how do i manage my email marketing list?
To effectively manage your email list, you must:
- Establish a source for list growth
- Obtain and maintain permission
- Ensure your emails contain a value proposition
- Provide a convenient means of opting out
Building Your List
As you build your list through customer opt-ins, it is important that you keep good records of the opt-ins. This is an easy task if your opt-ins come from an online form on your Web site; you will have valuable details such as the IP address and date and time of the opt-in. While the government’s anti-SPAM regulations do not currently require such detailed records, they can be invaluable if there is ever a question over permission. If your opt-ins are verbal (over the phone, during sales transactions or during meetings), make sure to record the date and time of the opt-in.
There are two forms of email marketing opt-ins: single opt-in and double opt-in. If you use a single opt-in, you will begin email marketing to a subscriber as soon as he or she has provided consent. If you follow a double opt-in practice, the first email you send your subscriber will contain a link that they will have to click in order to activate their subscription to your list. There are advantages to both methods, but an important point to keep in mind is that subscribers must want your emails in order to continue opening them. For that reason, many people prefer the double opt-in method because it ensures subscribers truly wish to receive your emails and your list may contain a greater percentage of engaged subscribers (i.e., people who open and click on your emails).
Permission to market to subscribers by email is not a one-time event, instead it’s ongoing. That is why the government requires all email marketing messages contain a link the subscriber may click to opt out of the emails at any point. As a result, it’s critical that your emails continue to offer value to subscribers, otherwise they will either unsubscribe or stop opening them.
Sources of List Growth
Over time, your list will experience some loss due to unsubscribes (opt-outs) and email addresses becoming undeliverable. For that reason it’s always important to have a healthy source of list growth. There are many inventive techniques for obtaining new email subscribers, but some of the most common include:
- Email addresses gathered during sales calls
- Opt-in form on your Web site
- Sign-up sheet at your office or store
- Contests or giveaways that include an opportunity to opt-in
- Business card drops
How We Can Help
The most important part of maintaining a viable email list is data management. We can help manage your list by offering the following services:
- List management – creating and maintaining a database of subscriber records, including opt-in records, subscriber attributes and behavioral data)
- List Growth – planning and managing list growth techniques
- Segmentation – analyzing and segmenting your list for more targeted communications (read What is Email Marketing? for more information on segmentation)