Return Path provides the following list of best practices for email marketers when targeting mobile users.
- Try to quantify the impact on your business. Survey your subscribers. Provide a "mobile format" option at sign up, along with text or HTML. Track clicks on the link to your mobile version in your header.
- Know how you render in the top mobile devices. Use a rendering service to track various environments.
- Since there is no standard for mobile rendering, be sure the first few lines clearly display the sender/brand, offer and a link for the call to action. Consider adding a phone number here, as well.
- Be recognized. Use a consistent From: name and emphasize the brand.
- Use the pre-header space wisely. There is a lot of competition for this space up there (e.g.: uncut, edit preferences, permission reminder, whitelisting, headline/call to action). Make sure the link to a mobile version is visible if this is important to you.
Marketers should always look beyond a single channel, no matter how tried-and-tried it may be, and embrace a multi-channel approach.