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Five Things You Should Never Do in Email Marketing

31st Oct 2014

We've already given our Top 5 Tips to Email Marketing Success, now we're advising what not to do.

Have you been the victim of content so spammy it hurt your eyes? 'Quick, send us your bank details for non-existent cash prizes!' We feel your pain. Don't let your brand be tarred with the same brush. To ensure that your reputation isn't damaged by poor marketing automation, we're taking a closer look at the glaring mistakes marketers make when communicating with customers through email.

  1. Don't send the same thing twice

    Shushing man

    Customers hate repetition. Continue to bombard them with the same irrelevant nonsense and they'll hit delete. We get it - you're eager to spread the word. Just try to do it with a little more tact and creative flair. Variety is the spice of life and content. You wouldn't believe the difference a few image and copy tweaks can make to conversion and click-through rates.

  2. Don't be generic

    Bored-looking dog

    Like our first point, don't be lazy when it comes to content. By clicking 'send all' and addressing your audience en masse, you instantly disengage readers. We want to be entertained, amused and tempted with intrigue, and 'dear customer' just won't cut it.

    We've said it time and time again - modern marketing needs personalisation. Brands are going the extra mile to show they care about their customers; through interactive content, personalised offers and recommendations based on recent shopping history.

    In short, you can't be generic anymore; shoppers expect excellent customer service in-store and online. Content must cater to individual wants and needs in order to generate a response.

  3. Don't make simple mistakes

    Man width head in hands

    Email is the perfect platform to showcase your brand's skill and expertise, so don't slip up with poor grammar, terrible timing or lack of clarity. Be to the point and succinct in your message, or people won't read it.

    This is why testing your emails in the initial stages is essential to your campaign's overall success. Through trial and error, you can ensure your email campaign is absolutely on point.

  4. Don't neglect the design

    Baby making a mess

    In a mobile-centric world, you can't ignore the design of your email. If readers are unable to view your email content clearly - if they need to pan or zoom - then your business is at a disadvantage from the off. Implement responsive design to ensure that your content is accessible across all devices. 65% of all email gets opened first on a mobile device, so be sure to make both content and design a priority.

  5. Don't make it difficult to unsubscribe

    Man tied up

    Don't hold your customers hostage. If you love them, set them free. It will only be to your detriment if you make emails impossible to unsubscribe from. You think you're being an evil genius hiding the unsubscribe button where they'd least expect it, when in actual fact your encouraging customers to click 'mark as spam.' The more spam reports their email provider receives, the higher the chance your customer won't receive future messages at all.

If your brand does none of the above and still doesn't achieve the results you want, get in touch with our team. As marketing automation specialists, we know what works and what doesn't. Drop us an email at hello@livelinknm.com and we'll do everything we can to help you out.