Email Marketing Etiquette

Customers will be reluctant to read marketing emails if you don't observe proper etiquette.

Observing proper email marketing etiquette is essential to the success of an email marketing program. Subscribers seldom remain on an email list for long if they perceive the emails they receive as intrusive, excessive, irrelevant or simply uninteresting. Well-written commercial emails draw the reader in, and can be one of the most effective, powerful tools for business. However, even the best-written emails are not effective if the overall email marketing program doesn't follow the basic rules of etiquette.

Key Rules

Certain rules form the cornerstone of email marketing etiquette. All marketing emails should only be sent to an opt-in list---that is, a list whose subscribers have all chosen to be on the list, rather than whose names have been obtained without their consent to receive emails. Respecting subscribers' preferences regarding frequency of sending emails is also essential. Readers who are willing to receive one email a month may balk at being sent one a week. Relevant emails are also essential. Customizing as much as possible with technologies and staff time available to meet the interests of consumers is not only good etiquette, but can result in higher sales from fewer emails sent.

Maintaining Proper Email Practices

At a minimum, all email marketing programs should comply with the Federal CAN-SPAM laws governing commercial emails. In addition, marketers should use targeting programs to ensure the maximum relevance of all their emails, dividing large email lists according to customer interests. For instance, customers who only buy hardware from a large retailer should primarily receive offers related to their product interests, rather than broad, general emails offering clothing and books. Customers should have chances to update their email preferences periodically, to ensure that emails continue to be relevant to them as their interests change.

Enabling Proper Email Marketing Etiquette

Signup forms for customers should ask questions about specific types of emails they wish to receive, such as newsletters and coupons, how frequently they would like messages, and their product interests. A commercial email's reply address should be monitored by a staffer empowered to respond to customer inquiries and complaints. Unsubscribing from emails should be as simple as possible.

Design Factors

Design also plays a role in email etiquette. Designs that are easy to read, not too large, and have attractive, clean layouts are more enjoyable for subscribers to read. Emails also should be readable on mobile devices, and the contents, especially the important details of offers or events, should be in text form, so that those reading emails without images can get the gist of the messages.

Content Factors

Overly sales-oriented writing, including aggressive sales pitches, or newsletters that contain only offers, will turn off many readers. Combining sales offers with useful, interesting information will result in higher readership, and make subscribers feel that their needs and interests are respected by the email marketing program.

References

• G-lock: Email Marketing Etiquette-13 Best Email Practices
• DM News: The 7.5 Rules of Email Marketing