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Unsubscribing From Junk Mail Is A Relief

When it comes to junk mail, everyone gets it! Whether physical at home or in your inbox, it seems like there is a lot of junk out there! But what is “junk mail” – junk mail simply is unwanted messages that you receive. Often   however, it is the receiver that long ago opted to receive email from a source, or signed up to a mailing list.

Now that you have signed up for these emails and you do not want to receive them, how do you remove your email from their list and effectively unsubscribe? Don’t forget that you are protected by the CAN-SPAM law. Which requires that you have options to unsubscribe in a timely manner?

There are many ways to unsubscribe, but sometimes not all methods work. Often you may have to try different methods to unsubscribe. One of the more common removal methods is to respond to the email and put “remove” or “unsubscribe” in the subject line. However, beyond that, you can write to the company via snail mail and request to be removed. Don’t forget that it can time to get your email removed from the list – often a few days or weeks before it is completely out of the system.

Keeping your inbox clean is a great practice in general. Once a quarter go through your email and see what lists you are subscribed to but no longer read and make a concerted effort to unsubscribe. See our recent article which talks about having an organized inbox! Not only does less subscriptions to emails keep OUT what you don’t read, it also helps keep order in your inbox and it also could save you more than just time. How many times do you check your email while driving? Many people often check their email while on the road. Do you really need to find out about this weekend’s 20% off sale at your favorite department store when behind the wheel?

Also, it can allow you to get some extra sleep – many mass emails are send at night when web traffic is lightest, meaning that your phone buzzing could be keeping you away from a good nights sleep! In short, by removing yourself from those lists which you no longer read you can have a more organized inbox and make time for more important emails.

Contact us today for more information on how Email Stationery can help you and your business.

Keeping Your Inbox Clean and Organized – A GREAT Idea…Remotely Hosted Images Save Time

These days nearly everyone sends emails and nearly everyone has the same task to perform – keeping their inbox clean!

Keeping your inbox clean, organized and manageable is important for many reasons.

1. A clean email box with organized messages is easier to navigate.

2. Proper use of email folders mean that if an issue should ever arise and you have documentation that you need/email exchanges you want to reference you can easily access this information. This doesn’t just hold true for inbound message, but those in your sent items too.

3. Unsubscribe where necessary! Review periodically the mailing lists that you receive emails from and evaluate whether you still read the information they send. Spending a few minutes unsubscribing now could save you time in the future.

On top of this your productivity is generally higher if you are not bogged down wading through a full inbox giving you more time to be productive.

Of course if you have been reading productivity guides, books or attended seminars then you may have heard the phrase “your inbox should be empty” -this usually gets a shocking reaction. While not completely practical, it is good advice – if you don’t need to read an email now then you probably never will and should delete it, if you are going to read it but don’t have time, label it, flag it or put it in a relevant folder.

A clean inbox aside, using Email Stationery for your branded email is a great idea for you promote your brand within your email correspondence. It offers a professional polished look and with email stationery we host the images that are in your stationery which means that when it comes to sending email messages they send quicker and do not get stuck in your outbox while trying to send. Think if you are emailing hundreds or thousands of people, sending each of those images many times over is taxing on your system and internet bandwidth.

Contact us today for more information on how emailStationery.com can help you and your business.

Using Branded Email Marketing To Drive Traffic Deeper into your Site

Using email marketing to reach out to your existing and prospective clients is about more than just driving traffic to your site on an ad hoc basis.

Of course your home page is your main “billboard” for your site and its pages, but driving traffic deeper into your site to individual pages or blog posts is definitely a more effective marketing strategy.

Why? Well, if you are running a product special or are quoting a specific piece of information on your site having a call to action within your email that references a specific page on your site will likely result in a higher response rate from the reader. This way you are steering clients towards the information they want.

This is a far better strategy than driving traffic just to the homepage as it is less likely that the reader will take the time to go through pages on your site looking for the information they require. Think of linking to specific pages in your emails as a more focused way of driving site traffic.

Custom designed email stationery is the only way to project a professional image. Read our previous blog post 5 Crucial Elements of a Successful Email Marketing Campaign to give guidelines on what makes a successful email marketing campaign.

