Unfortunately, when someone hears the term “email marketing”, the word “spam” comes to mind, which is really off-putting. Make your email program enjoyable enough for your customers that they actually participate in the offers you make. Read on to find great tips and secrets to create a campaign which works.

The information you collect from your customer upon signing up for your list should be used to give them the best shopping experience possible. Have your forms auto-fill the customer information wherever possible. This makes the buying process quicker for them and increases the likelihood that they will buy something.

Make sure your emails are kept short and sweet. If it is longer than two paragraphs, the excess will likely go unread. They won’t really care about what you’re saying when it gets to the point that it’s boring them. If you make your point quickly and clearly, your readers will be willing to look at the next mailing you send out.

Confirm that a subscriber wishes to receive your emails before completing the opt-in procedure. This helps your readers confirm that they want to receive your future email marketing messages. It may seem unwise, but giving customers options can help you avoid misuse claims that you would have to deal with later.

Test the format of your email. New offers and the most crucial information should always be at the top. Trying out different layouts will help you find what works the best. Once you have a short list of successful formats, continue to use them. This will ensure your customers will know what they are getting from your emails and where to go when they need more information.

Limit subject lines in your emails to 60 characters or less. Most email clients will not display longer subject lines. Some clients are simply unable to display longer text. Besides, your email readers will only need those few words to make up their minds on whether they will read your email or not.

Always use Alt tags when you include images in your email. Alt tags will substitute for images that aren’t allowed or just won’t load. Be sure to use information in the tags that the reader will find relevant to what the image is, as well as its purpose. Use alt tags for your links, as well.

Send your subscribers happy birthday wishes. Make sure you put an field so your customers can share their birthday if they choose to! This simple step will make customers feel like you are about them, especially if they receive a special birthday coupon or discount along with your birthday greetings.

To successfully grow your email marketing campaign, try combining your emails with social networking, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Your customers will share your information with others, allowing your email list to expand.

Passive and active feedback from your customers is an essential tool for enhancing your email marketing projects. You can get active feedback from your target audience by asking what people think of your emails. Passive feedback is less obvious, or sometimes non-existent, to readers. There are dozens of resources available to see which of your links are getting clicks.

Emailing a free report or similar product to new clients is a great follow-up tool. Include a link in your email to your site, complete with instructions on how to access the free product or service. You can also use the end of the email as a way to notify them of the free items.

Creating a newsletter schedule is a great way to stay on track. Your newsletters need to be sent out the same day each week, as well as the same time, if possible. This way your customer will know when to expect your email, and will even begin to look forward to getting it, especially if you offer them special deals or coupons.

Don’t send important information out around a major holiday. People are often out of their office or on vacation during these times, and so they won’t read your emails. This is not a hard rule and some holidays will require communications. These could include Black Friday emails or emails related to other specific events.

You should generate one crystal-clear message for every email that you send. Keep your content concise and focused, so your customers do not become disinterested. Determine the one message that you need to get across in the email and focus on that idea. Your customers most certainly will appreciate your efforts.

The first commandment of email marketing is to never send unsolicited messages. If marketing materials are sent out to individuals who didn’t request them, they could mark these massages as spam. This practice is terrible for the reputation of your business, and you may even get your IP address blocked by ISPs if they receive complaints about your unsolicited messages.

Show customers that their time is valuable by sending them only the most pertinent information in your emails. Don’t constantly send customers blatant sales petitions. Every email should have something relevant, like tips or discounts.

You want to get real results from your email marketing efforts, so limit yourself to emailing only customers that gave you personal permission to get in contact with them. Those who receive unsolicited emails from you are likely to block them anyway. Your email provider may drop you because of policy violations if enough people report you for sending spam.

Sending an email is a great way to follow-up on a promising sales lead and maintain a connection with the potential buyer. Use the message to tell them about a special offer or other benefit they can receive right now. The ending P.S. could let them know that it’s possible for them to send their order info with a simple mouse click on the link you have provided.

Keep your viewers in the forefront of your mind when thinking about what you just read, so you can go out and create a campaign that works. What do your clients want? What would they be interested in reading? How can you develop these ideas into things that are also financially beneficial to you? Remember the tips in this article to increase your customer base.