E-mail marketing has been around since the beginning of time – at least, internet time anyway and can be likened to junk mail that we receive in our snail mail box each day. There is one major difference. Any e-mails you receive ’should’ be because you requested them. In the online world, it is referred to as op-in or double op-in marketing.

There are some e-mail marketing tactics that not only don’t work, they could be considered illegal in some countries. In Britain, it is illegal to send out marketing material unless the recipients have opted in. Not only that, each marketing e-mail has to conform to certain standards including an opt-out option and the business name and address of the company being marketed. Here are 7 e-mail marketing no-no’s that businesses should avoid.

Not Gaining Permission: Number one on the list is failing to gain permission – that is, and opt-in – from the recipient of the email. Don’t grab any e-mail list and send of your marketing material. You could be prosecuted.

Not Being Honest: Number two in the list follows on from number one. If you get your visitors to subscribe to a newsletter, then send them newsletters. If you also want to send marketing material, be sure your opt-in page clearly states that marketing material may be sent from time to time.

Not Unsubscribing: If a subscriber opts-out, remove them promptly from the list. This is one area that many web users cite as their biggest headache – constantly asking to be removed from a mailing list

Too Frequent: E-mailing too often, particularly the same material, could be seen as spam. You will certainly find many subscribers opting out due to frequency.

Overselling: Newsletters that are just sales letters are not newsletters and subscribers will not only run away, they won’t return to your site. Concentrate on providing value – a newsletter should provide news along with helpful tips – you can then include a little of the sales pitch as well.

Getting Too Flash: Flashy e-mails full of graphics and flashing lights are more likely to turn readers off than on. E-mails full of graphics tend to be slower to download as well, another big turnoff for readers.

Forgetting The Customer: E-mail marketing can be profitable, however, you have to remember why you are undertaking an e-mail marketing campaign. There must be an end result you are looking for and that generally means the recipient is, or could be, a customer. Even if you are looking for newsletter signups, the recipient should still be considered a customer. Treat them like customers, remember, they are keeping your business alive.

The last point is one of the most important. Your customers are your businesses life blood. Without them your business would die. Many online marketers look at their mailing list as a just that a list. They forget that every name on that list is actually a person. A person with sensitivities and feelings along with the ability to not only walk away from your business, they also have the power to damage your reputation through the many online communities.

E-mail marketing is a powerful tool that can be highly successful when conducted properly. There are many organizations that provide weekly or bi-weekly newsletters very successfully. That success is still measured by increased sales or conversions. Which of these 7 e-mail marketing no-no’s do you still use?

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This entry was posted on Monday, February 2nd, 2009 at 3:55 am and is filed under E-mail Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.