The R word comes up a lot when talking about email marketing, and especially email newsletters. That's R for Relationships; customer, marketing, reader, prospect, partner etc.
Although the word is much overused, I'm still a huge proponent of email and e-newsletters as a cost-effective means of supporting and developing such relationships.
In an email context, the first time a recipient "meets" your list is your opportunity to make that all important first impression - an impression that colors the character and path of the subsequent reader relationship.
But this first meeting is not when they get their first issue or email from you. No. If you're going to get the relationship off on the right footing, then you need to be making a positive impression before they've even signed-up to your list.
You can start with the way you present the sign-up offer. We're not talking about "sales" copy and list promotion here - that's another topic. Instead, think about the way you facilitate this sign-up.
You need to make it easy and make it work. Most people go for the simple "enter your email address below" subscription form. If you do, make sure the instructions are clear and don't fall into default list jargon unless your audience are experienced email and Web users.
Will your potential subscribers understand the terminology you use? Do they know what a "mailing list", "e-newsletter" or "ezine" is? Do they understand the difference between "HTML" and "text-only" options? If not, then explain things in a language they will understand. They'll value you all the more for taking account of their needs.
Give people alternative sign-up methods. Forms and web scripts break down, so check them regularly. And consider offering a way to sign up by email, with an address which automatically adds the sender to a list, or through a catch-all email you can process by hand. Any mailing list hosting service worth its salt will offer both forms-based and email-based subscription automation.
Make sure you give out enough information at sign-up, too. In an era of email fatigue, people are less likely to volunteer for even more email, without first being sure of what they're getting and what you're going to do with their email address.
Right next to the sign-up form, put in some reassurance that their privacy is safe, or at least add a clearly labelled link to your privacy policy. Provide information (directly or through a link) on what a subscription involves - what can they expect to get and how often? Consider posting archives or a sample issue if you're offering a newsletter.
Once someone has surrendered their email address to you, you've the next chance to communicate with them. Send them an automatic email confirming their subscription. If they sign-up via a form, redirect them to a thank you page which tells them to watch out for this confirmation.
Too many confirmation emails consist of nothing more than "You've been added to the My Company Mailing List". The confirmation email is your chance to add a little more glue to that relationship.
A good confirmation message might:
- Confirm the action and remind the recipient of what they just signed up for.
- Thank them for doing so.
- Provide information on how they can manage or modify their subscription.
- Tell them a little more about what they're going to get.
- Provide links or references to other useful information, perhaps related products, services, sites or publications (your own, or those of partners).
- Throw in some personal warmth and end with a name and contact. When was the last time you had a relationship with a department?
Normally, the next event in the relationship is when they get their first list email or issue from you. So if you're producing a newsletter, you need to remember that every issue you send out is the first one for at least some subscribers.
This means you need to be careful not to fill your newsletter just with "insider" jokes or references. More importantly, it means you cannot coast for an issue or two, letting quality slip, and relying on your reputation from previous issues to keep subscribers happy.
Every issue or email has to do it's best to persuade your readers to open, read, value and remember it. Because wherever there's an opportunity to make a good first impression, make it count.
