Connecting with Customers via Email Marketing
Subscription-based emails are one of the top-three most trusted forms of digital advertising, along with branded websites and online consumer reviews, according to Nielsen’s Global Survey of Trust in Advertising. The public trusts the information in emails they’ve signed up for more than they trust paid search engine ads, online video ads, social media ads, online banner ads, mobile display ads or text ads delivered via mobile phones, according to Nielsen.
By building a subscriber-based email list, your business is engaging with an audience that is likely to believe and value your message. Learn more about the value of establishing the right relationship with everyone on your list and why permission is important in email marketing.
So how do you build your permission-based email marketing list? By provide multiple opportunities for customers to sign up to receive emails from your business, such as:
- Include email signup forms on your website.
- Offer small percentage-off discounts on your products and services or something free (such as via social media to prompt customers to subscribe to your email newsletter.
- Invite brick-and-mortar customers to join your email list for special updates on in-store events, upcoming promotions, and news about your products and services.
- Check these additional tips to grow your email list beyond your signup form.
As you’re building your audience, remember to let them know what you plan to send them and how often. For example, weekly specials, event announcements, or monthly newsletter.
Being upfront about your email content and frequency helps you maintain trust, as well as ensures your compliance with CAN-SPAM regulations. Following are the main points of the CAN-SPAM regulations:
- Use real header information
- Use true subject lines
- Provide a mailing address
- Be Clear About Intent
- Give Recipients a Choice
Please see this quick review of CAN-SPAM rules for all the details.
As an email recipient, you already have a sense of what might offend subscribers. Follow your instincts as you develop your strategies and build your subscriber list. Reflect on your own experience: Have you opted-in to a business’ emails, only to unsubscribe when their “occasional” emails were sent twice a week? Or their newsletter ending up being more sales pitch than helpful information?
Remember, when you engage your email subscribers as you like to be engaged, you’ll be off to a great start.
-> 5 Quick Tips to Fix Common Email Marketing Mistakes