Email marketing is a great way to stay in front of your clients and prospects while sharing helpful information with them, but it’s important to honor subscriber preferences in email marketing. It ensures compliance with the rules of your email marketing platform and respects the customer or prospect.
Here are some basic tips related to honoring subscriber preferences in email marketing.
Don’t add someone to your list without permission
You should always get permission directly from the individual you are emailing to add them to your email list. Exchanging business cards at a networking event does not count as permission. You need to have a clear yes before adding them to your email list. You can verbally ask when you exchange cards or send a follow-up email asking them if they would like to be added to your list. Either way, there should be clear communication and consent to add them to your list.
Let people choose the emails they want to receive
This isn’trelevant for every email list, but if you’re sending emails about a wide range of topics, consider creating a preference center and letting people choose what emails they want to receive. Most major email platforms allow you to create a preference center, or you can create your own form and connect it to specific segments within your email account. Giving someone options to customize the content they receive helps them stay more engaged with your emails.
Respect when someone opts out
We all get too many emails, and a person’s inbox is their personal space. They get to set their own boundaries, and we need to honor them. If someone opts out, respect that opt out. Most email platforms automatically handle this process to ensure people who unsubscribe stay unsubscribed. If yours doesn’t, make sure you have a process in place.
Don’t take it personally when someone opts out! Although it may not feel like it, it’s better for someone to unsubscribe than to stay on your list and never read another email from you.
When you honor subscriber preferences in email marketing, you maintain a healthier email list, which is a good thing for your business. Your email list should include people who WANT to hear from your organization and look forward to your emails. When you share relevant, useful content and honor subscriber preferences, you’ll benefit from increased engagement for your email marketing.
The StoryPath team can help you implement a strong email marketing strategy that makes sense for your business. Book an intro call with us today, and let’s chat.