Email marketing can be very effective for promoting your
business. It is a tricky area though and it is easy to make
mistakes if you don't know the right methods to use. This
can be frustrating for you as it will cost you money, yet
not generate any additional sales. Here are some common
email marketing mistakes and pitfalls you need to be aware
of. It will make your marketing strategies more effective.
Consumers want to feel like they are a person to your
business, not just a statistic. Take the time to address
each email personally. It is more expensive, but it is more
effective. You will get a much better response then
something addressed to 'Dear (customer name)". Don't use
dollar signs in your email marketing campaign. It's a big
turn off to consumers, who view it as you only want their
money. Don't use email marketing during the holidays.
Customers are inundated with them and yours won't stand
out. Plus the fact that people are too busy and stressed to
relax and read email that is not personal or important at
this time of year. If you want to market for the holidays
then you need to do it early, at least before Thanksgiving.
Consumers don't have a lot of patience! Your email message
needs to jump out at them the moment they open it. Put the
most enticing information first with the other details
further down. They are more likely to read the entire
email message if you get their attention from the start. As
each consumer is different, so is their computer set up and
the type of program they use.
Don't assume the email will open up the same in every type
of email service. You will need to test it out for each
popular email service. Always give the consumer the option
of opening the email in either html or plain text. As a
rider to this I always recommend that you you either Arial
or Helvetica as your font of choice. Practically all
computers have those two fonts, and they are easy to read.
Confidentiality is very important to consumers. Make sure
your email sign up clearly states that you will not sell
their information and that it will be kept confidential and
secure. You will be surprised how many people won't sign
up for your email promotions if you don't offer this bit of
information. There are rules and regulations out there
regarding what you can and can't do when it comes to email
marketing. Make sure you are familiar with those laws. They
vary by country so if you do global marketing make sure you
check the regulations for each area you will be sending
them to. Failure to do so can lead to huge fines for your
business.
Don't make the mistake of thinking you know what your
consumers want. If you really want to know what they are
after then take the time to ask. Be open to their comments,
questions, suggestions, and concerns. Letting them know you
are available for such customer service is a great way to
earn their loyalty. It is easy to sell something to a
consumer but much harder to please them so they will come
back again and again.
If you are new to email marketing, you could consider
consulting with a professional. It doesn't have to be
expensive, and will make the entire process flow easier for
you as well as yield better results. Take the time to
research the consultant before using them. Ask for
references and talk about what your goals are. If the
consultant is not willing to make your goals a priority
then don't work with them. If you are nervous about
spending a large amount of your revenue on marketing then
you could use a broker consultant. This means you only pay
them for the actual positive results the marketing brings
you. They will be paid based on the traffic they generate
for your site or the amount of new sales resulting from the
email marketing. Make sure what ever method you choose is
clear to both parties and in writing. Make sure the time
frame that they will receive benefits for is clear as well.
You don't want unhappy subscribers to your email marketing
campaigns. The law requires you to offer a link where
customers can unsubscribe. While you want to do all you can
to keep them reading your emails, it is important to
respect their wishes and remove them from the mailing list
immediately. They will become very frustrated if they
continue to receive them once they have asked to be
removed. It can cost you their future business. Email
marketing can be effective for your business if you keep
these common mistakes from becoming part of your marketing
plan.
Stick to these few basic rules and you will rapidly benefit
from profitable email campaigns.
----------------------------------------------------
Chris Haycock is an information publisher, specialising in
helping others set up and run their own profitable internet
business. For more information on the above, and to get an
absolutely no cost two hour business video, why not go now
to http://www.easyebizz.com
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