Too Much Spam

For many people, the terms email blast and spam are synonymous. While many email blasts are indeed spam, there are a few simple guidelines to make sure that your legitimate messages get through.

First, only send to people who have opted in! The quickest way to get flagged as a spammer is to have a large number of recipients complain about you. Create an opt-in list through your website or when people sign up for your product. Building a list may be a slow process but it will pay off in the long run. Purchasing a list from a reputable list source can work at times, but even with a good list, you are likely to have a higher spam complaint rate than with a pure opt-in list.

Make your subject line clear and accurate. It is better to have someone choose not to open your message than it is for them to open it and log a complaint. If you have to trick them into opening, they probably don't want the product anyway. Avoid common spammer language like "you're a winner", "free", "open immediately" and anything that could be taken as x-rated. If your subject line sounds too good to be true, most people will avoid it. Keep it simple and concise.

Make it easy for your readers to unsubscribe. Most decent e-mail services will create an unsubscribe button on every message. Make sure it is easy to find and that it really works. Some sites use a dummy unsubscribe button as a way to tell if the e-mail address is live. Bad idea. Once again - if someone really doesn't want your messages the chances that they will purchase your service are pretty slim to none. Don't waste their time or yours trying to trick them. If they ask to get off your list, make it happen immediately.

Tell them who you are. This one sounds simple but there are an awful lot of messages out there that make it difficult to figure out who sent it. Most people will delete your message quickly if they don't know where it came from. Place your name or company name, street address and phone number on every message.

Make sure the "from" email address that the recipient sees is valid. Many email systems will let you change the "from" address but it is best to avoid doing that unless your web address is really long. The best situation is to have a web address (URL) that describes who you are, or what your business is. If your web address doesn't do that, it would be a good idea to look for another web address.

By remembering these simple guidelines, you can avoid having your message blocked as spam most of the time. The best use of email marketing is to send your message to people who will benefit from it!

For useful marketing ideas, please visit http://www.simplygoodinfo.com or http://simplygoodinfo.com/why-e-mail-marketing-should-be-in-your-marketing-mix/.

Simply Good Info is authored by a marketing director with 20 years of experience.

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