Using Email For Marketing
Email marketing
Using email for marketing is a common approach employed by many in Internet marketing. It is one of the oldest forms of marketing on the Internet, and it is still one of the most effective too. However, there are some legal requirements you need to be aware of and incorporate in an email marketing campaign, or you may find yourself accused of spam. This is unsolicited email where the person receiving it hasn’t agreed to accept the email. Besides being illegal, spam is not a good idea.
Building email lists
For this reason you should build a list, or several lists, if targeted email addresses who have all agreed to opt in to your list. This is the best anti spam measure you can adopt, and it’s easy to do too. In a nutshell, you could set up a squeeze page, a single page that offers something free, an ebook with good information on a certain subject, perhaps, and in exchange for the ebook people will have to give you their email address.
Opt-in and Autoresponders
That would be enough, but it’s safer to use a double opt in system. When the person submits their email address to get your free information they will receive an email immediately through an autoresponder asking them to confirm that they really want to be included on your list. When they confirm by clicking on the link, that is a double opt in. There can now be no doubt that they actually do want to receive your direct marketing emails you send, and you can not be charged with spam. This is also known as permission marketing.
Creating profit from your email marketing
Using email for marketing means you need to grow email lists to a point where you have enough subscribers to make the venture profitable. If the people on your list is highly targeted, meaning they really want to receive all the information you offer, a small list can be very profitable. It is normal though to need a few thousand on your list before it becomes profitable.
The best email newsletters are those that have formed strong relationships with the subscribers. You need to become their friend, someone who willingly gives them information they want freely; someone who helps and assists them, solving their many problems in a personalised manner wherever possible. Using email for marketing is an art when you do it right. Your open rates will be high because your reputation will soar and your subscribers will want to read your newsletters. This is promotional email at its best.
