Successful e-mail marketing involves growing your e-mail list, providing content that is relevant and fresh, engages your audience and, ultimately, closes a sale.

One way to grow an e-mail list is by trading advertisements, links and content, according to Andy Sernovitz, CEO of New York-based GasPedal, at AD:TECH Chicago, being held July 12-13.

Successful e-mail marketing involves growing your e-mail list, providing content that is relevant and fresh, engages your audience and, ultimately, closes a sale.

One way to grow an e-mail list is by trading advertisements, links and content, according to Andy Sernovitz, CEO of New York-based GasPedal, at AD:TECH Chicago, being held July 12-13.

“The single best place to find subscribers for an e-mail list is people who are already reading e-mails. [Approximately] 80% of our new subscribers come from us trading links with other e-mail publications,” Sernovitz said. “You can grow your list at very little cost. Reserve some space so you can trade that space with other people who have great lists.”

Another important factor, according to Sernovitz, is to keep the form short. A form that immediately requests too much information is the No. 1 mistake and could cost marketers potential e-mail subscribers.

“The correct form to use to get the most new subscribers to your e-mail list is a form with one field that says, ‘Enter your e-mail.’ Take the e-mail address, say ‘Thank you for subscribing,’ and if you want you can ask them more demographic questions later. Don’t make it complicated. Move all the [other] information you want to get from these people to another page,” Sernovitz said.

Sernovitz also advised marketers to provide a true and compelling reason to sign up for the list. “Special offers” means “spam me” to most consumers.

Ensuring privacy is an important factor in building e-mail lists. “We’re all nervous about getting spammed, even from reputable brands,” Sernovitz said. “ If you don’t reassure [them], you’ll lose leads before they subscribe. A simple privacy phrase will grow capture rates.”

Providing e-mail that is relevant and fresh is another key to successful e-mail marketing, according to Avanti Lalwani, who heads e-mail marketing and promotions for Land’s End, Dodgeville, WI. E-mails that balance product features with engaging editorials creates a reason for people to continue opening the e-mails over time, and the stories reinforce your brand values, she said. The e-mails also should be written in a consistent, personal voice. Personalizing e-mails are important to closing sales, according to David Dickey, director of marketing and communications for direct and new initiatives for Overland Park, KS- based Sprint.

If they already are customers, make it clear you know them. If they are a prospect, make them think “they aren’t just another number on a list,” he said.

Dickey also urges marketers to combine and integrate tactics. Integration with other media reinforces the message.

“My group also plays in the offline space and there is still hay to be made there. Combining e-mail with offline tactics is very powerful. I can show you lots of data that we have where snail mail and e-mail together are for more powerful than either one of them separately.”