Using e-mail as a marketing media is a risky gamble but one that can well pay off when successful. Like a two-edged sword, there are both positive and negative aspects to the endeavor. Whether you are seeking to obtain new customers or alerting existing customers of a new product there are specific details you need to incorporate.
Probably the best feature about e-mail advertising is its extremely low cost in relation to the amount of saturation you can obtain. E-mail advertising is quick. A message can be received by your potential customer in moments. Since over half the people who use the internet check their e-mail at least once a day you can use quick deadline tactics on some campaigns. Your customer base can be tracked and organized into specific topic interests so that you can send more effective e-mails without overburdening those interested in another topic with unwanted offers. Using auto responder programs you can have an instant interaction with your customers and instant return messages can be generated to thse interested in the specific offer.
On the down side, for one, is that while many e-mails are legitimate advertising, there are many more who flood the internet with excessive bulk mailings. It is possible for your message to an opted in customer can get lost in this overload of unwanted and unsolicited e-mail. It is often impossible to tell the difference between a legitimate e-mail from the junk. With so much junk coming in daily, the spam filters can more easily mistake a mail you want and delete it or place it in a “bulk” file that would make it hard to find even if your prospective client even looked through the folder.
When you begin e-mail marketing you must make sure to study the current laws pertaining to what is allowed. Remember that the world wide web is an international venue and there are several different agencies you must check with pertaining to specific countries or continents to stay within the regulations of them all. While the specific wording of some spam regulations may actually allow more spam e-mails to go unpunished, there are still things that must be done in a legitimate e-mail to remain compliant with the regulations. Specifically you must always offer a link to unsubscribe from your mailings each time. You must also provide a physical phone number and address in case someone wants to look you up directly. While a corporate office may have no problem with this, a small home business may not feel secure with the knowledge of their family’s whereabouts being openly displayed.
However, e-mail marketing is extremely effective. There is technology in the works that will allow specific authentication for opted in e-mails more effective than relying on just “white list” data in a spam filter. With a double opt-in list of subscribers you can tailor your communications into a form more recognizable than a simple ad. Once signed up, a newsletter or e-zine format can get your message and advertising across with less chance of being mistaken for yet another spam in the in – box.
