Email Marketing - The Right Way

By Author: Larry Tang
Total Articles: 512
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Optimum7 Email Marketing is synonymous with Email Newsletters. We never advise our clients to email hard-hitting advertising, glitzy offers with special effects, etc. The reasons will be self-evident if you care to read on.
Successful Email Marketing has the following characteristics:

1. It's about the reader not about the publisher.
2. Obviously a Newsletter (giving and sharing) and not about selling.
3. Targeted Audiences (Clients and / or prospective clients).
4. Audience is definitely opt-in.
5. Long Term Commitment to the process not about instantaneous results. If you don't have this, don't start seriously stopping your newsletter is a negative message to clients in particular. They are left to wonder why.
6. Consistency i.e. monthly and at the same time of each month.
7. Attractive, leading edge design to engage the reader.
8. CONTENT CONTENT CONTENT Did I mention content informative, interesting, well written and engaging. Will they look forward to the next one?
9. Quality Links to your website for more information.
10. Feedback solicited ...
... responses to help improve the newsletter and cover new topics.

Now for the nitty-gritty the hallmark elements of developing and executing a successful email campaign.

CONTENT
The newsletter you send succeeds or fails based on the relevance and quality of the content. It should be reflective of your website and your business. If your website is meant to entertain you content needs to be entertaining. If it is meant to educate, your content better be educational. Content is about giving, sharing, nurturing, and improving not in your face self-promotion, sales or special deals. Your newsletter is a service to your customers and needs to be written from the perspective of what they need, and not from the view of how it can serve you. Doesn't it make sense that better serving your customers is the best way to better serve your business?

Content must also have structural integrity. This means HTML good HTML tested for all email applications and all browser. The receiver must see what you want them to see so make sure this aspect is tested thoroughly.

DATABASE
Your database is your audience the list of people to whom you send your newsletter. Your list should be extracted from your client/customer base, prospective clients/customers, and your sector influencers. You should make sure that everyone receiving your e-mail newsletter either requested it or has a way to be removed from your list (clearly and easily marked in your e-mail).

Maintain your database. Add subscribers through your web-site sign-in and through any other customer/prospect content. Eliminate from the database those that unsubscribe to maintain the integrity of the system by responding to the wishes of the reader.

Make it easy for readers to share with a friend so they can benefit from the content and become an opt-in subscriber.

DESIGN
How your newsletter looks is crucial not only because it represents your company, but also because it greatly affects whether or not the reader will engage. A well designed newsletter is well structured, compartmentalized includes a clear delineation of all areas of content, integrated, relevant images, and an identity that is consistent with your company's identity. The inclusion of relevant links to specific pages within your website is recommended to provide those most interested the opportunity to learn more.

ARCHIVING
Basic marketing archive your newsletters prominently on your website. More opportunity to engage the readers more giving great source of on-site and off-site content for Search Engine Marketing purposes, particularly Organic Search Engine Optimization.

MONITORING
How many readers opened the emailthe newsletter? How many clicked through to your site? These are crucial pieces of information so you can make the necessary adjustments and enhancements to make your newsletter a more productive part of your marketing strategy, particularly over the long haul.

Optimum7 Email Marketing provides our clients with a complete and comprehensive Email Newsletter service including, Newsletter Template and Design, Copywriting Services, Acquisition of Targeted Opt-in Email databases, Secure Server transmission and real-time monitoring and management.

Optimum7 is an Internet Marketing Company specializing in Search Engine Marketing with special emphasis on Organic SEO. Their adjunctive services include PPC Management, Submissions programs, Affiliate Marketing programs, Email Marketing Programs, Website Functionality and Design, Website Consulting, Custom Packages and Programming. The company is based in Morristown, NJ with offices in Miami, FL and Istanbul, Turkey.