By Kathryn H
When customers offer you their e-mail address, they are demonstrating a level of interest and trust that it would be a waste to squander. Unfortunately, a lot of businesses misuse the addresses they collect. Instead of developing relationships with customers, they drive them away. Do not fall into that trap. Follow these five fundamental tips to help your e-mail marketing activities work for your business, not against it.
Make sure your e-mails live up to your customers’ expectations
Customers usually need an explicit reason to give up their e-mail address. For example, they might only be open to e-mails that contain updates about new products, access to promotions, or eligibility for contests. If you have promised that you will supply that content, it is crucial that you actually do. If your e-mails are, instead, a disconnected mix of information, most of which has little to do with what you initially promised, many customers could feel like you have breached their trust.
Keep subscribers’ e-mail addresses confidential
Another way to break customers’ trust is to sell or publicly reveal their information. Ensure that all addresses are private for each piece of correspondence. You should also remind everyone in each e-mail that their information is safe, and you should be sure to stick to that promise.
Offer subscribers a way to communicate with you
Many customers can begin to feel discouraged if they are bombarded by information with no way to respond to it. Whether customers want to make the next step towards a purchase, but are unsure how, or confused about a piece of content, it is valuable to grant them an easy way to communicate with you. Not only does this practice enable you to strengthen ties with your customers, it also offers indirect feedback about your e-mails.
E-mail subscribers at appropriate times
It does little good to send a mass e-mail at a time when it is likely to be unchecked. It is likely to remain buried under a pile of more recent messages. Most e-mails should be sent during weekday business hours to stand the best chance of being read. However, if the content of your e-mail is about a specific event, try to time the message so that it is close enough to the event to seem relevant, but far enough away that people will have time to make suitable plans.
Allow subscribers to unsubscribe quickly and painlessly
Just as customers trusted you when they subscribed, they also trust that you will let them stop receiving e-mails promptly. Ideally, unsubscribing should be quick. Anyone who requested to be taken off your e-mail list should not be receiving messages days or weeks in the future. Undesired e-mails will only drive customers away, not win them back.
E-mail marketing has the potential to be very effective because, by providing their address, customers have already displayed considerable trust and interest in what you offer. Fill your e-mails with the content you promised to send, and do not break customers’ trust. Solid e-mail marketing can help you develop strong relationships with customers while reaching critical business goals.
Kathryn H is a freelance writer and editor who helps individuals and organizations publish web content that reflects in-depth industry knowledge and professionalism. She also shares tips for writers and other creative professionals over at her blog.
Article Source: 5 Must-Know Tips for Email Marketing That Works
