What's Up, Doc?

Every marketer strives for success in their email campaigns, but achieving that success can be challenging. At ExactTarget, we offer three general guidelines:

1. Serve the individual
2. Honor their unique preferences with regard to communication, content, frequency & channels
3. Deliver them timely, relevant content that improves their lives

OK, but what are same practical ways you can get the results you want? Well, the documentation department has put together a Best Practices document that hits several key areas of email marketing.

This week I'm focusing on Deliverability. Take a look:

• Play by the rules of ISPs and filtering companies. Legitimate emails are often filtered before ever reaching their intended recipients. Senders who deploy high quantities of email promotions, send to 'dirty' lists, or generate many complaints (and consequently "look like spammers" to ISPs) are blocked. Don't underestimate the power of ISPs and SPAM filtering organizations - their control over the delivery of email messages only continues to increase.
   
• Reduce SPAM blocking with permission-based email marketing. Don't abuse the relationship you have with your subscribers. They opted-in to receive a certain type of email communication from you (such as a newsletter) and gave you permission to email them. But don't think just because they gave you permission for one type of email communication, that they'd like to receive anything you want to send them (such as promotional emails or offers). It is your responsibility to honor their preferences.
   
• Move to double opt-in to reduce threat of blacklisting. Blacklists are an email marketer's worst nightmare. Reduce the risk of finding your IP address listed on one by implementing a double opt-in campaign. Trigger an opt-in confirmation email immediately after a subscriber signs up and ask them to confirm they'd like to be added to your list. When your subscribers say "Yes" twice, you're less likely to end up with a "dirty" list or deliverability issues down the road.
   
• Maintain a consistent 'from address' and subject line recognition. By using a consistent 'from name', your subscribers will grow accustomed to receiving email from you and will be less likely to hit the SPAM button. Make your subject lines clear and easy to recognize - if your subscribers instantly know who the email is from, they'll be less likely to report your emails as SPAM.