Email marketing is a good avenue to reach out to prospects and connect with your existing customers. A series of messages can help you share your company’s updates, deals and events to your customers and prospects in an instant. If executed properly, it can increase your brand’s awareness, credibility and sales.

Email Marketing Ethics: Tips for a Successful and Long-term Relationship with Your Subscribers

Here are a handful of email marketing ethics to serve as a successful guide for newbies, small business owners and also serve as a refresher for long-time internet marketers as well. 

#1 Seek permission and guarantee their privacy.

If you’re looking to grow your current email list, always ask for permission before adding these ‘subscribers’ to your list. You can place your email prominently to your website and webpages and ask for permission before adding them to your list. Keep it simple and easy. Complicating the opt-in process may result to lower opt-in rates. Here’s our blog about the importance of list building.

Don’ts: Never purchase email list especially from third party websites.

#2 Fight internet spam.

In order to establish an awesome online presence, you need to protect our brand. The very last thing you want is for your brand to be associated with spamming. Break the bad habit of sending unwanted email blasts that looks pushy and shady. Turn over to a new page and only send emails that showcase your brand’s mission and goals.

#3 Stay consistent.

When sending newsletters to your list, always use a template with your business logo on it. Not only does it enhance brand awareness, it also says that the email came from your company.

Consistency is key to nurturing a lead or communicating with clients. However, always critically evaluate when to send out emails. No one wants their brand associated with a web nuisance. Schedule emails on a monthly, weekly basis or on ‘as needed basis’ to keep your subscribers up-to-date with the latest news and upcoming sales.   

#4 Be transparent.

Creating catchy headlines creates higher click-through rates on emails, articles and social media posts. But people value their time so don’t mislead your recipients with false advertising just to get higher CTRs. Write a compelling subject line that gives a short summary of what your email is all about. Keep your message short, clear and straightforward.

#5 Add a personal touch.

A person’s email address is as sacred as their personal cell phone number. If people gave their email information to you, they trust your business and want to know more about your products and services. To have a chance of a more successful relationship to your subscribers, add a personal touch to your message.

You can start by greeting them with their first name and mentioning their name inside the message. This way, the reader will feel that the message is created solely for them and not for the general public. Even if we know it is an automatic function, we do respond positively to seeing or hearing our name.

Additional tip: Use their name in the subject line for higher click through rates.

#6 Use graphics wisely.

People these days tend to use their smartphones when reading emails. If you intend to use heavy graphics and HTMLs, you need to consider the size and the amount of data that will be used in order for your entire email to load properly. Use graphics wisely and sparingly.

#7 Always present the unsubscribe button within your email.

Frequent, irrelevant and boring newsletters are few of the reasons why your subscribers tend to opt-out to your list. If you present a simple opt-in process, you also need to present them a simple opt-out process. You may also want to incorporate a way for them to be added in your list again just in case they’ve changed their minds.