Email marketing advice

[xhale2007]

Hi guys,

I have collected a list of over 500 of my customers email address after they have purchased from me.

Im looking to email all these. I have installed php list on my server and plan on using this.

The thing im stuck with, is how to present the email.

I have a flyer design made up, which i have my logo and header along with a footer. In the middle i can add offers etc.

My plan is to use this flyer template as my email. But i seem to be struggling with how to present it within the email.

Would i be best to make it a html email with the image hosted on my site? Would that work?

If not, whats best for me to day.

Thanks for the help

Dan

 

[lead creators]

Hi Dan,

Have you tried vista print? they have an online design service with templates that's very easy to use.

Your 1st month is free, i use bulk email sending a lot and can also help you with more data. vistaprint dot co dot uk



go to the email marketing section, hope you have found this info useful

 

[Mike W]

Doing it yourself isn't always the best way - http://www.2ndimpression.co.uk/articles/why-not-do-it-yourself

If you ever find that it's not happening in the way you would like, I'd be pleased to help.

Regards

Mike

 

[ecenica]

We recommend our users to use phpList - so smart choice!

When sending large email it's important your web host has things like non-blacklisted IP addresses, throttled mail sending so as to not trigger ISP spam filters, as well as properly configured mail servers etc.

You're only sending 500 emails so you should be fine

If interested in a 3rd party email service we recommend MailChimp.

Please feel free to PM me you need any help with phpList

^R

 

[phil knight]

I think with a mailing to existing customers it's a 50 50 call as to whether formatting the e-mail yourself as a simple document (perhaps including your logo) which keeps things looking 'intimate' or having something produced that might look very marketing orientated and/or more mass produced - depends on the nature of your clientele and the impression you'd like to convey. For a small mailing like this I'd go for the in-house approach personally. Perhaps consider a semi-regular professionally laid out newsletter as an alternative ?

As per other comments, be careful about the set up of your e-mail to avoid spam filter problems. You'll also need some kind of 'opt out' clause, so ensure their is a mechanism to remove people from your database on request.

However you route the mailing, make sure that the mailing list is sent in the bcc box - a few weeks ago I saw a large mailing list sent out in the cc box in error and it was a bit of a data protection debacle.

Last bit of advice and this will impact on content and layout - make it short and snappy. In my experience people will only ever take in one or two paragraphs if they bother to read the mail at all - make sure then that there are no more than one or two key messages and only one call to action - once you've rewritten your content for brevity, e-mail it to yourself in the final draft format - then if you can, take a step back and re-read it as a customer and assess :
impact, content, message, layout - does it tick the boxes you want the customer to get?

Hope that this helps

Phil

 

[KreativeJuice]

Hi Dan,

Just be wary about sending them yourself as you could blacklist your domain if your over jealous.
We use constant contact (prob not the cheapest but it works for us), and design all our own and quite a few clients emails, host all the images on our site (unless the client prefers otherwise).
Check out our latest email that went out recently.
Happy to discuss with you if you feel you could do with a bit of help with the design.
Kind regards
Karen
[email protected]

 

[xhale2007]

Thanks for the mail chimp idea.

I went with this. Spent the last 3 hours making an email. After looking at kreatives latest email, i see how simple it would be to slice up my flyer and make into a html email.

Taught myself the use of maps within images

Well impressed with it. Its now winding its way to all my recent customers!

Thanks again!

Dan

 

[Mike W]

Its now winding its way to all my recent customers!

I wouldn't be so sure.

One thing Karen doesn't appear to know or forgot to mention is that emails that are 100% image, as her example is (and I guess now yours too), stand a good chance, with many ISPs, of ending up in spam/junk folders.

Quite comonly known to those more experienced.

 

[KreativeJuice]

Totally aware of the fact that 100% image emails stand a smaller chance of being delivered, but not when it comes to targeted lists that have
subscribed to your email list (which all of your contacts should have done or your spamming them).
Additionally sending the emails from a well respected email provider adds authenticity to your email as the ISPs are aware of where they are coming from as being targeted and requested there by by passing the spam restrictions usually placed by the ISPs.
Check it out there are many spam email filter checkers out there, additionally ask yourself how many emails that are similar in make up that you receive on a day today basis that dont end up in your spam folder.

 

[Mike W]

Totally aware of the fact that 100% image emails stand a smaller chance of being delivered.

Then you do not think it's pretty poor not to have mentioned that to a newbie who's come here for advice from professionals or those more experienced?

but not when it comes to targeted lists that have subscribed to your email list (which all of your contacts should have done or your spamming them).

If you know what you're doing and can be totally sure your potential recipients know what they're doing too then that's fine. But that's all not going to happen is it?

Even if the OP wasn't new to this and had advised all the people to add his address to their safe list, how many would have actually done that before receiving any of it? (because I'd hazard a guess he hasn't emailed to confirm the opt-in.)

So, the only way you can increase the chances of getting something through is to do something that is a lot more spam-friendly than your 100% image suggestion. And then once somebody's received that, that within it can more easily help suggest they add the sender to the safe list, then you're safe to go with anything you like.

That's just my humble opinion anyway.

 

[jatt]

check email marketing templates and get an idea from that. Surely you will do it yourself.

 

[Mike W]

Surely you will do it yourself.

I often find it's best to read a thread before commenting. Had you, you'd have seen he has done it himself ...and that he might well have made a mistake.

I'm often bemused by the view people have of email marketing, that 'surely' they can do it themselves. There are so many reasons why they shouldn't.

But hey, 'surely' anyone can do their own website, their own SEO, their own whatever....

Who needs professionals, eh?

 

[xhale2007]

Well it's been a little while and I've had around a 50% open rate. Worst part I got 2 abuse complaints. But it's ok at the min.

My eBay states that by purchasing you agree to be added to our listt etc.

When I add each months emails to the list, would I be best to send a standard email stating that they have been added and if they wish to unsubscribe they can do?

Dan

 

[Mike W]

Well it's been a little while and I've had around a 50% open rate. Worst part I got 2 abuse complaints. But it's ok at the min.

My eBay states that by purchasing you agree to be added to our listt etc.

When I add each months emails to the list, would I be best to send a standard email stating that they have been added and if they wish to unsubscribe they can do?

Dan

Good idea Dan.

Even though your page may say it, many don't look or think about it at the time and they certainly don't always remember ....even if they had thought about it!