The Four Golden Rules of E-Mail Marketing

E-mailmarketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to get your name in front of prospective or existing customers, to generate sales or stay on top. The e-mail messaging that clogs inboxes around the world is known as spam, and with good reason: it’s unwanted. Its solicitations are rarely acted upon. These annoying distractions offer little value.

Now that we know what’s wrong with this method of marketing, what could possibly be right with it? E-mail marketing (please don’t call it spam for just a moment until you consider the argument) offers one of the most cost-effective ways to market to consumers. Start-up costs are so small that any company can integrate a smartly designed campaign into its marketing program in a short time. And with a few well-established rules of engagement, the chances are good that you’ll see a reasonable return on your investment very quickly. In some cases, the results, like the Internet itself, are immediate.

E-mail isn’t just a way to get your brand in front of people. It’s an opportunity to engage and dialog with customers, establishing a relationship. Here are a few rules of thumb that are sure to show success for even the newest e-marketers.

Why waste time and effort sending e-mails to recipients who don’t need what you sell, don’t want your products and know nothing about you? We recommend sticking with “opt-in” e-mail lists to get the best results. If you don’t already have an address list of hot prospects primed to buy, don’t worry. This can be accomplished in a number of different ways. You can entice individuals to visit your Web site with special offers for those who opt-in. Banner ads can also drive people who have an interest in your offers. And, of course, marketing materials of any kind should include your Web site. Once there, make it easy for people to act.

We recommend using information you have about your customers selectively to keep them informed. Remember the services and products your customer has paid for in the past, and choose messages that will remind this customer of the approaching due date for his or her next oil change, for example. This way, you’ll be providing information that is needed and wanted.

Research shows that consumers act on offers of value more than anything else. Considering this, send coupons or news of promotions. And in order for you to get the most out of it, your e-mail marketing must integrate both the content of your message with a way to find out more about your customers. You can use surveys and ask them about the products and services they prefer, as well as about their communication preferences.

Lastly, it’s important to know that any company, regardless of size, can afford an e-mail marketing program. In this day and age, with the ease of measuring your real-time rate of return, who can afford not to? Moreover, small businesses can get in the game for as little as $500 a month. You can have all aspects of delivery managed, from testing before sending, to reporting open rates afterwards. This type of marketing doesn’t have to break the bank. Better yet, it will help you make a trip to one.