Yesterday I ranted a bit about an email blast I had received. As a result of some conversations that followed on Twitter, I thought it may be a good idea to give you some pointers on how to do it right.
It’s about permission.
- Build your own lead list. Use a lead generator on your website.
- Collect your own leads in your booth if you do a bridal show.
- Don’t use the mass lists that come from bridal shows or media that you advertise with like magazines and websites.*
Use a qualified opt-in email service like A Weber.
It’s About Branding.
- Your emails should match your other branding.
- Include headers and graphics that look like your website.
- Include links to your other products/profiles.
- Unless you are HARO, graphics are good.**
It’s About Frequency and Content.
- Sending 1 or 2 emails and expecting a response is outdated.
- You have a brief window to influence a bride. Sending a weekly email blast isn’t far fetched.
- Give your recipients a reason to read you email. Content is king; you can’t just send a sales pitch.
Track and Test.
- Follow your stats. Check open rates and click thrus on every email.
- Split test your list. Send half you list one subject line and the other half a different one to see which gets a better open rate. Likewise, send a different email to each half and see which one gets a better click thru rate.
- Take the time to preview/test your emails before you hit send. Glaring typos, omissions and broken links make you look bad
Email marketing is but one of the tools in your social media marketing toolkit. The better you are at using it the better your overall marketing results will be.
*When a bride signs up at a bridal show, magazine or website she is giving permission to that entity, not to their vendors. I have argued this point till I am blue in the face with both the major email services and the bridal show producers. Not one of the top notch email services will let you use those lists, regardless of what the list providers tell you.
**HARO, Help A Reporter Out, is a thrice daily listing of writers and editors looking for sources for articles. It can be a great way to get you name in print. If you aren’t a subscriber to this list you should be. Fair warning though, you have to jump on those lead ASAP.
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