But with email marketing, you’re essentially sending out copies of your message to everyone’s inboxes. If you make a mistake, there is no turning back. It’s very analogous to print publishing. You’re stuck with the final production release.

My advice: double- and triple-check your emails’ spelling, message, phone numbers, and links before you send. Click on the links. Call the phone numbers. Be the customer. You can’t take it back, unless you want to send an apology email (which only adds to your customers’ annoyance).

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Note: Please do NOT reply to this e-mail, as the message will be undeliverable and we are unable to respond to your reply from this address. If you have questions regarding this notification, please visit the FAQ link provided above. If you would like to contact [Company Name], please visit our Help page.

Or even better, messages from noreply@company.com.

Using the features of HTML emails

This particular email was an HTML email, which affords links. The words “FAQ” and “Help page” could have been links to the appropriate content, but they weren’t.

You would think that IT systems have been around long enough to where we wouldn’t see notes like this. On top of that, the company this is from provides a web-based service. They should know better.

Using the features of email in general

It’s an email, and many are treating it as one-way communication. Email is a two-way system. The Reply button is the most basic function, and people expect for it to work.

Make sure that your Reply button works on all of your email communications. It’s harder, but it’s also human. And it’s possible, no matter what your IT guy tells you.

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I’ve received a record number of commercial email in my inbox this week. Some of it has been unsolicited, some of it not. Much of it has not been very targeted to my personal preferences.

This is an indication that marketers are starting to get desperate.

Email is great because it is low-cost and can be very effective. But at least this week, the game is a little different. There has been a significant increase in noise that’s all trying to get my attention. I’m guessing that the game is going to be like this for quite some time.

How do you play this new game? Here are a few tips:

• Be laser-precision relevant. If you’re just blasting a message to your entire list, then this probably is not the best approach. How can you segment your list and talk to the needs of mini-groups? If you can’t do this with your data, then you’re doing it wrong.
• Timing is key. Don’t send the email overnight. The recipient is going to be grumpy in the morning because of the number of unsolicited emails waiting. This increases the chances of your message being deleted with all of the others.
• Provide more value than you’re taking. Give away some valuable information in your email. Don’t just promote a product or service and leave it at that. Link the user to articles on your site or blog. Put tips directly in the email. Be creative.
• Less is more. Send less email, and spend more time on creating something interesting and relevant. Don’t just blast emails because you need more sales. Blast them because you have something interesting, relevant, and valuable to say. In other words, don’t be lazy.

Any other tips to share? Please enlighten the rest of us in the comments.

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