In the last issue, we looked at one of the mistakes most people make in email marketing. In this edition, we’ll be looking at the last four mistakes most marketers, service providers and product creators make. In this article I must emphasize that you will get both the mistakes and the solutions. Do not just know them. Do them. I repeat; Do them. They could literally save your campaign and not only put more money in your pocket than you could have ever thought; it will create for you, a loyal following of customers and clients who trust you.

1. Bombarding your subscribers with the Buy Immediately cliché. Marketers are always looking for ways to make more money. This is a good thing in itself. But when you are dealing with your clients, it is best to not go overboard. The reason most clients sign up with your newsletter, ezine or your opt-in list is because they think you could offer them pure value. So, if you deviate from this path –providing high quality information- you are bound to lose quite a number of them and it can be hard to gain their trust again. If you used the tell-a-friend method of promotion, you are bound to have a community of friends on your list and as word-of-mouth form of advertising is the fastest means to get the word out, so also is it the quickest way to lose your subscribers. So, offer high quality information. Give them valuable nuggets. This singular tactic is responsible for needless losses in millions of dollars online. Avoid this by all means by providing high quality write ups and content.

2. Sending emails too frequently. Your customers are not robots without emotions. Unnecessarily flooding their inbox with adverts of various products in the name of email marketing will get you off their list of information providers even when you offer good information. Recent research has shown that people who use their emails frequently are attached emotionally to them. So, cluttering their inbox with repeated ads, will seem like cluttering up their homes –and you know how that feels. If you must send an email twice a day, you must have a darn good reason handy as doing otherwise is sure to hurt your email marketing campaigns.

3. Not replying to emails. Many marketers are guilty of this. There may be a legit reason like being too busy or swamped with tasks for this. While that is acceptable, you should realise that genuine customers may really need more information or clarification from you as regards your products, recommendations, or just need plain advice. Always make time for your clients, as this is very important in your email marketing campaigns. It bridges the gap between you and them. It bolsters the business relationship you might have created with them. If you are too swamped, delegate the job. Get a secretary or someone to attend to your mails frequently. It would not cost much to do this. At least you are sure to keep your clients satisfied and loyal and ultimately, make more money through email marketing.

4. Not creating emails in HTML, text, or PDF formats. You newsletter or ezine is an important part of your email marketing campaign. According to Email Labs a company specializing in email marketing research, less than 20% read their emails in HTML format. According to this research, over 65% say they prefer their email messages in either text or PDF formats. Does that mean anything? Do not create just one format. It won’t cost you much to create them in the said three formats. With this alone, you’ll have covered the whole market and given your subscribers options to read your message.