- June 24, 2014
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Keys to Attracting and Keeping Email Subscribers
Customers or prospects who give you their email address are trusting you not to abuse it. So make sure you’re not inadvertently turning people off. Before you go blasting out your new email newsletter to all your contacts, check out these highlights from a list of tips offered by Kate Kiefer Lee of Forbes.
1. Encourage Subscribers
Add a quick signup form or link to your blog, website homepage, or Facebook page. If you use a form, keep it brief by not requiring too much information.
2. What Can Subscribers Expect?
Why should people subscribe? What is your newsletter about? Will you be sending coupon discounts, event announcements, or handy tips? Give your prospective readers a reason to sign-up by telling them what to expect and how often.
3. Send a Thank You
Send an email thank-you note to reminding them of all the good things they can look forward to in your newsletters. Maybe include a special offer or exclusive content just for new subscribers.
4. Design Emails to Match Your Brand
Make sure the look of your email campaign is integrated with your brand image. That means using your company logo and color scheme in the masthead, along with the same typestyle as your website and other marketing materials.
5. Use Subheads for Scanning
We’ve written about the importance of brevity and keeping content concise. Email and website readers have short attention spans (like the rest of us), so make it easy to quickly scan your newsletter by keeping paragraphs short and using frequent subheads. If it’s a long article, consider using only a short excerpt in the email newsletter with a link to “keep reading” on the website or blog page.
6. Make an Editorial Calendar
Consistency is key to a successful newsletter. If you go months between emails, your subscribers may forget why they signed up and mark you as spam. Plan ahead by mapping out your topics and scheduling them in advance.
7. Follow the Spam Rules
Ignorance is no excuse for violating the laws governing spam. Stay out of trouble by reviewing the CAN-SPAM act. To summarize, you can only send bulk email to people who have asked (or “opted-in”) to be on your mailing list. If you’ve collected the emails at a trade show without making it clear upfront that you’re adding them to a newsletter list, then you don’t have permission. You also need to allow people to opt-out by including a clear unsubscribe link. Be sure to remind readers why and how they’re receiving your newsletter.
For more ideas on how to get the most from your email newsletter campaign, read up on some of our previous posts: “Connect More Directly By Using List Segmentation,” “Steal This: Three Email Marketing Tips from the Masters” and “5 Tips to Prevent Spammy Email.”