How to Start Email Marketing

For anyone thinking about setting up an email marketing campaign as a way of connecting with their customers, the initial steps can seem to be insurmountable. However, it's not as difficult as it may seem. These are some tips on how to go about it.

Consider your recipients

One of the first things you have to think about is who you'll be sending the emails to. This is irrespective of the format you are using (either print or online). At the outset, this may seem pretty straightforward, but you should really give it heavy thought before sending any emails to your contact list. For example, let's say you're doing email marketing for a service in the medical industry. You could have an email list composed of people who signed up because of a link they found in some articles on paying off student loans. In this case, sending them a medical service-related email instead of one about student loans could have them not subscribing. The point is: always choose a topic relevant to the group that you are dealing with or targeting.

How many clients do you have?

Finding this out is as easy as looking at the number of genuine emails you have in your mailing list. The content that you send could be affected by these numbers, but the more important thing is to use this as a tool for measuring potential cost. A lot of online email distribution companies can let you try their services at no cost if your email list has less than 500 records. If you have numbers higher than this, you may need to look around for a paid service that has the best features at an affordable price.

Going solo vs. hiring a pro

The decision to do the email marketing alone or to get a professional to help is analogous to painting a house. You could paint using a lavish color, but do you have time to do this, and how sure are you that the result will be of good quality? Even if you decide to send plain text emails, there are some design aspects such as formatting and layout that you will have to consider. Many people have a bit of experience with HTML in terms of design and layout, and if you are that kind of person and like to do it, then it wouldn't hurt to do your marketing alone. It might also be wise to give the job to someone in your organization who is creative and wouldn't mind doing the design and layout as a side project.

If you decide to get a professional designer, always ask for a sample of their work. A lot of designers won't have a problem putting together a mock design of your project. To hire a professional, expect to pay between $10 and $50 an hour for basic HTML design. The exact price will depend on two things: the experience of the professional and the turnaround time that you request.