One of the best ways to stay connected to prospective clients is through the email marketing campaign.  By   offering clients valuable information on a regular basis, a business is able to accomplish credibility and avoid being forgotten.  However, this only works if clients remain on the mailing list and don’t opt out because they are overwhelmed with constant emails.

I have opted out of several lists in the last week, and am considering opting out of a few others as well.  If you are on my mailing list, you have probably noticed that I send one business tip every week via email.  The tips are usually an internet resource that I have found to be valuable.  I get several emails every week from people who are very grateful for the resources I have shared, and I treasure this type of feedback.  I love sharing information that helps others build their business.

What drives me crazy is that some internet marketers send weekly recommendations to check out their friend’s new video, webpage, or seminar, and sometimes these arrive several times a week from the same person.  These are all affiliate links and I find them to be extremely annoying.  I think there is a lesson to be learned from this type of marketing.  Do I want to learn from people who I find to be aggressive and abrasive?   Or do I want to learn from people who run their business similar to my own philosophies and values?

I have taken many business coaching classes and programs.  Most experts recommend having a regular email marketing campaign, set up through an auto-responder.  (check!)  They also recommend sending free reports and resources to help build familiarity and credibility. (check!).  It’s also recommended to provide regular free seminars to increase the chances that prospective clients “know, like and trust”.  (check!)   Where the lines get blurred is when “regular” becomes “too much”.  The problem with this is that everyone has their own idea of what is too much.  However, it’s not the helpful information that I get too much of, it’s the sales-y “all in the name of profits” emails that I find tedious.

Personally, I believe that aggressive=annoying.  Sending constant emails to my email address, or sending constant emails and invites from Facebook or other social media platforms is not smart marketing.   Here are a few tips to consider when evaluating your own email campaign.

1.  Keep your emails brief: Life is busy for everyone, and most people have an attention span that is more compatible with a status update than a thesis.

2. Stay interesting: Spice up emails with interesting graphics.  People get a lot of boring messages.  Set yourself apart from the competition by including colorful and interesting graphics to help emphasize your point.

3. Respect their time: Be cautious sending emails around holidays or other busy times of the year, such as end of school terms and tax season.

4.  Be creative: Use humor, personal stories, photos, quotes, etc.  Interesting and amusing emails have higher open rates and lower opt-outs.

5. Remember the 80/20 rule: Offer 80% valuable advice, information and tips, and your 20% self-promotional will be better received.

I turned my rant of the day into a blog post!  What are your thoughts on this topic?