How to create professional looking marketing emails?

[richmondfloyd]

Hi,

Looking to send out an email marking message using mac mail, but want something a little flasher that is currently capable just bolding and colouring fonts.

Kind regards,

 

[Target]

Excuse me if I've got this wrong but is Mac mail the Apple equivalent of Outlook? If so, I'd say don't waste your time. There's more than enough affordable (in some cases free) commercial email delivery systems out there that will do an infinitely better job. For a start, they'll provide delivery metrics and handle unsubscribes (a legal requirement) automatically. Otherwise, you'll have absolutely no idea which emails got through, which bounced (maybe due to a mis-typed address) etc.

Also, if you want to include any pdfs, a delivery system will handle that more efficiently (and not as an attachment).

You'll also benefit from the use of free html templates to make your email look more professional. Even if you wanted to send a plain text email, I'd still urge you to use a commercial system.

If you're not sure which system to choose, head over to this page on our website and you can download a free side-by-side comparison of 5 of the better-known systems on the market:

http://www.small-business-database-marketing.com/downloads.html

George

 

[simonr]

I use Thunderbird to do this because we don't send mass emails out often enough to justify even the very small costs of doing it 'properly'. You can bung html in there pretty easily to make it look okay - but it might not be worth the time involved....

I'd also check with your ISP - they may not take too kindly to huge email batches coming out from your office.... Mine were cool about it but that might have been because I checked with them first and because our lists are smmaaalllllll!

S

 

[Target]

Some systems have a free version (note - free means it COSTS NOTHING) specifically for businesses with small email lists, so that's not a good reason for trying to cobble together something amateurish with the likes of Thunderbird. And why on earth take the risk of having your domain blacklisted?

We have some clients with an email list of just a few hundred who generate a ROI of 1000%+.

George

 

[richmondfloyd]

Thank you very much for your replies. George, I'll check out that link.

We won't be sending many emails, but want them to look professional.

 

[Deancourt Design]

Try Mailchimp (search online), it's got everything you could ever need and is free so long as the email is below 1000 (I think).

 

[channs]

I use aweber, this allows to build a list and "Broadcast" to your list. There are many templates covering many different genre's which you can pick from.

Aweber costs around $19/month for info

hope this helps

S

 

[Target]

Mailchimp certainly is one of the better options, and is one of the 5 systems included in our side-by-side comparison (see link in post above). It does come with implications for UK businesses, though, in terms of the customer contact data you can and can't use.

George

 

[jonmcculloch]

Hi,
Looking to send out an email marking message using mac mail, but want something a little flasher that is currently capable just bolding and colouring fonts.
Kind regards,

My advice is don't bother with any of this... and while you SHOULD use a commercial autoresponder, you probably should NOT be using fancy HTML.

I wrote a couple of detailed posts about this on my blog (send me a PM if you want me to give you the specific links, because I'm not sure if I'm allowed to put them in this post).

For all sorts of reasons, fancy HTML looks a mess at the other end, usually.

What's more, in testing I've done to my list and others the fact is simply formatted emails get a better open rate and a better click through rate, and so with all other things being equal, will make more sales.

Warmly,

Jon

 

[Minuteman Press]

our side-by-side comparison (see link in post above).

George

If I do enter my email / name on your site in order to download the attachment, am I assured I will not receive subsequent emails? I do not see an opt out option? Probably just me!

 

[DeadlineData]

We liked the majority of the globe, are finding more recipients are opening their emails on a mobile device rather than laptop/pc.

As a result our new email marketing is more focused on mobile technology than the good ol' fashioned way.

We are heavily moving away from html emails. Just our preference

 

[Target]

If I do enter my email / name on your site in order to download the attachment, am I assured I will not receive subsequent emails? I do not see an opt out option? Probably just me!

Peter, our privacy policy is directly above the sign-up/download form on http://www.small-business-database-marketing.com/downloads.html. The quid pro quo for you receiving what is effectively highly specialised information free of charge is you may receive a VERY occasional email that - as it states - will have something interesting/useful/valuable. If it isn't, you simply unsubscribe at any time.

By the way, this is exactly how I advise our clients to build their own opted-in lists. Make it a transaction by offering something of value in return for a sign-up, then pull out all the stops to make subsequent communications valuable enough to retain subscribers.

If you have any further questions, just pm me or contact me via our website.

George

 

[headshotlondon]

Try dotMailer. They have a free trial as well. You can do bulk sending and use their free templates. All to make sure your emails look professional.

 

[Target]

Dotmailer is one of the systems included in our head-to-head comparison factsheet.

George