I’m changing the way I do email marketing

I’ve decided to change the way that I send out emails, and I thought I’d write about it here so that you can add comments, thoughts, suggestions and feedback.

I’ve been working up to this for some time now, as I’ve been impressed by the emails of fellow marketers who use techniques like these, notably David Walker who writes a great newsletter which is always worth reading.

It also concerns me if subscribers mark my emails as spam and indicates to me that some people have a poor understanding of what constitutes a spam message.

I’ll get flags like these if people are on multiple lists and clearly don’t understand why they have received two different emails from me in the space of a few minutes.

Email marketing key points

Here are the key changes I wanted to make:

# Add subscription data to show each subscriber when and how they asked to receive my emails

# Add a new ‘slow track’ option to try to reduce unsubscribes … this means that people who are unhappy with the number of emails they receive from me, can sign up to a special list which automatically unsubscribes them from all other lists. They will only then receive occasional, important emails.

# Add a Material Connection Disclosure … I’m a UK marketer, but this is standard now and overdue on my own emails

# Add a list of recommended resources … these are the most useful resources that I have found, and I’ve whittled them down to a series of key offers.

Email marketing up close

So here’s the template that I’ll be using for my email marketing in future.

Like all things in IM, I’ll test it, see how it goes, tweak it if necessary.

Signature panel

This is my standard signature, with essential business contact information (I use a mailbox number at the moment because I work from a domestic address).

This is also useful to drive traffic to my blog, my Facebook page and my Twitter account.

I syndicate my mails via RSS to various outlets, so this can’t do any harm for driving viral traffic, and it’s free

Recommended resources

This is a list of the resources that I personally use most regularly but also those which my sales figures tell me convert best … which means that subscribers must like them too.

I’ll change these from time-to-time, but these are what I consider to be my ‘evergreen’ offers.

Subscriber information

This is one of the techniques I’m using to inform and educate subscribers about when and how they requested my emails.

I find this really useful myself sometimes – as a subscriber on other lists – and it just shows people on my list that they requested information from me, and that all my emails are solicited.

I’m very keen to be completely fair and transparent in my business and I hope that this will help.

Email marketing Material disclosure

This is the legal bit, and long overdue on my emails.

I notice most people do this now in line with FTC regulations.

I’ve had a policy statement on my main business website since the new regulations came into force, but once again, email marketing best practice makes this essential now.

‘Slow track’ emails

I’ve been thinking of ways to discourage unsubscribes for some time, so I’m trying out a ‘slow track’ email list in my email marketing.

There’s an automated rules function in AWeber which allows people to be automatically unsubscribed from certain lists when they sign up to another.

I’ve set up my account so that a subscriber is removed from all my lists automatically if they just request ‘slow track’ emails.

They will only get selected messages from me this way … maximum of two per week.

I’ll give it a try and see how it goes.

I unsubscribe when I just feel overwhelmed by emails, so I want to give subscribers a way of reducing emails without severing all ties with me.

Email marketing magic?

So, that’s my new email marketing strategy, I’d love to hear your thoughts and the techniques that you use to manage your subscriber lists.

And if you’re a subscriber, please feel free to get any annoyances off your chest … anything that helps to make email marketing more targeted and useful is always welcome.

Do you agree or disagree?