Email Marketing – The Effective Way, Part II

1) Define your message – you should focus on one or two topics in your emails, rather than a laundry list – otherwise noone is going to read it.

2) Choose your target audience. Is your message relevant to your entire customer base? If not then consider sending the message to a segment (sublist) of your main list. This makes it more likely that the recipients will read the message.

3) Carefully craft the subject line. This is the biggest factor that determines whether someone even opens your message or whether it goes straight to spam. A catchy/ action-oriented/ relevant to the reader subject line can increase open rates over 200%. Good subject example: Buy Closeout Amethyst Earrings $3, Lmtd Quanties. Not so good example: Amethyst earrings are now available. Notice the first example uses an action word (BUY), is specific and cites a reason for urgency (lmtd quantities). I also find that it heps to mix in numbers or prices in the subject.

4) Personalize. All email marketing solutions should give you the options to address the recipient by name (assuming you have the information)  Always start the email with something like: Dear Jen, … or Hi Jen, … addressing the person by names shows them that your message is most likely not spam. If you have your customer info in a database or even excel table you can usually upload your customer list (MUCH easier than adding each record manually!). Then you can merge data such as the customers address/ town/ country/ type of jewelry they like or whatever info you have stored.

Always provide a link to your website, in bright font, at the beginning and end of your message.

5) Sign your emails in a personal way and always include: 1) your contact info 2) your mailing address – this is requirement of emailers – some law, I don’t remember the details. This is to discourage spammers and establish credibility.

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