Email marketing lists are a great asset adding real value to your business. They can also be a burden that need be managed.
So listen up as we go over just a few of the issues.
Email list
Your own email list has a real value. It is an asset just like bricks and mortar only the returns are better.
The industry judges say that everyone on your list should average a return of $1 a month or better.
So a 2000 list should return that much in real dollars IE $2000 every month, provided you follow the rules.
It may sound optimistic to many but pessimistic for those that have it working at a far better rate.
You can not Spam email
This is not legal advice but you may only email those that had interaction with your business. Buying a list may be illegal and you should check with the authorities in your area.
Clean your email list
You will have many on a list that have never opened an email. This will not matter how good the list is, the headline or how well you write.
When your email lands the first job of the efficient office gatekeeper is to delete any emails that they don’t know.
You probably do it yourself, scan and delete.
The most important point is who the mail is from and have you established a bond.
I know I scan and mark probably three saves a page, the rest never get read. Yes, I have my favourites of the day they get a look in but even those go out of style quickly.
I recently emailed to a list of around 2000 and said, “Please unsubscribe if I am annoying you”. The result was 27 actually took the hint and did the work for me. Far less a number than I anticipated.
Why do this? mostly because you generally pay by list size and you want to keep it down if you can. Furthermore, it distorts your figures when analyzing results and finally you will never create goodwill with these people.
Sayonara
Segregate your email list
Not everyone on the list wants everything you have to market.
I mail to small businesses but the needs of a Dentist are far different than from say, a bricklayer.
If you use a good product as your email generator this is easy to do. I use Constant Contact but it is expensive.
You can then segregate the audience or as we sometimes do broadcast to the whole group.
One of my segregated lists is my working customer base, people whom I regularly bill. I had a problem with a supplier recently and needed to advise them of a pending downtime.
I quickly composed a message attached my list and sent it. time involved about 10 minutes.
How would you cope in this time of crisis? No list you are lost at sea.
Always have a full customer list.
How often should you email?
Every day!
Well no seriously most of all It depends on what you are trying to achieve.
A monthly newsletter is once a month, an autoresponder series is once a day, new products when they come in.
Don’t ever be afraid to send legitimate mail. Customers want information and if they are sick of you they will unsubscribe.
Storyline emails should be daily so you build the excitement and head to a sale
From and subject lines
I notice lately that many senders are picking very common family names that have a likeness to an actor or actress.
It does catch your attention with the name but it is generally coupled with a poor subject line so quickly joins the delete rate. You only get caught in this once so it is short term.
It is only time that will build trust in the From column so be consistent in your delivery and use a standard delivery name.
The don’t do on this is sell and sell. Your job is to entertain and capture interest but always have a close in the mail
Conclusion
Treasure your list, work your list and develop a return from your effort.
In conclusion, your list has an intrinsic value when you sell your business so cherish it along the way.
Peter Hanley
