Email Marketing and Newsletters - My Local Business Online

Do you use email marketing or newsletters to keep in touch with your prospects and clients?

It?s a question I?ve asked several times this week, both over coffee and in email chats.

Most of the time the answer is no?

On the occasions it has been yes, it?s yes but?

I?ll hold my hand up here. Email is not my forte. I should practice what I preach a LOT more.

Oddly, email marketing hasn?t been mentioned much here on the blog. Probably because I know I should do it more and feel a bit of a fraud chatting away about it.

Despite my lack of emailing, I still do some and it does work. So once again, I?m proof that perfection is not necessary!

There?s an increasing trend to send nice, pretty email newsletters with graphics. The ?Yes, but?? crowd above know first hand that pretty doesn?t equal effective.

I use Getresponse to manage my email list. There has always been the option to send HTML mails. Now as soon as you enter the create newsletter section you?re faced with even more templates and styles.

You even get to preview how your newsletter looks on 20 email platforms.

So, why do I always send plain email?

It?s still HTML so the open and click rate tracking is still there. I use no graphics, no logos, no fancy stuff.

It?s not because I am graphically challenged!

It?s simply because plain works better for me.

That?s possibly because many email clients turn off images as default.? Often the email you think people are receiving is not what they actually see. Let me show you an example:

Email I see

Email newsletter, not a great start!

Email they think they have sent me

Very nice ? but pointless

There is actually text on that email but it?s shoved so far down the page I need to scroll. I?m busy, I am sure you are too. You need to grab me in that first paragraph.

Whether it?s email or your website, using graphics to replace text is not a great idea.

What?s surprises me is recent stats state that 65% of people prefer email that?s mainly images. Obviously, I am one of the 35% who prefer text emails.

BUT

I have tested plain emails and fancier newsletters with images. Not huge tests, granted. But tests nonetheless. And for me, plain email gets clicked through more every time.

For the, ?Yes, but?? email marketers out there try something simpler. Forget the columns, the pictures and multi-coloured newsletter style mails and give single column text only emails a go.? Test it and see which format works best for you.

All the ?No? people?

What are you waiting for? Email isn?t dead and won?t be for a long while!

Over to you?

Do you use email marketing? How do you prefer to send your emails? I?d love to hear from you in the comments.

Source: http://www.mylocalbusinessonline.co.uk/email-marketing-newsletters-send-people/

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