to properly conduct an email marketing campaign will help your company get out its messages quickly and effectively.

The most important thing to keep in mind when considering email marketing is selecting the right company to host your campaigns. There are a lot of them to choose from, but Top Ten Review has compiled a list of the best. Once you have selected a company that fulfils your e-marketing needs, it is time to start building your campaign.

Here are some tips for putting together a great campaign:

1. It starts with a list. The beauty of using a professional e-marketing tool is the list management. A reputable vendor will ensure that you send to appropriate lists gathered legally, in compliance with the ‘CAN SPAM’ Act. Also, when sending to a large list, each recipient’s information will be kept private from others, so you don’t run into the SPAM filter complications that you may encounter should you BCC using your own private email account.
2. The most important part – the subject. Think about reading a newspaper, you’re not going to read the article unless the headline pulls you in. The same concept holds true for email marketing. Create a headline that is no more than 50 characters long (according to Email Labs) and avoid using words that will get tagged by SPAM filters (such as ‘free’ ‘sale’ and ‘blowout’).
3. Be consistent with your content. When you create emails using a professional company you have the ability to customize and brand all of your communications. Use a consistent template when sending like messages so that your readers always know where to find things. Create a balance between images and content, avoiding too much content and opting instead to store lengthy articles on your website or a landing page. And always remember, give people a way to respond. Nothing you publish (whether it be in print or online) should be without current contact information.
4. Sending your email on its way. Once you’ve uploaded your lists and designed your email it’s time to blast it out to the world. Send your emails consistently; if people expect to hear from you once a month or every week, keep on schedule. (This does not mean, however, that people want to hear from you all the time). Don’t send out emails too frequently. You’ll upset clients and they will ultimately opt-out of your list. Also keep in mind, research shows the best days to send your communications are Mondays and Tuesdays. People seem to burn out on email by the end of the week.
5. What does this all mean? Analyze it! Here is where a professional email marketing company is unsurpassed by traditional email – tracking. Reputable companies will track the people who have opened, clicked links and forwarded your communications to others. With this data you can determine who your loyal customers are and what content really interests them.

These tips should get you well on your way to being an email superstar. However, you may not know where to start when it comes to creating custom templates and developing content for your emails. Pick My Brain has experience helping companies develop fast, effective communications. Please contact Pick My Brain at 310.771.0665 to find out how we can help you.