Well, it's official. We're in a recession. And whether or not this groundbreaking "news" comes as an actual surprise to anyone, e-mail marketing is increasingly the solution to tight marketing budgets and a CMO who likes high ROI numbers.
The most important thing these days is to keep your existing customers loyal, so the time is ripe to pull out the old techniques and make sure your list management is up to par.
As a quick guide for beginners, or a timely reminder for veterans of e-mail marketing, here are a few tips that you don't want to overlook, no matter how advanced (or simple) your overall email marketing strategy is.
1. Keep your lists separate.
One of the biggest mistakes a company can make is to think of its list as only one big "database." Instead of having one database, you should keep your lists as separate as possible. Your lists don't have to be unique; in fact, they shouldn't be unique at all. A female from New York who is interested in Mac computers and is environmentally conscious should be on those 4 lists: Female, New York, Mac computers and Green friendly.
People who primarily shop online should definitely receive differently styled e-mails from those who primarily shop in stores. I have one client who has pages of lists in her overall database, and it makes it rather easy to keep track of people. This also has the advantage of allowing your subscribers to change their minds about some things without unsubscribing from you entirely. (More about that later.) Note: Aim for e-mail marketing software that checks for duplicates to avoid overlap in case you happen to be sending out an email that applies to multiple segments.
2. Segment.
Nothing is more disastrous to a growing list than sending the same e-mail to non-similar people. Even two similar people are strikingly different to you if one opened your email and one didn't. It's important to segment based on personal characteristics, but it's equally important to track your subscribers' email habits and follow up that way. Subscribers are becoming increasingly more comfortable with having their e-mail pattern details known, and that should be something you include in your list data.
Note that privacy is still a huge issue, so refrain from thanking Karen from opening your last two e-mails but asking her why she missed the one in September… was she feeling well? However, following up appropriately with "openers" and more importantly "clickers" can keep your list healthy and happy.
3. Maintain a preferences center.
Assume that every subscriber is a list manager's nightmare: inconsistent, impatient, and extremely demanding. Each person on your list should have access to his/her account, which allows for subscription / unsubscription to each list he/she could be on. (Prerequisite: make sure your list names are PC and true.) Allow people to sign up for "just breaking news" or "just monthly newsletters," and provide an accurate description of the type of -email and the frequency of it. (If possible, provide a link to the most recent e-newsletter, special offer, etc.)
Software that instantly manages these preferences is much preferred; the law allows for you to keep that person on the list for up to 10 days, but it will probably only take a day or two until he/she does the e-mail marketing equivalent of murder: marks you as spam. It's a good idea to have your privacy policy listed here as well. You do have a privacy policy about selling / renting e-mail addresses, right?
4. Lastly, keep list-building top of mind.
You've got 100 additional subscribers; hooray! Now don't forget, each of those 100 people has a friend who would also be interested in your e-mail. Most e-mail marketing programs provide a "forward to a friend" link right in the e-mail. For those who do receive it as a forward, make sure that there is a subscribe link at every opportunity. Or, better yet, put the subscribe form right in the bottom of the -email. Generally, and happily, these can be tucked into nooks and crannies of your e-mail where subscribers won't be bothered by them but potential subscribers will see them.
Keeping these 4 simple things in mind can help ensure that your recipients stay happy and your list stays current and keeps growing.
Carolyn Kopprasch (Carolyn@campaignfusion.com) is an account manager at Nashville-based e-mail marketing firm Campaign Fusion.
Like to submit an article to List Talk? Contact Jim Emerson at jim.emerson@penton
