The 10 Best Practices for eNewsletters
Part of the reason our clients hire us to produce their eNewsletters (besides the fact that they don't want to do them because it's not an easy program to maintain) is because they perceive that we know how to best create their eNewsletters. Thank God for that!
Below I'm going to present the top 10 best practices for an eNewsletter Marketing and Communications Program.
1.Provide a Subscription Point in your eNewsletter.
a.Your eNewsletter gets forwarded on to other non-subscribers offering them the option to subscribe. This also helps you distinguish your business and eNewsletter from Spam.
2.Provide an Unsubscribe Point in your eNewsletter.
a.Not only is it required by the "Can Spam Act of 2003" but if someone does not want to receive your eNewsletter it makes no sense to keep sending it to them.
3.Provide a "Forward To A Friend" link.
a.Give readers the opportunity to send your eNewsletter onto others that may not be part of your email list. This expands your reach and assures that your eNewsletter is received by others as intended -- not as the garbled text and images that forwarding from the mail client can do.
4.Display a Sender's Physical Address.
a. It is required by the "Can Spam Act of 2003" and it lets new recipients know where they may contact you and that you are a legitimate business with nothing to hide.
5.Display your Website link.
a.No need to say why.
6.Provide a Contact Email address.
a.Part of the reason why you have an eNewsletter program is to open up a dialogue between you and your current and prospective customers. Your "contact" email address provides one of the ways for them to reach you.
7. Provide a Telephone contact number.
a.Some clients may want to talk to you right then and there. eNewsletter have an incredible ability to remind clients and prospective clients of you.
8. Remind recipients to add you to their "Safe- Sender" list.
a.Many email clients (like Hotmail and AOL) will not block email coming from people or organizations that are on their "safe-sender" list, also known as the recipients address book. For an example of this, see the message at the very top of this eNewsletter.
9. Provide a Web Version.
a.Some recipients cannot or will not allow for images to be displayed in their email. Provide this version for those that cannot see images by including a link to your online version of the eNewsletter.
10. Give your eNewsletter a Name.
a.You are creating a vehicle that provides value and resources to your readers. Give your eNewsletter a distinct identity by creating a name for it. An eNewsletter name helps recipients recognize your eNewsletter and sets it apart from other messages in their inbox.
These are the most fundamental best practices for any eNewsletter. Of course there are many more but these will help you cover your bases.
As always, we are here to help. If you are interested in starting or improving on your eNewsletter program contact us.
Marcos J. Menendez
PresidentLoop Consulting Group, LLC
www.loopconsulting.com
Part of the reason our clients hire us to produce their eNewsletters (besides the fact that they don't want to do them because it's not an easy program to maintain) is because they perceive that we know how to best create their eNewsletters. Thank God for that!
Below I'm going to present the top 10 best practices for an eNewsletter Marketing and Communications Program.
1.Provide a Subscription Point in your eNewsletter.
a.Your eNewsletter gets forwarded on to other non-subscribers offering them the option to subscribe. This also helps you distinguish your business and eNewsletter from Spam.
2.Provide an Unsubscribe Point in your eNewsletter.
a.Not only is it required by the "Can Spam Act of 2003" but if someone does not want to receive your eNewsletter it makes no sense to keep sending it to them.
3.Provide a "Forward To A Friend" link.
a.Give readers the opportunity to send your eNewsletter onto others that may not be part of your email list. This expands your reach and assures that your eNewsletter is received by others as intended -- not as the garbled text and images that forwarding from the mail client can do.
4.Display a Sender's Physical Address.
a. It is required by the "Can Spam Act of 2003" and it lets new recipients know where they may contact you and that you are a legitimate business with nothing to hide.
5.Display your Website link.
a.No need to say why.
6.Provide a Contact Email address.
a.Part of the reason why you have an eNewsletter program is to open up a dialogue between you and your current and prospective customers. Your "contact" email address provides one of the ways for them to reach you.
7. Provide a Telephone contact number.
a.Some clients may want to talk to you right then and there. eNewsletter have an incredible ability to remind clients and prospective clients of you.
8. Remind recipients to add you to their "Safe- Sender" list.
a.Many email clients (like Hotmail and AOL) will not block email coming from people or organizations that are on their "safe-sender" list, also known as the recipients address book. For an example of this, see the message at the very top of this eNewsletter.
9. Provide a Web Version.
a.Some recipients cannot or will not allow for images to be displayed in their email. Provide this version for those that cannot see images by including a link to your online version of the eNewsletter.
10. Give your eNewsletter a Name.
a.You are creating a vehicle that provides value and resources to your readers. Give your eNewsletter a distinct identity by creating a name for it. An eNewsletter name helps recipients recognize your eNewsletter and sets it apart from other messages in their inbox.
These are the most fundamental best practices for any eNewsletter. Of course there are many more but these will help you cover your bases.
As always, we are here to help. If you are interested in starting or improving on your eNewsletter program contact us.
Marcos J. Menendez
PresidentLoop Consulting Group, LLC
www.loopconsulting.com
posted by Loop Consulting Group at 12/06/2006 04:27:00 PM
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