The way email marketing works is relatively simple. You capture emails and are able to contact those individuals in the future through a single email blast rather than emailing people one-by-one (which of course will take a very long time). For many of you, however, you probably do have an email list. From there, it is just a matter of how to use it effectively.
Here are 10 email marketing tips for bloggers like you. Make sure that you comprehend, learn and implement them in your email marketing venture.
1. Stop being a pest or don’t be one as much as you can. You may be just starting out with your blog and enthusiastic about your new business; that is expected. If you want to work overtime irrespective of vacations, holidays and weekends, please go ahead. But do not bother your subscribers with your over-enthusiastic email marketing attempts during vacations or holidays.
2. Don’t become a pain in the inbox. Email addresses are the property of the subscribers. They might have given their email addresses and signed up for your offer, but that does not mean you own their inbox forever. Don’t sulk and pout if your subscribers decide to leave; instead be chivalrous and hold the door open for them.
3. Short emails work better. If you send them a novel, they’re going to delete it because of lack of time. Short emails with a link to click work best. There are exceptions, of course, but not many.
4. Don’t broadcast your blog posts to your list. If you insist on doing this, use a separate list. On your main list, however, what you send to your list should be personal and invite them over to your blog. Give them a reason to click over to your blog.
5. Don’t become a spam-filter magnet. Spam emails have become a nightmare that recurs even during the day. No one enjoys reading spam and that leads more and more people to install robust spam filters. If you do not take care, all your carefully drafted and well-thought out email marketing campaign can go down the drain along with the spam in the spam filter.
6. Use your list to drive comments. Using a combination of an interesting post, attractive headline and email subject line, drive them to the blog to comment. Actually invite them to comment right from the email.
7. Keep track of your confirmation rate for emails, and keep tweaking your “thank you” page so as to increase the percentage of people who actually do confirm their email address after subscribing.
8. Invite them to subscribe. Don’t tell them to “Submit”. And here, I’m talking about the actual form button.
9. Don’t call it a “newsletter”. That’s boring. Nobody cares.
10. Most importantly, be cool. Your subscribers are your community. Write to them like they’re your friends. Be personal. Most people are bored out of their ever-loving minds, so entertain them and have them looking forward to hearing from you.
There are other things about email marketing that a blogger can use, but these ten are great to start out with. They are simple, and can be done pretty much by anyone. These tips are effective and they aren’t time consuming as some more advanced email marketing techniques.