E-mail has been around for so long now marketers everywhere should have e-mail marketing strategies perfected, right? Wrong.

If you have ever signed up for a company’s e-mail list and found yourself immediately bombarded with five e-mails a day, all containing similar coupons with no substantive content or ways to opt-out of the e-mails, you know first-hand that the practice of e-mail marketing is far from mastered.

Too often companies view e-mail marketing as a low-cost way of sending out as many coupons, information, and promotions to consumers as possible, in hopes of selling more products. In doing so, they often ignore practical marketing strategies – and drive potential customers away. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Good e-mail marketing campaigns don’t have to be fancy or complicated; this article lists some tips to consider.

Grow Your Relationships

First and foremost, companies need to realize that direct forms of communication, like email-marketing campaigns, provide excellent opportunities to develop and grow relationships with consumers. E-mail should focus first on connecting with customers, rather than simply pushing products or services. E-mail is one of the few marketing channels that allows efficient two-way communication. Encourage customer feedback through surveys, customer submissions, contests, and feedback links. Create informational newsletters with substance relevant to your product or service and build a solid reputation and image through the quality of this information. For example, if your company provides a cruelty-free line of cosmetics, in addition to product information, also include free, useful articles in your e-mails about make-up application tips, the benefits of purchasing cruelty-free, or current make-up styles for the summer.

Grow Your Brand ID

This relationship will also help to develop what is arguably your most important marketing element–your brand identification. Your brand creates an impression in consumers’ minds of what your company is, and what you stand for. In the marketing world, brand identity is crucial. Why does someone pay more for a Louis Vuitton handbag than a different brand that would fulfill the same physical purpose? It is because of the image advertisers have given us of the brand. E-mail marketing helps shape this brand image. Everything from the color scheme to the writing style should reflect your company and the products or services offered.

Know Your Target Group

Marketers should also capitalize on the targeting and personalizing abilities of e-mail campaigns. E-mails lists can easily be segmented by gender, geographic location, or interest, which allows for target advertising. For example, a clothing company may wish to run a special on winter coats in December. This would not be relevant for individuals living in Miami, Florida. Therefore, the e-mail marketing campaign could be set so that the e-mail is only sent to those listed in colder-climate states (this can be done easily via parameters in most email marketing software programs).

Test and Measure

Another essential “big picture” element is to test and measure as much information as possible. This means testing different types of e-mail subject lines, e-mail lengths, and the day and time sent out to determine which issues have higher open and click-through rates (CTR).

Done correctly, e-mail marketing provides a great – and relatively inexpensive – opportunity to bring in customers, build and maintain relationships with them, and project a solid brand identify. In an increasingly competitive marketplace, companies who realize their potential with effective e-mail marketing strategies, and invest in doing it rights will significantly improve their sales and stay a step ahead of the competition.

Katie Vann is Vegan Mainstream’s E-Mail Manager. She currently produces Vegan Mainstream’s weekly newsletters, which include new vegan product and business articles, vegan professional interviews, updates from Vegan Mainsteram and vegan online community group descriptions. Contact Katie at katie@veganmainstream.com for more information about managing your company’s email marketing campaigns.