Things you should know before start of E-mail Marketing

According to research every dollar spent on email marketing, you can expect a return on your invest of $57. But it’s not as simple as sending an email to a list to get this sort of result. There are a few pointers you should consider before you hit that send button.
Email lists: buy, rent or build your own?

Buying a listIf your whole email marketing strategy relies on the acquisition of a purchased list, then you are doomed to fail. Why? Because successful email marketing is based on permission and trust. 
When you purchase a list, the recipients of the list have never heard of you or your company. Think about your own email habits. When was the last time you opened an email from a person or company you did not recognize?
In addition, good quality lists are a company’s lifeline and most valuable asset. Why would they want to share it with anyone?

The consequences of sending emails to a purchased list can include:

•  Poor response. If the recipient doesn’t recognize you, your product or your company, they will more often than not delete your email without reading it.
• Blacklisting. Results in having your emails blocked from entire domains. Your emails won’t reach your intended recipient. 
• Hefty fines. In some cases tens of thousands of dollars for violating CAN-SPAM laws 
• Irreparable damage to your reputation. Negatively skews results for future campaigns. The difference between an ok and a good reputation can impact your campaign’s success by as much as 20%!  

Renting a listList rental is the middle ground between buying a list and building your own list. This usually consists of having a company that has a list of recipients within your target audience sending an offer on your behalf. A well planned list sponsorship can definitely help you build your own contact list. If you do decide to go this route, make sure your offer includes registration to your own opt-in list. And make sure this list is not being too frequently marketed to.

Building your own listThe best way to build your own list is to create a sign up form for you website. Customers can then visit your site and sign up. Another great way is to include your form on your Facebook page.
Although it may take some time, growing your own contact list is easy when you weave it into all of your business collateral. Business cards, email signatures, web sites, brochures, and even phone calls should talk about your emails.

Make sure when you promote your email communications you offer something unique, that can’t be found anywhere else. To start, you can offer something free, or a discount in exchange for information. After that, keep your promise of delivering something exclusive in every email.

Gaining loyalty from your subscribers can be achieved with advance previews before general release to the public. Include subscriber only specials, discounts, webinars, eBooks, etc. By doing this, you build a sense of exclusivity, even a VIP status for your readership.

Already have your own list?If you already have a contact list, then you need to know that even if it’s a few months old, it may not perform at its best. Make sure you start emailing to it, if you haven’t already. Remind your subscribers when and where they initially opted into your list. If you cannot remember, chances are, they won’t either.

If you’ve been growing this list for more than one year and have not been emailing to it regularly, it will perform poorly, generate complaints, and damage your reputation. You’ll have to ask for permission again when you send your first email.

Email campaigns: start now and keep at it

Not just a one-time thingSuccessful email marketing is not an occasional endeavor; it’s a commitment to speak to your subscribers in a relevant way on a regular basis.

As soon as you start crafting your email strategy and gathering email addresses, you need to engage in communication. Nothing is worse than to promise something – a newsletter or exclusive promotion – and not deliver.

Make a calendar of campaigns and stick to it. Committed to a monthly newsletter? Make sure you create it and schedule it to go out every month. Your competitors may be email marketing but they might let things slide – stay on top of the game and keep your promise.

10 best practices to help you get off to the right start

1. Never, ever buy an email list.
2. Grow your own list by offering great and unique content for your emails.
3. Ask only for the information you need.
4. Keep sending emails at the frequency you outlined when your subscriber joined.
5. Use both HTML and text formats. Avoid using one big image!
6. The more often you send emails, the shorter these emails should be.
7. Concise and clear subject lines get better open rates.
8. Use your own voice when writing your emails. A little personality goes a long way.
9. Disclose where and when your subscriber opted into your list.
10. Use strong calls to action for your subscribers. Read, click, buy, register, you get the picture.