Email Marketing

There are many types of Web-based marketing techniques to promotes your goods, services or Website; a number of them are discussed right here on this site. You’ll probably employ several of these. Let me point out why Email marketing should very likely be among your choices:

• Email marketing is “proactive” versus “reactive” … you decided when to launch an Email campaign, what to promote, how to word your message, what incentives to offer, which segments of your mailing list should receive it, etc. Other forms of Web marketing are typically “reactive” … you (or your site) wait for an action (incoming visitor, search engine click-through, Facebook share, Tweet, etc.) and then respond.
  
• Email marketing is inexpensive when measured in terms of of cost and efforts compared to other promotional alternatives. Read on to see how you can even get started for free!
  

Use a Third-Party Email Service Provider

While you can send E-mails from your Website or via Outlook and other Email clients, I recommend using using one of the many similar Email Services Providers (ESPs) for a number of reasons:

• They’re inexpensive.
  
• They provide enhanced delivery rates compared to any “home grown” solution.
  
• Pre-mailing “spam score” testing (helps to keep your Emails out of spam folders).
  
• You can maintain one or dozens of E-mail lists.
  
• They provide subscription forms to automatically add new members to your Email lists.
  
• They help you stay CAN-SPAM (anti-spam Email act of 2003) compliant.
  
• They handle opt-in requirements, unsubscribes, bounced Emails, etc.
  
• They provide attractive templates and easy-to-use WYSIWYG editors to make your E-mails attractive and professional looking.
  
• They allow Email campaigns to be created in advance for scheduled future distribution.
  
• They provide campaign results statistics (opens, click-throughs, bounces, etc.).
  
• While offerings vary, many offer sophisticated mailing functions like mail-merge personalizations, a/b split testing, drip campaigns, auto-responders, etc.
  
• They often provide prepackaged integrates with third-party applications like CRMs, event management, membership management, etc.
  
• Most offer APIs allowing your own customizations.
  

Recommended Email Service Provider

There are many Email Service Providers including AWeber, Campaigner, Constant Contact, GetResponse, iContact, Pinpointe, VerticalResponse and more. While all are good, my personal favorite is MailChimp. Each month, MailChimp adds more new clients than any other ESP. Among the reasons:

• The number one reason, I’m sure, is cost … MailChimp offers “free forever” accounts supporting Email lists of up to 2,000 subscribers and up to 12,000 monthly Emails to these subscribers.
  
• Rates above the free level are comparable or generally lower than other ESPs.
  
• Easy to use with excellent documentation, tutorials and tips.
  
• Good features, tools, templates and reporting.
  
• Among all ESPs, the widest integration support to third-party applications.
  
• Good technical support (though you may never need it).
  

Email Marketing Consulting Services

While much of Email marketing is not particularly technically challenging, I’d be delighted to assist with any “heavy lifting” items. Examples might include:

• Restructuring/reformatting your miscellaneous Email lists for import into your ESP’s list maintenance function.
  
• Creation of custom HTML Email templates matching your business branding and incorporating your design elements.
  
• Creation off on-site tools and components to encourage Email subscription signup. Examples might include: subscriber forms, pop-ups, squeeze pages, subscribe for a “reward” (free download, access to restricted site content, discount coupon, etc.).
  
• Collaboration on off-site list building. One restaurant had excellent results with a fishbowl and a “Deposit your business card for entry into a monthly free lunch drawing and special offer Email coupons.”
  

• Assistance with more advanced functions:

  • Drip campaigns:  A single mail request triggers a series of scheduled Emails n days apart.
  • Auto-responders:  An E-mail sent automatically based on a site visitor’s action.
  • A/B split testing:  Sending two Email variations to small list segments, measuring results and sending the best performing Email to the remainder of the list members.
  • Mail merge Emails:  Creating additional mailing list database fields allowing generation of personalized Emails containing the new inserted “merge” content.

• Couponing and special offer creation from your eCommerce system or other sources.
  
• Email content copy writing.
  

I look forward to working with you in maximizing your Email marketing opportunities!