Build Your List The Right Way
It isn’t always easy to build and maintain a good list of subscribers, especially if you are a young company looking to reach new clients. It may be tempting to purchase or otherwise acquire a list of addresses in an effort to quickly spread the word, but it’s extremely important to only send to people who have contacted you directly (and opted in) to receive information. The reason for this is easy: so much email sent is spam that recipients are used complaining, or marking unfamiliar messages as spam. When you send out to a list of people who don’t really know who are, you can bet that these complaints are going to roll in. This typically results in bad reputation with the ISPs and your emails can be diverted to spam folders or blocked (blacklisted) all together. The threshold for complaints, before getting tagged as a questionable sender, is approximately 1 complaint for 1,000 emails sent. To stay in good standing, only send to subscribers who are expecting your messages.
On a related note, signup forms tied into your database are very helpful for growing your list. For best results, add an email list signup link on every page of your website. While they may seem to only trickle in, over time they will begin to build up into a list of subscribers who will be very likely to open your messages and click your links.
Create Content That Will Be Delivered and Read
The unsubscribe link is one of the most important parts of your email. Some companies opt to downplay the unsubscribe link, hiding it in small text, usually at the bottom of the message. I always advise against this, which sometimes concerns users worried that their subscribers will opt out in waves. The fact of the matter is, if people want to stop receiving your emails, they will find a way – and that often means hitting the Mark as Spam button provided by many email clients. It’s in your best interest to make unsubscribing easier than complaining, as the more complaints you receive, the more likely you are to be blocked by the major ISPs. Believe it or not, placing your unsubscribe link to the very top of your message can reduce complaints by up to 75 percent, and can transform an average sender into a good sender, and a good sender into a great one.
The omission of a text version of your email is another oversight. Obviously, HTML emails allow for nicer, more effective messages, but you can’t forget about those subscribers with either basic or overly secure email clients that won’t view HTML, not to mention the growing number of people checking email on mobile devices. What’s more is that ISPs are now looking for text versions, and often filter messages into junk or spam folders if emails are sent without them. Even if you’re just providing a link to where the HTML version of the message can be viewed online, a text version is important. Additionally, even within an
HTML email, it pays to make sure your message is mostly text, supported by graphics and is not just one big graphic. Graphics are often stripped out by email clients, or flagged by ISPs. The optimal mix is about 60 percent text and 40 percent graphics.
Another easy way to maximize your effectiveness is to send to your most recent subscribers first. Your newest subscribers will be the most likely to view your message and click on links. They are also sure to remember signing up for your email list, making them less likely to complain. Sending to these types of subscribers first is a great way to establish a good reputation with the ISPs.
