Email Marketing Tips for the New Digital Age

Email marketing in 2017... does it work? If it didn't, then why are companies like Aweber, Marketer's Choice and Constant Contact still in business? Talk to the people who know how to do it right, and list building is bigger and more successful than ever.

If you're brand new to email marketing, or you've been out of the game for a while but want to get back in and do it right this time, then it pays to take a few pointers from the experts. So what's the best way to engage your readers so they'll grow to like, trust, and want to do business with you? Begin a dialogue with them from the very first point of contact.

To build a dialogue with your readers takes transparency. It means being honest about who you are, sharing details, showing an open and welcoming attitude... and of course helping people learn something that maybe they didn't know before. All of these traits will serve as a conversation starter between you and your future customers.

What about spam filters?

Nowadays, it's harder than ever to get past the spam filter of most email servers. But did you know there's a workaround for this problem? The trick is to get your recipients to hit Reply and send you an email in response. Once an email provider recognizes a familiar email address with whom you've had back-and-forth, it will then re-categorize that email as a "safe" sender, and that means most of your future promotional mails will make it past the spam filter.

Naturally, if someone signs up for your list, they're most likely to open and read the very first email they receive from you. Thus, the first email is where you want to make that instant connection. Give them a reason to hit reply to the first message you send. From there, the ongoing dialogue is underway.

What should you say in your very first mailing?

These days, when honest conversations between companies and customers readily unfold on social media for all the world to see, "opening up a dialogue with readers" is not a trick or technique - it's literally just that. As mentioned, you're trying to get around that spam filter so the first email will be the clincher that seals the fate for the rest of your future mailings.

What should you say to your readers to get them to reply? We always wonder about the people on our lists; what they want to hear more of, what they prefer to read about, and so forth, right? A good way to learn what they want from us is to just ask!

So, here we are – they signed up for your list. They opened your very first message and clicked the link to confirm. So now your "welcome" email should follow immediately after. This is an automated message that can easily be set up as a series of follow-ups from within your list management console. Everyone who signs up gets one, as long as you bother to write it and set it up to send.

You may be tempted to skip over the whole "welcome" business-- but don't. Instead, make it a "getting to know you" ice breaker. In it, you can introduce yourself and ask them to write back their biggest question about (whatever industry you're in). Once you do this you'll have activated a conversation between you, and you'll have a much easier time getting your emails past that spam filter gatekeeper.

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Thanks for reading this. Make it a profitable and productive week!