How You Can Increase Your Email Newsletter Open Rates

Using mass email is one of the greatest marketing strategies that any businesses can use in the market today. But is isn’t without its problems. Like traditional marketing methods, such as putting a flyer through someones door, that flyer can end up straight into the Trash, much in the same way that unwanted email can today.

Rather than bombarding existing clients or potential clients with a barrage of messages as part of a fierce daily email campaign which is both labor intensive to undertake as well as having your chances of being reported as spam increased dramatically, using Email Newsletters is most often the preferred choice. Whether a weekly or monthly update, these emails digest your latest company news, promotions and information into a summary which can be not only a great way to reach out to existing customers but to generate referrals by remaining at the forefront of their mind.

Why Are Open Rates Important?

It is summed up best by this phrase:

“Email marketing has the power to help you sell products and services but you can’t get any results if your emails aren’t read, and your emails can’t be read if they aren’t opened.”

So how can you be sure that the recipient actually opens the email – in short, how can you increase you Email Newsletter Open Rates?

Well, understanding that you are never going to reach a 100% open rate is a start! Also knowing that even if your email was opened, it doesn’t mean that someone actually read it. A great way after you have constructed an email newsletter is to send it to yourself as a test and have you read it as if you are the intended recipient. Be critical! If something isn’t working, remove it and if there is an item that needs adding to or correcting then adjust it accordingly.

Spend time on your email subject line. Many cite the subject line as the main factor in determining whether they would open a particular email. Experiment with your subject line. Try different subject lines and see what works best. Avoid using terms such as “Sales!” “Special Offer” “Promotion” “Buy Now” which asides from being unlikely to have a high open rate because of being seen as too sales oriented might not even reach the recipient due to being caught by the spam filter. Use your subject line to connect with the reader, use emotion and spark interest with a provocative subject. Using numbers can help too such as “Top 10″ “5 Best” etc.

Also, be consistent with the structure of your subject line – if you usually write “March 2011 Newsletter” at the end of the subject and then switch to adding it to the beginning of the subject line people may not recognize that the email is from you.

The use of timing can help too. Sending emails overnight may lead to yours being deleted without being read as they face competition with a full inbox that most people face each morning. But sending in the afternoon may also have a negative effect on your open rate with people anxious to clear their inbox before the end of the working day. Try different times and see what works for you and your business.

The open rate is just one metric that is used. Ultimately engaging people with the email you send to contact you and keep you at the forefront of their mind is important and this is done through appropriate branding with your logo or image prominently placed within the email

In summary, to increase your open rate with your email newsletter, experiment with different subject lines and different times you send your newsletters and see what effect this has on your open rate.

Update: June Click Reports

We found the error that caused the June reports to go out blank and have sent the June data to each client.

The monthly click reports will tell you how many total visits you had to your website as a result of clicks from your email stationery. Our June average was 9.6%! Meaning nearly 1 in every 10 emails sent resulted in a website visit!

June Click Reports

It has come to our attention that the June click reports went out with out any data in them. We are working quickly to figure out what happened and run the reports again.

The monthly click report was designed to show you how much traffic your email stationery generated to your website, and indicate which links are used most.

5 Crucial Elements of a Successful Email Marketing Campaign

Do you have a highly-responsive email subscriber base that opens your emails and clicks through your website regularly? Or are you finding that dozens of subscribers simply push the “unsubscribe” button each time you send out a newsletter or mass email? Tweaking your email marketing campaign can be tricky because you don’t always know what is really working. Is the subject line hooking the recipient in? Are the images you’re using keeping your reader interested? Or is the content you’re delivering really providing value to your recipient? You may not always be able to answer these critical questions, but you can set up your email marketing campaign for success.

Here are just five crucial elements of a successful email marketing campaign:

1. Invest in Quality Design

    Don’t just send out a basic email through a standard template. Invest some marketing funds towards a branded email package that allows you to send a customized newsletter or email signature with your logo and colors clearly presented upon opening the message. This not only gives you a more professional presentation, but can also help you market your brand.

