What Makes A Good Email Marketing List?

In many respects, answering the above question can actually be made easier by asking another – what would make people avoid being put on my list? Really, the answer can be summed up in two words – ‘spam’ and ‘time’. Unfortunately, email marketing lists have been blessed with the reputation of carrying spam all over the internet and directly into your inbox. And, with all of the other distractions that the internet has to offer, your message may not be deemed important or attention-grabbing enough.

So, by overcoming the two very prevalent obstacles of ‘spam’ and ‘time’, you can work towards creating a good email list. This is made all the more easier when you take into account the fundamental concepts of email marketing – trust and value. But how do you do this?

• Ask for permission: The ideal email list is one that is comprised entirely of subscribers who have all given their permission to receive information from you, such as by signing up on your website.
• Easy unsubscribe options: Making it easy for recipients to unsubscribe from your mailing list is actually a great way of instilling trust in them, as they don’t feel as if you are trying to scam them.
• Avoid the spam folder: If your email marketing turns up in the spam folder, it’s unlikely that anyone is going to read it. Make sure that your addresses are correct and live to minimise this happening.
• Timing and frequency: Try not to send out emails unless you actually have something to say. Don’t bombard your subscribers with emails every day or they’ll start to have second thoughts.
• Deliver something of value: When subscribers receive an email, they expect to be receiving something that they find value in, such as a special offer, a new product or even useful information.

If you only take one thing away from this article, we hope that it is the Golden Rule of Email Marketing – make sure that you give your subscribers the sort of messages that you would like to receive should you be in their position. What this means is that, whenever you are crafting an email message or about to send one out, you should ask yourself whether you would like to receive this message or whether you would find it annoying. This little rule is really all you need to ensure a good email marketing list.