Life on the internet is exciting because it moves so quickly… new technologies, concepts and ideas pop up everywhere, all the time. However, there are also constants … both good and bad.

For example, this article, “Effective Email Campaigns for a Pure Retail Operation — How Our Test Site Boosted Sales by 49%” from marketingexperiments.com, was published in March 2004 - three years ago. Yet all the advice they give is still very relevant today. I wouldn’t be surprised if the test was repeated and the results were exactly the same.

However, the bad part about it is the retail industry’s email practices haven’t changed. I still get tons of emails from retailers as one large image, pushing sales and not adding much value to my life. So here I am, bringing this relevant article back to life, and specifically these 10 key points it cites:

1. Focus on value. Make sure the email offers a very clear benefit to the customer.

2. Avoid sales hype. Use a “personal” tone in your email messages without going overboard.
3. Use a strong subject line. Use something definitive, with helpful information.
4. Show your customers your authentic concern. Relationship is the key to repeat sales. “Letters” are much more effective at establishing relationships than “ads” or sales copy. The stronger your relationships with your customers, the less price-sensitive your market will be.
5. Avoid the “illusion” of customization. People know when their name is just a mail-merge field. Careful use of customization/personalization is okay.
6. You need to look at what is selling and you need to feature those items. And consider that the featured product is more than an offering — it is a proof of your value proposition.
7. Specificity is the key to successful marketing. If your offer is specific to the needs of your customers, you will see a much higher conversion ratio.
8. Describe your customer service. People are concerned about getting WHAT they ordered, and getting it ON TIME. Try to successfully address the needs and concerns of your customers.
9. Use an incentive. Give customers a reason to click through to your website. Or give them a reason to increase the size of their order.
10. Consider that the goal of an email is not to sell an item. It is to get a click. Structure every word to get them to click-through to the page that is optimized for conversion. Optimize the email to get the click; optimize the landing page to get the sale.

Related Posts

• 5 Steps to a great relationship (with your email subscribers)
• Ten New Year’s Resolutions for Email Marketing
• Why is ‘customer experience’ lost in email marketing?