E-mail marketing is an effective way to attract new customers as well as continue generating interest with your existing client base. In order to make the most of this approach to marketing, it helps to utilize a few basic tips that help to enhance the results. By looking closely at the structure of the e-mail campaign, you stand a better chance of achieving your goals and generating a significant amount of additional sales.

Use Opt-in Subscriber Lists Only

One of the more common mistakes made by e-mail marketers is failing to use qualified mailing lists. Qualified lists are composed of customers and prospects who have chosen to receive e-mails related to the goods or services you have for sale. The process of qualifying the lists is ongoing and requires a reasonable amount of attention.

You can build your own qualified list by allowing visitors to your web site to opt-into the list. Display the opt-in option prominently on each of your pages so that interested parties don’t have to backtrack in order to sign up. Since the recipients indicated interest, the results from your e-mail notifications will be higher.

Write Action-Oriented Subject Lines

The subject line of your e-mail is the first thing that recipients will see. You have only a second or so to generate enough interest for them to open the e-mail and see what you have to say. Make that time count by developing an action-oriented subject line that compels readers to do something other than click on the delete icon. (For more more tips on this, read “Which Subject Line Beat the Other by 40%?”)

Ideally, the subject line should be provocative enough to capture the attention and motivate the recipient to open the e-mail. Stay away from cute subject lines that come close to insulting the intelligence of the readers. Focus on something that engages and piques the interest of the recipient. Ask a question and hint that the answer is found in the body of the e-mail. Advise them that they only have a limited amount of time to act. Keep the subject line short and sweet, focused and just enough to spur the action you want. 

Focus on a Narrow Market

There are a couple of different ways to go about creating copy for your e-mail campaign. One approach is to go with a general message that is likely to appeal to a wider collection of clients. A different strategy is to develop copy that is more personalized and speaks directly to the needs of a niche group of consumers.

When sending e-mail marketing notices to your existing clientele or others who have opted into receiving the mailings, use all the data on hand to tailor those e-mails. Consider past ordering information for those customers along with anything you know regarding inquiries about different products offered for sale. Little details like those can make it much easier to craft sales copy that will grab attention and compel recipients to read more than the headline.

Make It Easy to Place an Order

Within the body of the e-mail, include multiple options to click on a link and get to your site. Don’t simply place a link or icon at the end of the text. The idea is that when the reader is ready, he or she needs the option of going to the site and placing an order now. If he or she is ready two paragraphs into your text, that’s all the better.

Making it easy to click over and place an order is extremely important. If the process is too difficult or hard to find in the body of the e-mail, readers will lose interest and move on to the next item in the inbox. When that happens, all your careful preparation falls by the wayside.

About the Author: Dan is a blogger and contributing writer for TreeHouse, an agency that helps people learn how to create iPhone apps.

Tuesday, September 18th, 2012, 7:24 pm   |   Email marketing  |  RSS feed |  Respond  |  Trackback