Email Marketing Do's and Don'ts
By: Sandi Krakowski
Email marketing has changed through the years. Back in the late 90's when I came online we worked with something called Major Domo. This was the beginning of mailing list management. You would have this set up on your own domain and send emails to everyone who belonged to your 'list'.
To subscribe people didn't fill out a form, they had to send a message to the Major Domo on your server and say, "Subscribe". To unsubscribe, do the same thing but with "Unsubscribe".
Major Domo in Latin means "Head Of The House" and this is what you became when you sent out an email to the people who were on your house list. Unix/Perl based list management is how we built our first house list with our kitchenware business. We later created a second list with our online vitamin stores. Then we had a fast growing list with people who were on our Bread Making Forums and subscribed to receive not only updates on the forums but also weekly and sometimes daily recipes that we sent out.
Groups grew beyond Major Domo into the popular Yahoo List Groups and then Bulletin Board systems. This is when moderation and exclusively really began to stick. If you were 'admitted' or 'approved' to a list you were given strict guidelines to follow and in turn for adhering to these guidelines you were given access to regular email updates, member interactions and 'insider' information.
EZine Newsletters became very popular and in the beginning of their usage were strictly text files shared with exclusive subscribers. Many were paid for EZines and they were something that you really took seriously when it arrived. Our Kitchenware business published a twice weekly EZine. When it became possible to add graphics, side bars, html linkage and more to EZines our business soared.
Today email has been sorely abused and misued by people who are not running legitimate businesses. They are also sorely misused by people who don't realize they are a legal form of communication in the year 2010.
Think twice the next time you threaten, harass or send someone an email that could be used against you. It's not acceptable to tell someone to go to somewhere in a vulgarity online, in emails or even on Facebook Direct Mail. Anytime you write anything to anyone it is a legal form of communication online. Court orders, lawsuits for child support and more are now sent through Social Media. The moment they are opened it is considered, "delivered".
Email sure has changed in the years I've been online!
It's important to know how people view email, what makes them open it and read ferociously through something… or hit delete.
Speaking in a conversational tone is always best. Being overly casual can be frowned upon. The goal is connecting with your audience and giving them your best in each email.
There will always be people who say they don't want regular emails, would prefer to not have things sent regularly to them. But as giant Email Marketers like Amazon.com, Glazer Kennedy.com, EBay.com and others have discovered- if you get it right you're opt outs rate will actually be a good sign of someone who shouldn't be reading your emails anyways.
Here are a few tips when writing emails to your clients and customers.
1. Make sure the subject line is not over the top professional.Most people open up corporate emails last, like to hear from friends and will scan emails for the most catchy subject line. How many of you have read through our emails in the middle of your work day because the subject line caught you off guard? 
Don't be obnoxious or rude. Look through some of your personal emails sometime today. Do you see why personal emails tend to get opened more quickly?
Don't be obnoxious or rude. Look through some of your personal emails sometime today. Do you see why personal emails tend to get opened more quickly?Examples are:
Pictures you were waiting for!
RE: Meeting me on Saturday night
Just a quick question…….
These are great tips for writing emails that get opened. Read through all of the personal emails that you have received this week and see if any of them could be used as the subject line in your next sales campaign.
2. Don't use all caps in emails. Ever. Even if you're trying to make a point, whether writing to someone in a sales campaign, through an EZine or if it's just a personal email, do NOT WRITE TO SOMEONE WITH ALL CAPS. It is still interpreted as yelling. No one wants to open emails where someone is yelling at them in the subject line. As a matter of fact the kind of response you'll get is more like, "What the heck do THEY want?!" than a curious "I have to go read that" if you use all caps. Stay away from them.
3. No need to announce who you are in every single email.I've seen small businesses, large businesses and even freelancers make this mistake. The subject line or opening statement in the email sounds more like a legal appeal than something I can't wait to read. Have you ever seen an email that started out like this? "You are receiving this email because you subscribed to our email list. If you don't want to receive this email you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this email with the appropriate link." That sounds more like a crotchety old man than someone you can't wait to read! It also sounds like someone trying to cover their butt more than serve their clients with good content.
There's no need to put in the subject line [Email from Sandi Krakowski] with every email you send out. Do you have a friend who does that regularly? I didn't think so. Don't do it in your business either.
Remember that email is a private place where friends, family and things I love hang out. If you send me stuff that gets on my nerves I'm gonna unsubscribe from you.
Don't talk at me or to me like my teachers used to. Most people, even the smart ones don't dream all night about feeling like idiots as their teachers stood at the front of the room talking at them. So don't talk at your customers and clients, talk with them, even in email.
Make your emails fun! Be yourself! Who else do you know who sends out pictures of herself with hot pink hair! *heehee*…
Be sure that one voice is coming through on your emails. Don't outsource your voice. This is a big mistake people make once they get successful. It would be really hard to sound just like me. There are companies that were started by the CEO writing very personal emails, building rapport and getting to know the clients… (very similar to our company)…. and then when they get hugely successful the email writing is outsourced.
Yikes… big mistake.
The only time this works is if someone can master the art of mirroring the CEO. So be very careful when you outsource email content.
Don't be afraid to send an occasional personal email. Wish your followers well. Tell them to enjoy their weekend. Open your heart to them….. they will open their heart to you.
Relationships are more than a buzz word when it comes to really good marketing. It means that I take it very serious when you do business with me and having a relationship with you is very important to me.
While you won't be able to please everyone through email or in any business for that matter, you will have fewer Opt Outs and complaints if you follow some of these guidelines as you build your list of email clients.
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Sandi Krakowski is a Mompreneur, Coach, Strategist & Mentor, Online Marketing Expert, Speaker, Writer, Copywriter. Mindset & Marketing For Small Biz Owners. Her unique talent is as a "Back To Basics Step By Step Business" expert who currently serves more than 150,000 clients in over 136 countries. Her systems help the average business owner as well as big corporations get extra-ordinary results quickly.
Get your FREE copy of Sandi's NEW BOOK-"Read Their Mind: How To Hear What The Marketplace Wants & Build A Huge Business" to discover the secrets that will help you get to your idea clients, build amazing relationships and learn to sell anything quickly! Click here to order your copy NOW!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the tips, Sandi. As I read this post I could hear your voice in some of the sentences. You really do write like you talk…that made it's point with me…
Carla J Gardiner
Sandi,
These are some great tips that allow people to connect with those on their list. It's amazing how some forget that there are real people who opted onto your list. Also being real and connectible is to be personable. Writing to your list is like writing to your friend. Thank you for sharing these great tips.
Ken Pickard
The Network Dad
Sandi,
As always, some great info, and all of the mistakes you mention ring bells, as, like you say, so many people get this all wrong.
We don’t really do email marketing yet, although we know we should (we have a list of 8,000+ subscribers that we’re not making use of) – we need to get our technology solution sorted, as our current self-hosted autoresponder is just not reliable enough.
Rae & Mark
http://PatioGazebosHQ.com/
Excellent basics. Follow them and realize success in e-mail marketing. For one day, take a good look at the e-mails that you delete without reading. Set up a temporary file for them and simply move them over rather then deleting. At the end of the day review the subject lines. What do you see? LOL
You are definitely the Goddess of Connection! Thanks for these valuble tips!
You ROCK!!!! Especially WITH the pink hair.
Great Article About to send out an eamil for our clients this is a great help
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