By Beth Carter

I love knowing what other marketers are doing. Why reinvent the wheel, right? Email marketing, in particular, always seems a little murky to me, so I try to stay on top of what's going on in the market. On its surface, the concept of email marketing is simple - create an email and send it out, cheaply and quickly, and watch the leads roll in. But in practice, it's anything but easy.

So - in the interest of keeping everyone's lives just a little bit easier - here is a digest of some of the latest email marketing trends that you need to know.

1. Catch and keep

Readers know how to use the "junk" button and they're not afraid to use it. Lyris states that as many as 30% of email addresses churn each year. List hygiene is critical, but marketers are paying close attention to acquisition programs (catching addresses) and subscriber retention programs (keeping addresses) to keep their lists active and viable.

2. Focus on the subject line

Marketers are devoting 50% or more of their efforts to create killer subject lines. Limit your subject line to 50 characters (the default setting in most email clients). Test sample subject lines to see what performs best. And never forget to convey a clear value proposition that gives your reader a good reason to open your message.

3. Don't overdesign

Remember that images are turned off on most default settings, so your beautiful image won't mean a thing if readers never see it. In fact, Lyris says that simple is almost always more deliverable and pulls better results. At the very least, design the email header to deliver your core message independently of the image, using text or alt tags to "sell" your offer right in the preview pane.

4. Consider multi-part MIME format

Test your HTML emails for rendering in the most popular email clients, including Outlook, Gmail and Yahoo. Lyris warns that some ISPs are filtering mail into the spam folder if the HTML is not coded properly.

Consider formatting your emails in multi-part mime (MME), which sends the email in both text and HTML. Upon delivery, the email smoothly renders itself according to the settings of the email client.

5. Use triggers to automate

Send targeted messages at precisely the right times. When someone opts into your list, send them a series of welcome emails with specific, relevant information. When someone buys a product, send them an email with suggestions for other products they might like. The technology is there, so use it!

6. Integrate everything

ROI is the name of the game these days, and marketers are improving theirs by incorporating email into their full marketing mix. Emails must carry on a conversation with your audience in seamless conjunction with newsletters, direct mail, social media marketing and especially websites.

For example, don't send email traffic to your generic home page. Instead, send them to a landing page that picks up where your email left off - whether it fulfills your offer or provides deeper information into your product or services. The seamless nature of the email-to-landing page conversation is the key.

Of course, this article just begins to touch a huge topic. I'm curious - what email marketing trends are you seeing in your business?

About the Author:

Beth Carter, Naperville copywriter and founder of Freelance Writing Solutions, helps businesses communicate the messages their customers want to hear. She's been creating outstanding website content, white papers, case studies and other marketing collateral for her clients for nearly fifteen years.

Want to see samples of her work? Visit http://www.freelancewritingsolutions.com to see the results she can achieve for you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Beth_Carter
http://EzineArticles.com/?Latest-Email-Marketing-Trends&id=4938570

Add a comment

By: rida 0093

Email marketing is the favorite internet marketing strategy of some of the most effective entrepreneurs. Have you begun a list? Is it profitable? Use these tips to put your list building and email marketing efforts in overdrive.

1. Sales Copy Check up-Go through all of the follow up messages that you have in your auto-responder series. This may take you some time, but it is worthwhile. Are your messages effectively converting into traffic and sales? If your list was not getting the results you had hoped, a simple change in your copy could make all the difference.

2. Opt-in Location-Are your growing your list larger by the day? Can your site visitors easily locate your opt in boxes? Do not assume everybody will find you because you have got an opt-in box in 1 location on you website Turn your site into a lead generating machine by optimizing your opt-in boxes, placing them wherever the fit in, and drawing attention to them.

3. Add Incentives for Subscribing-Getting people to join your mailing list is becoming increasingly harder, unless you use the most effective strategies. Many of us make our list stand out by offering up a free PDF or report for enrolling to the list. Whatever you offer make sure it is of high valuable and something that makes enrolling for your list irresistible.

4. Use a Double Opt In-Email marketing is largely a numbers game, but the number of leads you generate is not the only thing that matter. The quality of your leads also matter. Double opt in leads are more prone to action than single opt in ones.

5. Use Effective Follow Up Pages-Ensure that the page they come to after signing up grabs their attention and tells them to approve their email subscription. You can also use that lander page to make an offer on your own product or offer an affiliate product. Or if you've a service based-business and would like them to start to know you better then direct them to your articles page.

