Email marketing is one of the most effective marketing tools for a business. It is not only cost effective and offers a good ROI, but it also offers a wider reach than many other traditional marketing methods. However, in spite of its benefits, it is very easy to get it wrong.

We need to use emails carefully and judiciously in order to achieve good results. I have compiled a list of 15 essential email marketing principles to assist you to get the most out of your email marketing campaigns.

1. Make Sure Emails Are Mobile Compatible

Mobile marketing is one of the fastest growing areas on the internet. An increasing number of users are now accessing the internet and reading emails on mobile devices.

The table below compares the open rate of emails on desktop, mobile phones and tablets. Nearly 30% of emails are opened on smart phones and tablets  combined.

According to Morgan Stanley, in 5 years there will be more mobile Internet users than desktop Internet users. It is hence very important to make sure your emails are mobile compatible, particularly HTML emails that are rich in graphics. Keep the experience of mobile users in mind when designing your emails.

2. Get Straight to The Point

Readers are likely to discard emails that are very lengthy. If emails are not short and to the point, you risk loosing your entire message.

3. Use Well Designed HTML Emails

HTML emails are standard today even on mobile devices. A well crafted email with a neat lay-out is more readable and helps grab the attention of readers.

It is also good practice to provide text-only version along with html to meet the needs of all users. Email marketing and list tools include this facility.

4. Use Custom Branding

Branding is as important for emails as on your company’s website and other marketing literature. You can keep the design simple but make sure to include your company’s logo, contact details and try to use fonts and colours that reflect your brand.

5. Pay Special Emphasis to Your Signature

It is important to incorporate a good effective email signature in your email marketing campaigns. Include links to your website, blog and relevant social profiles. Perhaps you can link to a forthcoming project, event or resource for additional publicity.

Also consider including a disclaimer.

6. Use Call to Action

One of the most important objectives of email marketing is to generate leads for your business. Don’t assume readers will follow the link to your website to find relevant information and contact you if needed. Instead, use appropriate call to action within your email copy that direct users to perform desired actions. to get better results.

For example, if you are sending an email about an event, include a link to book or register. If you are informing users about your new service, consider including a link to the pre-order form. Alternatively, you can include a link to a simple “call me back” form that users can complete.

The right calls to action in your email make it easy for readers to perform the desired action directly from the email.

7. Avoid Negative Words

Use positive words instead of negative. The same logic applies here equally as it would in a sales letter or another proposal. It makes your email more appealing and easier to read. Instead of telling people what not to do, tell them what they should do instead.

8. Use Good Email List Software

There are many free and paid mailing list services and tools that you can use to run your email marketing campaigns, particularly if you have managed to build a large email list. Aweber, a hosted email service, is popular among webmasters. Alternatively, you can use free open-source email list software such as PHP List that you can host yourself.

9. Schedule Your Emails

Send your emails at a time that produces the best results. For businesses this is usually in the mornings from Monday to Thursday. Most email list tools and services let you to schedule emails in advance. Alternatively, if you use a Gmail, you can take advantage of browser plugins such as Boomerang that offers control over when emails are sent.

10. Check Thoroughly

It goes without saying that you should proof read and check your email content thoroughly before sending the email. Built-in spell and grammar checks are not always fool proof. Check manually before sending your mail out to your list. Don’t use American spellings for a European or international audience. Reading it aloud also helps.

11. Use a Good Subject

The subject of your email plays an important role in determining if it is opened. Use a subject that is relevant to your email content. Don’t try to mislead readers with an irrelevant subject.

12. Do a Test Run

A test run e.g. sending it to yourself is essential before you send the email to your entire list.  It is best to get it right the first time as you cannot resend the email with corrections.

13. Personalise

While it may not always be possible to personalise emails sent to your list, you can take some simple steps to personalise emails such as including the name (most email list tools support this facility). Most importantly, target your content for your audience. Maintain multiple lists to segment your audience if needed.

14. Prominent Unsubscribe Link

If you are sending an email to your list, it is essential to include a link to unsubscribe. It is typically located at the end of the email or as part of the footer or signature. This is important to conform to the Data protection act.

15. Measure and Evaluate Your Results

Evaluate the results of your email marketing campaign is vital. Most email marketing or list tools and services offer basic campaign statistics including send rate, view rate, total URL clicks, and more. With a little effort you can also track your calls to action and determine conversion rates as a result of your email campaign. Use this data to improve your and refine subsequent email marketing campaigns.

Conclusion:

Discussed above are 15 essential email marketing principles that every business should follow. These simple tips and techniques can help you to help you get the most out of your email marketing.

Readers: Do you use the above principles in your email marketing campaigns? Would you like to suggest other email marketing tips or techniques? Please suggest by leaving a comment below.