10 Essential Steps to Developing a Successful E-Mail Marketing Campaign

Developing and executing a successful e-mail marketing campaign is becoming more challenging. The SPAM problem isn't improving and laws are tightening their grip on e-mail marketing.

So, you need to carefully develop your e-mail marketing campaign with great care.

Here are 10 steps you can use to develop a successful e-mail marketing campaign:

Step #1 - Define the purpose of your e-mail campaign

Whilst this step may seem pretty obvious, you will be surprised at how many e-mail marketing campaigns are carried out without a clear purpose or goal.

This is especially prevalent with online newsletters or e-zines - many don't provide the reader any valuable or useful information.

So, start your e-mail campaign right - by first defining a clear purpose or goal.

Step #2 - Develop a clear call to action

A call to action is a specific set of instruction(s) contained within the e-mail with the sole purpose of leading the reader to take a specific action.

Here's an example of a call to action: "Click here to download your f~ree Special Report"

With the introduction of the CAN-SPAM act and advancement in SPAM filter technology, it is difficult enough these days to get your e-mail pass SPAM filters, yet alone opened and finally read.

It would be a sheer waste of time for both your reader and yourself if you didn't create a clear call to action in your e-mail.

Step #3 - Personalize your e-mail message

Use your full name in the From: field rather than your company's name.

And use your recipient's name in the subject line.

This will increase the "open rate" of your e-mail (The "open rate" is the percentage of e-mails opened against e-mails successfully delivered), because recipients will more likely open and read e-mails from people they recognize.

Personalization will also reduce the probability of the e-mail being mistaken as SPAM.

Step #4 - Develop an interesting subject line

It's true.

First impressions DO count in e-mail marketing!

If you have an important e-mail you want your reader to open and read, you need to develop an interesting subject line to woo your readers attention.

The reason's really simple.

If your subject line does not appeal to the reader, your e-mail will not get opened and your e-mail campaign will fail miserably.

And remember not exceed 40 characters when developing your subject line.

Step #5 - Remind your subscribers where and when they opted-in

If you do not e-mail your subscribers very often, say once every fortnight, it would be good to remind them where and when they opted-in, right at the top of your e-mail.

In e-mail marketing, the popular axiom, "Out of Sight, Out of Mind" bears much truth.

Don't expect your subscribers to remember where and when they opted-in to receive information from you if you're not in frequent contact with them.

If they can't recall when they opted-in to your list and you fail remind them - don't be surprised if they scream "SPAM"!

Step #6 - Provide an unsubscribe link

In e-mail marketing, you should never ever hold anyone hostage.

You'd rather settle for happy unsubscribers than angry subscribers, right?

So, provide your readers with an easy and convenient method to unsubscribe.

They'll sleep more soundly at night and so will you.

Step # 7 - Check and test your e-mail

You've spent a great deal of time crafting your e-mail.

So it is a good practice to check through your e-mail to make sure you do not overlook the following: 1) Spell check your e-mail 2) SPAM check your e-mail 3) Test all e-mail links 4) Double-check mail merge codes (if any) e.g. $firstname$ vs. {FIRSTNAME} (especially if you're sending out the same e-mail using different autoresponder software)

Step #8 - Use fixed-pitch font and proper formatting

Use a fixed-pitch font like Courier and perform a hard carriage return at the end of each line at 60 characters to avoid formatting problems.

Step #9 - Track all e-mail links

This is an often over-looked step. Tracking your e-mail links will allow you to gain valuable insights and discover what works and what doesn't.

Use the tracking information to refine your future e-mail marketing campaigns.

Step #10 - KISS (Keep It Simple and Short)

Lastly, keep your e-mails simple and short.

The more e-mail content you create, the higher the chance of triggering the SPAM filters.

If possible, use e-mail marketing to Pre-Sell, not Sell.

Follow these 10 steps in your next e-mail marketing campaign and watch your campaign results skyrocket!

Copyright 2004 Fabian Lim

About The Author

Fabian Lim is a Management & Internet Marketing Consultant. He helps organizations and individuals succeed online. He is also editor and publisher of "BizSuccess Tips", a No Hype, No B.S. internet marketing newsletter. Visit his website at http://www.BizSuccessOnline.com

---

Organizing Your Mailing Lists For Your Email Promotions

With all the safelists and different methods for using them,... Read More

Heres Why You Dont NEED a Blog

The word "blog" seems to be everywhere, and what an... Read More

The List Is The Thing

Many companies begin their online sales ventures with the wrong... Read More

How Autoresponders Boost Sales By Up To 400%

Imagine going to bed and waking up in the morning... Read More

Autoresponder Tips

An autoresponder is useful for, well, responding to people who... Read More

Email Marketing Tips for Reaching an International Audience

Targeted, cheap, fast, trackable and with more reporting than traditional... Read More

The Game Is Changing, Are You?

It's happening. Again.The Internet marketing 'game' is rapidly changing... again.Email... Read More

Sequential Autoresponders Build Customer Relatonships

A powerful reason for making the switch from using the... Read More

How To Create Gold With Email Promotions - Part 1

First make sure that the people you are sending your... Read More

How You Can Automate Your Business Using Autoresponders

What is an Autoresponder?An Autoresponder is a program or service... Read More

How Effective is Your Email? How Can You Tell?

Is your email getting to your list members? If so,... Read More

Analysing Autoresponders

An autoresponder is an automatic or software-mailing program. Why... Read More

The Name Squeeze ? Should You? Shouldn?t You?

This is a little "beauty" of an idea if you... Read More

7 Ways Email Can End Your Business Relationships Before They Start

Too often, people forget they're anonymous in the internet world.... Read More

What is Email Marketing?

There are many avenues available for marketing online products. Radios,... Read More

What Is Wrong With Email Marketing?

If you are active on the web promoting your products,... Read More

7 Great Email Habits for the Beginning Internet Entrepreneur

If you are just starting out as an Internet entrepreneur... Read More

How to Deal With Rude E-mailers

Rude and crass e-mail seems to be at an all... Read More

Seven Tips To A Perfect Email Ads

Everyone at some point in their Internet experience has received... Read More

Using Internet Direct Mail To Increase Your Company?s Profits

"I want to sell my company's products on the Web,... Read More

Reach Out and Slap Someone

I got my first email account way... Read More

FIVE ADVANCED and Essential features of Your Follow up Autoresponder

If you are not using a follow up autoresponder until... Read More

Are You Making These Email Mistakes?

Every day, I receive at least 300 emails. I will... Read More

Email Marketing - Building A Mail List

Millions of people use their computer everyday as a form... Read More

How Can You Be Sure That Your Marketing Efforts Will Generate Profits?

There are several ways to ensure that your adverts are... Read More

Seven Ways to Dramatically Increase Your Email Marketing Profitability

1. The Power of SevenWhen choosing a price point for... Read More

How Autoresonders Can Put Your Business On Autopilot

Owning your own online business is a lot of work.... Read More

Real Estate Agents ? What Type of Content Should You Include in Your Newsletter?

One of the biggest concerns for Realtors who publish their... Read More

Email: When You Dont Get a Response

The lack of an email response is an issue I... Read More

Taking Care of Busines... E-mail

In this digital day and age, communicating through email is... Read More

Why You Need a Newsletter

If you're a small business owner you definitely need promotion.... Read More

Autoresponders - One Simple Trick That Will Improve Your Results

Autoresponders, or responders, are simply programs that allow you to... Read More

RSS vs Email: Its Not An Either-Or Question

If you've been getting caught up in all this talk... Read More