Email marketing can be key to any business to reach the right people, but it is essential to get it right.
Here are 10 top tips for html email design marketing, ensuring you get it right for your business.
1. Email marketing service
Choosing the right ESP (email service provider) is essential to become a master of HTML email marketing and design. An ESP will manage your mailing lists, deliver your emails and also track and report on the responses. Do not use Outlook or similar email client, as this could get you into deep trouble with your internet service provider and worse you could be breaking the law.
2. Sender Policy Framework (SPF)
You should ensure that the domain you are using to send your email marketing from is set up with a SPF record, allowing you to send emails from your email service provider’s mail server. This can be done through your ESP and will be free. SPF validates your emails and is used by most ISP’s, it is therefore essential to comply or you will fall at the first hurdle.
3. Stop your emails becoming spam
It is essential that your HTML emails do not get blocked by spam filters and this can be overcome if you avoid using spam related words such as “FREE”, “CASH” and “Click here” also phrases such as “Visit our website.” More spam related words can be viewed at http://bit.ly/aq7xVl.
To get around spam filters, it is also vital to avoid HTML email design where there is a high ratio of images to text. The design must also be very different compared to mailing business people, if you are marketing to consumers. Remember, You can see how your email will look in your email client software.
4. Avoiding a high bounce rate
To avoid your emailing marketing campaign bouncing once sent, it is important that you have a high quality email list. Avoid sending to an old list as this can generate a large number of bounces, and also could affect the delivery to the rest of the list. A high bounce rate can also cause your ESP to question how your list was obtained.
A high quality email list will contain emails from existing customers and those who have opted in to receive communications, as a list that has been obtained unlawfully, may land you in trouble.
5. Relevance
An email must be relevant to the recipient to gain a high open success rate for your email marketing. Using personalisation in the subject line and content will show an interest to the recipient.
6. When to send your emails
Choosing the correct time to send your emails can be vital during your marketing campaign. For Consumer lists, weekends are surprisingly successful for open rates. It is good to experiment with days and times to see when your lists will provide a highly successful open rate. Your ESP should allow you to schedule your emails, so you don’t have to be at your PC to send your marketing emails.
7. Sending Emails on a regular basis
When you send emails regularly, your recipients will start to expect communication from you. You should pick a ESP that will allow unlimited emails and experiment with the frequency of your emails.
8. Measuring the success of your email campaign.
The ultimate success for most businesses would be a to generate a conversion from your HTML email marketing, along with a high click and open success rate. Your Email service provider should give you the ability to measure these from each email campaign, and also measure each individual link within the email. Giving you a report from each email marketing campaign and allowing you to decided which has worked best for you.
9. Following up emails
Some recipients may open, read your emails and follow a link from within the email, with a high intention to make a transaction, but does not complete it. Most ESP’s will allow you to view a list of these particular recipients and this gives you the option to follow up the recipient individually.
10. Incentives
Giving your recipients a compelling reason to open the email and make a purchase, will be obvious to your email campaign. Using offers, competitions or free delivery are often a common way to attract sales. These incentives will also encourage your recipients to remain on your email list, feeling they will get something above your standard deal.
Source: Original Inspiration this article Marketing Donut