    2. Define What You Want

Take the time to ask the whys behind your email messages. What’s the motive? Why are you sending out these messages to your prospects? Define exactly what your purpose is, whether it’s sending out coupons or special offers, announcing a new product or service, or inviting prospects to an event you’re hosting. Be specific about what you’re actually marketing and communicating so that you can create a tightly focused, high-impact message that gets noticed.

3. Review Your Email Acquisition Strategy

    Are you working on building a targeted email subscriber list, or are you just using a random list from an email database purchase? Make sure you have a solid email address acquisition strategy in place so you’re not sending out hundreds or thousands of emails to people who have little or no interest in doing business with you. Clean up your list regularly by asking current subscribers if they want to continue receiving your emails.

    4. Maintain a Good Email Reputation

Don’t tease recipients with subject lines that don’t really deliver what’s stated. Make sure you’re clear from spam filters by testing your emails regularly. Remove emails from your database when people unsubscribe, and make sure you’re not sending duplicate emails by mistake. Make sure you always give recipients the option to unsubscribe. Good email marketing practices will help you maintain a good reputation and positive relationship with your recipients.

5. Be Consistent and Impactful

    Instead of sending out multiple emails on a whim, set up a schedule so that you can be consistent with your efforts and take the time to create an impactful message. Your recipients will appreciate it and you may be able to generate more leads from each email send with a “less is more” approach.

5 Ways to Prevent Email Unsubscribes

You put a lot of effort into gathering email addresses from current and prospective customers, building your email database, and creating a high-impact and useful newsletter for your loyal subscribers. Don’t let all that hard work go to waste! If you are finding that many people are dropping off your email list by clicking the “unsubscribe me” button, it’s time to make some changes. Losing email subscribers can make it difficult to market you products and services to a highly-receptive market. Remember that branded emails also offer the benefit of keeping you at the “top of mind” of your recipient. Make sure those emails get opened, get read, and that the links are clicked!

Here are five ways to prevent email subscribers from unsubscribing from your mailings:

1. Deliver what you promise.

    Don’t use the email subject line to “tease” your reader into thinking they are going to see or read something that you can’t actually deliver. Most email subscribers will just unsubscribe the first time you do this, and once they’re gone, it will be hard to get them back. Make sure that the subject line you choose actually states what you’re about to deliver. You can be creative without turning off your readers!

    2. Choose fresh and timely topics.

When you’re sending out a weekly or bimonthly newsletter, make sure you’re sharing information and content that is truly useful. Few people want to open and read emails that will bore them. Most people are looking for practical and useful solutions to common problems, or a fresh perspective on an idea. Take the time to evaluate what type of content you’re sending out. When the subscriber finds your emails valuable, they won’t be unsubscribing in the near future.

3. Keep them interested.

    Provide a preview of the content for the next email, highlight an upcoming event, or embed a coupon in each email so that your subscribers will retain and look forward to your emails. Keeping your audience interested is essential for maintaining a large email database.

    4. Don’t send emails too frequently.

It’s likely that your current subscribers are bombarded with all sorts of emails on a daily basis. Remember that you’re not the only one they’re hearing from on any given day, so it’s important that you keep your emails short and sweet, and also to send only one or two per month. Unless you’re sending out weekly deals or some other type of incentive, most of your email subscribers will be happy to hear from you no more than twelve times per year.

5. Give them a chance to reconsider.

    You can modify the settings of certain email programs to ask the subscriber if they really, really, want to unsubscribe. In some cases, the extra step makes them pause and think about it again. Making it slightly difficult to unsubscribe with just one click can help to retain some of your subscribers. Just remember that if they are not receiving anything valuable, they’re likely to go through as many steps as needed to get themselves off your email list.

9 Pitfalls to Avoid in Email Marketing

Getting the attention of your email subscribers when you send out an email newsletter or quick message can be tricky. Most of the subscribers in your database are flooded with dozens of emails and newsletters from companies just like you on a daily basis.

How do you make sure your email message stands apart from the pack and you don’t lose subscribers? Whether you’re sending out a newsletter, an alert about a sale or promotion, or just a “thank you for your business” message, you need to avoid these nine common pitfalls in email marketing.

