Email Marketing Best Practice Rules

RULE #1: Don’t EVER opt me in!  This means, do not add my email address to your list.  Do not send me emails to which I did not personally subscribe.

RULE #2: Make it easy to opt-in and opt-out! Always use double opt-in and one-click unsubscribe.

RULE #3: Use accurate, interesting and attention grabbing subject lines. It should read like a newspaper/magazine heading!

RULE #4: Promote events with ALL details inside your message. Include dates, times, locations and registration information.

RULE #5: Keep it interesting and relevant. Who subscribes to your list? Do you want to keep them? If so, make sure to tailor your content to your audience. Targeting is everything.

RULE #6: Engage your audience. Get them to respond somehow. Include a poll, a question, a promotion, elicit their opinion or position on a topic. Get them involved!

RULE #7: Don’t send pointless emails. Around the holidays, we received hundreds of holiday ecards. Nothing could be more impersonal, annoying and wasteful of your subscribers’ time. Respect their time and deliver only helpful, useful and highly interesting content. The holidays are about coming together, so call your clients then and catch up by phone. Nobody gets any work done the last few weeks of the year anyway!

RULE #8: Remember that permission to email is one of the most sacred rights a marketer can be granted by their audience. Don’t take this for granted. Don’t abuse and lose the privilege.

RULE #9: Use HTML and ensure the design of your email is brilliant, attractive and matches your brand perfectly.  There is almost no excuse not to with today’s email marketing software and services.  Remember to include a plain text option for those who prefer text only on their display.

RULE #10: Optimize your email marketing software and service settings to ensure you are up-to-date and in keeping with today’s email marketing best practices.  Don’t copy/paste the same theme and change the content only.  Be sure to go into the advanced setting options and really make it what it should be.  The smallest detail will be noticed either way, so do it right and make it a practice to stay informed of the new ideas, methods and the laws associated with email marketing.