"It probably comes as no surprise," say Kara Trivunovic and Andrew Osterday in an article at MarketingProfs, "[that] the process of acquiring new customers comes with one of the higher price tags of any of your marketing initiatives." This places a high priority on the cultivation of customer loyalty—and, therefore, the importance of a healthy email marketing program. Trivunovic and Osterday recommend strategies that:

Emphasize quality over quantity. "Adding 50 new and engaged customers or prospects can have a better positive net effect on your bottom line than adding 500 prospects that might not be as interested in what your organization has to offer," they explain. They're more likely to buy your product or service, and less likely to hit the "spam" button in annoyance.

Create a streamlined onboarding process. Keep new subscribers engaged by offering quick confirmations and keeping personal data requests to a reasonable minimum. "Collect only the information that you will use to help get the right message to the right recipient at the right time," they say.

Keep tabs on the competition. Your customers don't live in a vacuum, and you need to be aware of the other messages they hear. "Timely offers, [frequent testing] and clear product differentiation [encourage] your customers … to make purchase decisions quickly."

The Po!nt: Hold 'em close. By boosting customer loyalty with efficient, relevant emails, you'll gain increased sales and lower costs.

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