How to Send Emails that Don't Annoy Your Sphere

In the digital world, there is pretty much no getting away from email marketing. And even as I, a writer and marketer, habitually delete “60% off sale!” and “You don’t want to miss this!” emails, we have to admit… it works. When it comes to top of mind, email campaigns are a great way to make sure that when your network contacts are in need of whatever you provide, YOU are the one that comes to mind as the solution to their problem. But how can you stay in touch this way without annoying all your friends, colleagues, and network of contacts???

Don’t Send Throwaway Content

Before you click send, ask yourself “Is this something I would like to read? Would this be helpful to me as a consumer?” If the answer to one or both of those questions is no, then you need to rethink your email concept. A lot of companies offer standardized email blast services, but the content is not specialized.

What’s worse than getting a million emails from realtors? Getting a million emails from realtors about winterizing your basement when you live in FLORIDA.

Provide an Incentive

Give your contacts a reason to open the email and a reason to pick you over someone else. An incentive such a price break or free evaluation can be a great way to make someone bypass the delete button and actually give your email a read. Don’t overuse this one though! Sending too many incentives can give the perception that you’re a “discount” provider or encourage clients to wait for the next deal to come along if they finally need your services. A better strategy? Give an outside date to the deal that provides a lengthy window for turning it in and spend your next few emails building authority and trust with meaningful content.

Make Sure Your Email Actually Functions

This one seems like a no-brainer. If you have a link in the email, make sure it not only works but it is routed to the correct place. Let’s look at a quick example: The average open rate for real estate-related emails is just under 20%*, and the click rate (when someone clicks a link in your email) is just shy of 2%. So if a realtor sends 1000 emails, they are lucky to have 20 people click through to the links within. With those odds, can you imagine them clicking that link for more information and having it GO NOWHERE?! You’d be surprised but this happens all the time. Check your email’s functionality thoroughly, and then have someone else check it again, before you click “send” on an email marketing campaign.

Don’t Pepper The Inbox

How often you should send emails to your network is going to vary from profession to profession, but one principle carries through it all: Don’t send so many that you are driving your contacts insane. A good indicator that you’re sending too frequently is if your open rate is going down over time. If you are sending meaningful content at reasonable intervals, your open rate and your number of unsubscribes should remain reasonably steady.

We’ve got a 342MAD Solution for Email Marketing!

Did you know 342MAD handles email marketing campaigns for you? We can send regular newsletters to your sphere of influence with either original or curated content, or we can help you advertise something you are selling with creative email campaigns. Let us know today if you would like help building an email marketing campaign for your products or services.