6. Contact Your List Frequently-You have heard this before but it is time for a reminder. If your prospects don't hear from you often then they are going to forget about you and why the enrolled to start with. How frequently you contact them will rely on what your list is about but it is frequently declared you've got to be making contact one or more times a month if you'd like to be recalled.

Learn 10 Strategies for Massive Free Website Traffic with this FREE Website Traffic Ebook and visit the Web Traffic Blog

About the Author

(ArticlesBase SC #3025040)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - 5 Tips For More Profitable Email Marketing

Add a comment

By Coolblogger

Everyone wants to be recognized in some way. We are not all the same. We have our own individual attitudes and reactions to what comes before us. One size does not fit all. Whether dealing with correspondence or clothes, we are all unique individuals.

Do your email marketing campaigns target the right audience, reflecting those differences? Sending out generic email marketing campaigns are not only inappropriate but when you do that, you are letting your audience know that they are just commodities to be marketed. Successful email marketing is not based on quantity. It is not about the amount of email addresses you have acquired. Smart marketers endeavor to know the person behind the message. They need to craft the right message, while meeting their prospects' expectations of value and relevance in each campaign. This is the way to begin creating a campaign of quality.

Quality Email Marketing Campaigns Start with Knowledge

Having someone's email address becomes valuable when and only when it is coupled with the right message. Sending information about a sale on golf clubs becomes irrelevant if the person does not golf. That may sound simple and possibly funny, but that is exactly what you do when sending out a campaign that does not benefit the recipient.

Manage what you Market

Creating accurate demographics for your email campaign is imperative. You need to know your target market. A person's age, gender, marital status, location and income, have a great affect on what they buy. Knowing your audience means you can accurately target your campaigns – sending the right message to the right person.

1. Engage your Audience: Use your email marketing campaigns to communicate and build trust with your recipients. Do you know how they feel about what you send or say? Creating a survey with honest questions, will give you the first step towards a more personal outreach. More importantly, take their suggestions and put them into action. There is no greater trust builder than finding a marketer who stands by their word.

2. Breathing Space: No one wants to be marketed all the time. Spend some time creating useful tips and interesting stories in your e-campaigns. Share updates on your company's expansions or personnel. Sharing testimonials from your clients will also give credence to your products and services. People trust people. Make sure your testimonials stand on real names and companies.

3. Frequency: We are all bombarded by spam. Don't give anyone a reason to trash or spam your email marketing campaigns. Do your research. We walk a tight rope in this area. Start out slow and build from there.

4. Privacy: Assure your recipients that any information they share will remain confidential. Build your lists from double-opt in preferences. Avoid sending unwanted email communications from the beginning. Everyone wants to make a choice on what they read and receive. Building lists of willing recipients is priceless.

Communication is Conversation

Email marketing campaigns must be viewed as a two-way conversation. Who wants to engage in a conversation that does not allow us to speak or express our opinions? Finding out our recipients' reactions can only be attained by managing the results of each campaign. You cannot manage what you cannot measure. Buy email campaign software that will give you the ability to track and measure your campaign from start to finish.

Evaluating the results of each campaign enables you to see patterns of behavior that will help determine the relevancy and clarity of your content and call to action. Knowing what messages are opened and what links are clicked, are valuable tools towards improving on every campaign and message. Make sure your email marketing campaigns are clear and your call to action is easily found.

By applying these simple principles, conversion rates can increase and customer retention can improve. Forrester Research reported that 92% of marketers felt that email was "very effective" for customer retention while only 54% saw it a very effective tool for customer acquisition. It's all about relationships.

Respect Me by Seeing Me

We may never meet our clients or prospects. Our email marketing communications may be the extent to our relationships. Caring enough to research the behavior and buying habits of your target, while integrating just the right message and design, is recognizing their individual preferences and interests. When a product or service is relevant to someone's life, the interest and curiosity is naturally aroused. With this approach, your chances to increase your campaign success will improve, no matter what audience you approach. Let them know you see them and respect their differences.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/email-articles/email-marketing-quantity-vs-quality-2901962.html

About the Author

email marketing
http://www.activetrail.com

Add a comment

Article submission has its own importance these days. It is one of the most significant tools to promote your company or website. Usually, most of the web owners simply ignore the advantages of articl...

Read Full Article

Add a comment

Managed email marketing is an effective way of promoting your products or services. Email is one of marketers most powerful tools,...

Read Full Article

Add a comment