10 Things to Avoid in B-to-B E-Newsletters

Fri, Nov 6, 2009

Conversion Optimization, Traffic

   Written by: Susan Tatum

10 Things to Avoid in B-to-B E-Newsletters
BtoB magazine’s recent Email Marketing Insight Guide contains, among other helpful info, a great list by Clint Smith of things to avoid in your e-newsletter. Since I couldn’t find a copy of it online to send you to, I’m recreating the list verbatim here. These are in no particular order.
“CC-ing everybody. Still showing your entire list of recipients in the To or CC field? Show some discretion and personalize that delivery, amigo.
Getting freaky with the Comic Sans.Fonts, graphics, links and colors are great; just make sure all that formatting has a purpose.
Forgetting the opt out. Leaving off the opt-out link isn’t just annoying, it’s also illegal.
Ignoring results. If you’re investing in e-mail, tracking (and reviewing) the response helps you make sure it’s worth it.
Sending a novel. Respect readers’ time – and short attention span – by getting to the point.
Sending one big image.Sure, it looks lovely in Photoshop, but how will it fare in an e-mail client that blocks images?
Sending too often (or not enough). Send too often and you might annoy; send too infrequently and they might forget you. Work toward finding your ideal frequency.
Using generic subject lines.“October Newsletter” may in fact be what you’re sending, but readers need something catchier to know just what makes October so great.
Not sending tests. Sending yourself tests is the only way to ensure the real thing looks and reads just the way you want it to.
Neglecting to personalize. From greetings to the content itself, make a point to connect with readers in a personal way.”
Clint Smith is a co-founder of Emma (www.myemma.com), a Web-based email marketing and communications service.

This article was first published  October 1, 2007 on the Tatum Marketing blog

BtoB magazine’s recent Email Marketing Insight Guide contains, among other helpful info, a great list by Clint Smith of things to avoid in your e-newsletter. Since I couldn’t find a copy of it online to send you to, I’m recreating the list verbatim here. These are in no particular order.

“CC-ing everybody. Still showing your entire list of recipients in the To or CC field? Show some discretion and personalize that delivery, amigo.

Getting freaky with the Comic Sans.Fonts, graphics, links and colors are great; just make sure all that formatting has a purpose.

Forgetting the opt out. Leaving off the opt-out link isn’t just annoying, it’s also illegal.

Ignoring results. If you’re investing in e-mail, tracking (and reviewing) the response helps you make sure it’s worth it.

Sending a novel. Respect readers’ time – and short attention span – by getting to the point.

Sending one big image.Sure, it looks lovely in Photoshop, but how will it fare in an e-mail client that blocks images?

Sending too often (or not enough). Send too often and you might annoy; send too infrequently and they might forget you. Work toward finding your ideal frequency.

Using generic subject lines.“October Newsletter” may in fact be what you’re sending, but readers need something catchier to know just what makes October so great.

Not sending tests. Sending yourself tests is the only way to ensure the real thing looks and reads just the way you want it to.

Neglecting to personalize. From greetings to the content itself, make a point to connect with readers in a personal way.”

Clint Smith is a co-founder of Emma (www.myemma.com), a Web-based email marketing and communications service.

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