Email marketing is an excellent way for companies to generate more leads, retain customers, and build brand awareness. However, the means by which you approach email marketing will be different than how you approach a direct mail campaign- or any other marketing channel for that matter. To make things simple, let’s compare Email marketing with the dating process. Before you begin your “courtship” with potential customers, you’ll need to do the following: Determine your “Type”
Let’s assume you’re single. Though it would be nice to think that everyone on the planet would like to date you, this is not the case. You’re great and all, but people have preferences. The same idea applies to your business. You may offer a product or service that is undeniably awesome, but isn’t designed for every single human being. This is why it is important to determine the “type” of prospects you need to target before you conduct your email campaign.
HERE'S THE THING...
Similar to dating, some people become too picky about who they think their mate should be. This leads to frustration and defeats the process of dating. Why? Because no one will ever be good enough! Companies that become obsessively picky about who they market to will quickly run out of people to contact. If your business needs help looking for a happy medium when it comes to the “type” of potential customers you should reach, our email marketing experts can help.
Ditch the Cheesy Lines
I think most of us would agree that cheesy pick-up lines like these would be better off forgotten:
“I wanna live in your socks so I can be with you every step of the way.”
“I seem to have lost my phone number. Can I have yours?”
“Do you have a map? I'm getting lost in your eyes.”
“You look cold. Want to use me as a blanket?”
An email subject line is similar to a pick-up line in that it can either turn someone on or off in an instant. If you try to sweet talk your audience by saying something that is too good to be true, you’ll not only leave a bad impression, but you’ll also be in violation of the CAN-SPAM Act, which clearly states:
“Don’t use deceptive subject lines. The subject line must accurately reflect the content of the message.”
You can be cute, clever, and creative with your subject lines, but you must be legitimate and follow the rules. In other words: don’t pretend to be something that you’re not- it could cost you more than just your reputation ($16,000 per CAN-SPAM violation, to be exact)!
NO MEANS NO!
Unless you’re starring in a romantic comedy, you can’t just drive up to a stranger’s house, knock on their door, and ask them out on a date. Typically, you have to meet a person first, have a conversation of some sort, and then ask them out. If they agree to a date and it goes well, you’ll ask their permission to keep in contact. Depending on their answer, you’ll either continue your relationship or say your goodbyes and move on.
It’s bad form to keep pestering someone after they tell you they want to go their separate ways. Therefore, if any of your prospects or customers ask your company to stop contacting them via email, you must respect their request and remove them from all future broadcasts. Failing to do so will not only irritate the prospect/customer, but will put you in direct violation of the CAN-SPAM Act.
DON'T SMOTHER!
Similar to calling a person too soon or too often after a first date, a person receiving too many of your email advertisements may get turned off quickly and never want to hear from you again. This can happen even with prospects who truly thought they liked what you had to offer. However, if they don’t know you that well and you come off too strong, they might want to push you away or worse, disassociate themselves from you altogether. Building an email list to optimize your business is a delicate balance of providing value without overwhelming your audience.
Major brands often get away with sending daily emails whereas smaller brands need to tread lightly. A smaller, local-brand may find that sending out one email per week or every other week is the most effective. To determine how often to send emails, consider factors such as the status your brand, the nature of your email offer, and your target audience.
Conclusion
In the end, if your business has something real to offer, it has the potential to benefit a great deal from email marketing. You just have to take the right approach. LISTGIANT is here to help you find the right “match” when it comes to your email audience. We know what it takes to attract more attention to your brand and help you experience better results through email marketing. Contact us today for more information.