Permission Email Marketing Tips
Permission email marketing is increasingly becoming one of the most popular marketing tools that advertisers have at their disposal. In fact, companies spend at least $1 billion yearly on permission email marketing alone simply because of the superior, and trackable, return on investment. However, as with many forms of marketing, there is a right way and a wrong way to implement a winning permission based email marketing campaign, and the following paragraphs outline the secrets to launching a a successful one.
Why Permission Based?
Before going into how to establish your money-making email campaign, it’s important to understand why “permission” email marketing is so important.
Not long ago, best practice was to add every single customer to the email list, sometimes even without a way to unsubscribe! Even today, there are marketers that feel their non-permission programs are working just fine, and it’s been argued that simply using opt-out campaigns get good results. While such a campaign might lead to some results, it pales in comparison to getting your customer’s permission first!
Consider this:
- 76% of consumers delete unsolicited email without ever reading it, compared with 5% for a permission email.
- Click through rates on opt-out email lists are usually under 5% while permission email campaigns generate between 10-20%.
But why do consumers hate opt-out emails so much more than opt-in? Simple: it’s intrusive and unexpected. By forcing customers into your email list, you lose a crucial opportunity to convey the benefits of the subscription. The word’s best email marketers know that customers must be sold on the fact that your newsletter adds value. Once the customer is sold, they will be much more likely to open your emails and respond! Remember, what’s most important is that the list you do have will be high quality and targeted.
How to Make a Campaign that Works
Launching a successful permission email marketing campaign is simple once you know the basics. Besides the software you’re using, the following best practices are key in determining the success of your programs (See our best email marketing software review for top rated software).
1. Gain active consent – Perhaps the most important, make sure that your customer understands the value of your newsletter, but also exactly what is going to happen once they sign up. Let them know that they will be receiving the first email in 3 days, or that you will email them once per month. Only then present them with the email signup list. This ensures that your list will be engaged, and for a long time!
2. If possible, develop multiple levels of communication – People are different, and your email list should have various options that allow subscribers to customize their experience. Let them choose what kind of emails they will get, such as ones only relating to upcoming sales or company news. Again, think list quality, not quantity.
3. Integrate social media – The Internet has become the primary medium through which customers interact and share information. Make sure that your email provider includes this functionality in their permission email marketing program. Doing this will help your customers do the selling for you!
4. Use co-op strategies – Don’t simply run your permission campaign in a vacuum! Team up with other organizations or nonprofits for special promotions. This helps keep your campaign fresh and establishes your company’s brand as a community leader.
5. Measure ROI – Also very important, measuring results ensures you can improve. Test different promotions, subject lines or distribution frequency and see what works better. Different industries have different expectations, so the only way to be sure is to test!
Even besides all of the statistics and surveys affirming the importance permission email marketing, it just makes sense, from both a customer relations standpoint and a budget standpoint. Don’t throw you money at people who have not proven that they will appreciate and open your newsletters simply because the overall list is larger. Doing this will put you on the fast track to spam folders and certainly will not help your brand or bottom line.
See our best email marketing software review for top rated software.