#1: Writing the Subject Line in All Caps

All caps in the subject line might make your email appear as spam and is the online equivalent of screaming. Avoid using all caps in the subject line – or anywhere else in your email.

#2: Sending an Email with Typos or Mistakes

A poorly-written email will come across as unprofessional and may get deleted quickly. Your subscribers may even choose to unsubscribe after reading it. Make sure you edit and proof every email you send!

#3: Writing in the Passive Voice

Using a strong, active voice will help to lure the reader in and could also help them retain the information you send. Switch from the passive voice to the active voice whenever possible.

#4: Making Your Email Too Long

Most subscribers are interested in a quick read. If your email ends up being more than 400 words, your recipient may lose interest and delete it or unsubscribe immediately. Keep your messages short and sweet, and link out to any relevant articles or web pages.

#5: Creating a False Sense of Urgency

Don’t “trick” your email recipients into clicking your email by creating a false sense of urgency. Use creative email subject lines and send relevant information.

#6: Forgetting to Include an Opt-out Option

By law, all of your email subscribers must have the option to opt-out of future emails. Make sure you have an “unsubscribe” option listed at the bottom of your email, or an automated link where the recipient can reply to with the word REMOVE in the subject line.

#7: Not Updating Your Email Marketing List

If you are collecting emails to add to your database on a regular basis, and are using a service that removes emails when the recipient unsubscribes, make sure you are updating your database and “scrubbing” your list regularly. Make sure that only those who are interested in receiving your emails are actually receiving them.

#8: Overusing Exaggerated Modifiers

Some modifiers such as “great”, “revolutionary” and “important” can make your email appear to be spam and end up in the junk folder. Keep your headlines short and simple, and avoid using exaggerated modifiers to get your point across.

#9: Not Including a Clear Call to Action

If you’re not directing your recipient back to your website or blog, you could be missing out on the opportunity to turn your reader into a lead. Make sure you have a clear call to action somewhere in the email, and link out to a landing page or product page whenever possible.

5 Ways to Sell More with Email Marketing

You may be sending a branded email newsletter or other emails to your customers on a regular basis, but how many of those customers are actually responding to that email? Some companies send email newsletters to send traffic to their website or a specific landing page, while others issue a newsletter just to keep clients informed about the latest news, or to share an article or blog post. Whatever the case may be, you need to make sure your email marketing campaign has a high lead conversion rate and click through rate. If only a small percentage of email subscribers are clicking on links or going to your website, it’s time to tweak your campaign so that you get better results.

Here are five ways you can sell more with your email marketing campaign:

1) Use a Strong Email Subject Line

Pique the recipient’s interest with a catchy subject line. Your recipients’ email inbox is probably flooded with emails on a daily basis. Make yours stand apart from the rest and avoid an “instant delete” by sending it with a subject line that piques the subscriber’s interest. Avoid generic terms and titles that indicate that the email is a newsletter. Try using a headline from an article that’s included in the email, or state the key purpose or theme of the email by using a few choice words.

2) Educate and Inform the Reader
Focus on providing some quality content that either links to more information on your website, or is an entirely new piece of content altogether. Many people subscribe to email newsletters so that they can learn more about news, trends and products in the industry. Give them quality information that includes some takeaways.

3) Avoid Too Much Advertising

Even though the focus of your email may be about introducing a new product or service, or announcing a sale, make sure to include some informative content to balance out the material presented in the newsletter. Keep in mind that not all recipients will be in the “shopping stage” and may just end up deleting your email when they see that the email is pushing a product or service. Balance out your ads with a brief article or other information to keep your readers interested.

4) Link to a Video or a Blog Post

Many email subscribers will be interested in learning more about a particular subject without reading another whole article. Link to a video, image, or even a blog post relevant to the content you posted in your email newsletter so that the reader can navigate away from the email and directly to your website.

5) Include Pictures

Pictures can enhance your email newsletter and make it appear less like a standard email message. One to three pictures embedded within the email can also help you create a more professional-looking presence and will balance out the text. Be creative with the types of stock images and photos you select for each newsletter.

Make sure your email newsletter gets read, gets clicked, and that you retain your subscriber base month after month.
Use these five tips to sell more with your email marketing campaign.

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