So you want to set up an opt-in email marketing list. Adding an opt-in email form to your web site and installing a script is the easy part. But remember that you only get one opportunity to make a first impression.
Write Your Articles Before You Set It Up
Do Not Email A Sales Letter
Remember that the person signing up for your opt-in email newsletter more often than not expects information and not a hard sales pitch. The value in permission based opt-in email marketing lies in the relationship you form with the customer.
If you keep your emails friendly, informative and chatty chances are that your next email will get read too. And the chances of making a sale increases.
Email a sales pitch and the next email may get deleted rather than read.
Keep It Short And Link To Your Site
Make sure your email is easy to read and include a lot of "white space" (not too much text).
Short sentences. Open with a strong paragraph. Include a "more information" link to your site for the full article.
Besides making the email easier to read you get the added benefit of steering visitors to your site.
Write Your Articles Before You Set It Up
As I said earlier, installing an opt-in email marketing script is easy. But what are you going to say?
How many emails are you going to send? At what intervals? These are all questions you need to ask yourself before you set it up.
I know from experience that it is very important that the first email goes out as soon as you receive the opt-in confirmation.
Each new email address added to your opt-in mailing list is a potential new customer. Make sure you prepare to make the most of the opportunity.
There you have it. An introduction to permission based opt-in email marketing. For more information visit the Opt-In Email Resources page.
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