Well it's that time of year again. Television ads and big box stores are telling us that Christmas is here and that you should be out spending.
So if people are out there shopping for the holidays, it only makes sense that you should be focusing on your email marketing campaigns to make sure they are as good as can be.
Time to throw on the Santa suit and hand out some helpful reminders to optimize your email marketing campaigns this holiday season.
1. Use opt-in data - You will always get a better response from a list you built organically. Recipients will want to read what you send and they will trust you more.
2. Content is king - You need to make sure you have great, compelling content that fits your audience. It can't just be about the sell. It needs to be relevant and interesting copy that provides the reader with something of value. Include blog posts, links to newsletters or offer tips or instructions that relate to your product or service. This will take a bit of time and effort to put together, but that effort will be repaid handsomely.
3. Branding continuity - Your clients will be familiar with your website, so why not send emails that are consistent with its appearance and extend its appeal. This only helps build trust with customers. Why do you think Santa wears that red suit? Would you let just anyone slide down your chimney?
4. Don't email too often - You have worked hard to obtain users information, bombarding them with emails could trigger them to unsubscribe. Let people digest what you have already sent. Less is certainly more when it comes to email marketing
5. Make sure you email often enough - I know what I just said. But just to make things even trickier, if you're not in touch often enough then you'll also see response rates drop rapidly. People move on much easier than they used to and there is always another company that will try to sway a reader their way. You should be sending out some form of communication at least once a month.
6. Call to action - Give your recipients a reason to read and interact with your emails. Be specific about what you are offering and make it clear how long they have to take advantage.
7. Attach a plain text version - This step is overlooked by a lot of people. Most recipients will receive HTML emails, but for those who can't, a plain text email will ensure they read what you have to tell them. This goes for mobile devices as well. You don't want them thinking they got a lump of coal instead of your message.
8. Always check before you send - Testing your campaigns takes two seconds and can avoid an embarrassing mistake being seen by thousands of readers. Get a friend or coworker to check it twice, to see if it is naughty or nice.
9. Keep data secure - Make sure you and you alone have access to your database of customer's information. Selling it on or lending it to a friend is a sure fire way of losing contacts as well as damaging your reputation. At SimplyCast we can't stress it enough. We don't buy or sell lists and you should not either.
10. Subject line - Make sure it is relevant and tells that reader what to expect from the email. A good subject line will entice your recipients into reading. Remember, being misleading with a subject line goes against the laws of CAN-SPAM and will get you put on Santa's naughty list fast.
11. Get viral with your campaigns - Encouraging recipients to forward your campaigns to their friends costs you nothing and it is an easy way to double your readership. Post your message on Twitter and Facebook and offer incentives for your readers to do the same. Christmas is a time to give, so make it something your readers will want to pass on.
12. Use SimplyCast's email marketing service - Yes the team of elves at SimplyCast will have you up and running in minutes and will make your first email campaign easier than decorating the tree. Try us out today and see.
By following these 12 tips to optimize your Christmas email marketing, you and your readers will be having a joyous holiday season in no time.
To learn more about SimplyCast, please check out our website and follow us on Twitter.
