Clicks 'n Conversions Blog

This article was first published  January 20, 2009 on the Tatum Marketing blog

Following up on the blog entry I started on January 6th, today I’d like to wrap up my e-mail marketing tips with six ideas to help build a loyal e-mail following.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #1: Be practical.
How many times have you read an article in an e-newsletter and thought “OK, now what do I do with this information?” Too many people stay at the 50,000 foot level with their content, which presents an opportunity for the rest of us.

Anybody can say, for example, that it takes great talent to make a great company. Very few actually show us how to find, hire, and retain them. It takes more effort to do, but figuring out how to solve problems and sharing your tips with others via e-mail will make readers clamor for your content… and your business.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #2: Demonstrate leadership.
Another way to build a loyal e-mail following and gain respect is to demonstrate thought leadership through your e-marketing messages.

Provide context around current events. Offer up a different perspective. Or analyze recent trends. Then take your observations one step further and really help your readers with practical tips and advice they can put into practice.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #3: Respect your audience.
Don’t pollute their Inbox with a never-ending supply of gimmicky material. I’ll tolerate one marketing message per week from any given source, but when I start receiving the same (or similar) messages three or four times each week I begin to tune out.

Figure out what’s tolerable for your audience and stick with it. In many cases I would suggest two e-mails per month is sufficient to build a relationship without getting in your reader’s face.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #4: Don’t push your agenda.
Or to be perfectly blunt, don’t sell.

In most cases I believe it’s  unrealistic to think you can convert a B2B prospect into a customer through a series of e-messages.

That’s not to say e-mail doesn’t work to stimulate sign-ups for a webinar, or to promote an upcoming conference or special offer. They work, but I recommend you use them sparingly, and in conjunction with other non-sales messages.

The key is to nurture prospects through e-mail with educational literature, perspective, and practical advice. If they like what they see, they’ll approach you when they’re ready to buy.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #5: Be different.
Even though marketers are taught to differentiate, somehow we all seem to get trapped in messages that are indistinguishable.

Part of this, I think, has to do with how we communicate. One easy way to show you’re different is to reveal some personality in the messages you send.

I’ve seen some e-mail marketers take this to the extreme, sharing their CEO’s weight loss challenges, but that’s not what I’m talking about here.

Instead, I suggest you think about your audience as a single person when you’re creating content. By keeping your focus on the person (not the crowd), you’re bound to end up with messages that reveal the real you.

Build a loyal e-mail following tip #6: Test.
I read somewhere (sorry but I can’t recall where) that very few e-mail marketers actually take the time to test. That’s a shame. Yes, testing takes time, but it provides valuable insight into the psyche of your reader.

And if my January 6th assertion rings true this year — e-mail marketing is going to get a whole lot harder during 2009 — testing will be the best way to tackle the challenges that lie ahead.

Sue Anderson
Marketing Lure, Inc.