Tip of the week: Top 10 tips for e-mail newsletters
1. Always ask.If someone hands you their business card, don’t assume you can add them to your e-mail list. Ask first. Similarly, if you’re at a trade show collecting business cards, don’t just add them to your list. Send an introductory e-mail explaining how you got their card, add an example of your newsletter or marketing e-mail and ask them to subscribe.
2. Confirm subscription requests.With an automatic thank you from a web page or manually by e-mail. This gives you clever marketers an additional opportunity to ‘sell’.
3. Always honour requests to opt out.People often have multiple e-mail addresses, so include on your e-mail the address you have sent it to. This way recipients can see which one you have and can unsubscribe if they want to.
4. Allow your customers and prospects to give youpreferences.How much information do they want and how often do they want it? Let your recipients choose what information they want — for example, risk, investments and mortgages. This makes it more relevant for them.
5. Do not sell or rent your lists.Your e-mail list can be one of the most valuable assets of your business. Don’t ruin it by selling or renting your e-mail list. Instead, bring in other companies through sponsorship, advertisements, small articles or joint venture marketing — but keep control — you do the e-mailing.
6. Give and take.People don’t give you their e-mail addresses out of the goodness of their hearts — they do it in exchange for something of value. So give — information, a gift, white paper, a chance to win. Be creative, but truly add value.
7. Respond promptly.Once someone hits that send key they expect an immediate reply. Have an e-mail policy and enforce it. Ensure you have a 24-hour turnaround.
8. Don’t use rented lists.You gain very little by them. Instead, try to find a partner with a great list and see if you can get endorsed by them to their customers (see number 5)
9. Be afraid of being bad-mouthed.Bad news travels much faster than good on the Internet. Check your spelling, do not spam and do not do anything in bad taste.
10. Don’t Bombard.Think very carefully about the quantity of e-mail you are sending each individual. Even if you can produce a fabulous information packed daily e-mail newsletter, it will very quickly become almost invisible to the recipient. Consider an executive summary on a weekly or bi-weekly basis instead. Think about the size of your database, what kind of e-mail your target market is already receiving and try to plan accordingly.
Tip supplied by Debbie Mayo-Smith of SuccessfulInternet Strategies.www.successis.co.nz
Recommended for you
A Gold Coast-based financial adviser has been banned for four years by the corporate regulator after he provided inappropriate advice for Next Generation Advice regarding speculative and illiquid investments.
With $34.9 million in cash on its balance sheet, Fiducian executive chairman Indy Singh has said the licensee won’t be rushed into making large advice acquisitions or paying out special dividends.
ETF provider VanEck is set to launch its latest smart beta ETF – the MSCI International Growth ETF– ushering in a new growth international equities strategy.
Advancing research on the use of artificial intelligence in financial services, AMP has announced a strategic partnership with UNSW Sydney.
