Purchasing Resources for Opt In Email Marketing

Business Guide to Opt In Email Marketing

Email is an extensively used method of business communication nowadays. Even though email usage should not substitute in-person communication, it performs several functions within a business. It can be used as an effective tool for communicating basic information, such as the latest product prices, paper use policies, or security measures. You can also use email to easily and conveniently disseminate information to all your workers with just one mouse click. Saving the email message can serve as a proof of sending or receiving message and can help to remind the recipient of relevant information. Several businesses utilize email as part of their marketing campaigns to reach targeted customers and merchants.

Benefits

According to EmailStatCenter.com, 66.7 percent of email messages delivered during the first quarter of 2011 were marketing emails, and 30 percent of email time in 2010 was spent on marketing emails. Many business owners use the Internet to market their products and services to potential clients. One way they do this is by offering free information or a free gift in exchange for an individual’s email address. This method of getting customers is called opt-in email marketing, and there are quite a few benefits to using this marketing approach.

Establishing Your Reputation

Email marketing gives you the opportunity to establish a strong reputation and relationship with your readers. If you provide useful information, there is a high likelihood that you will gain a loyal following. Once you build trust with your readers, you can begin to mix your high-quality messages with commercial messages that promote quality products. With every email you send, you have the opportunity to gain more trust from your readers, and when your readers trust you, they are more likely to purchase the products you recommend.

Price

Your only expense will be the price of your email marketing software. Many software programs offer a free trial period. Once your free trial period has expired, you’ll spend no more than $25 per month to continue using the software. As long as you keep your subscription, you are likely to get a great return on your investment.

Targeted Readers

Your readers have already expressed an interest in your industry. This is a great benefit to you, because all of your readers voluntarily provided their contact information. The individuals on your list are already interested in what you have to say. Make sure that what you say is always useful to your readers, and you will continue to have a loyal following.

Global Audience

One of the best aspects of conducting business online is the ability to reach a global audience. As your email list begins to grow, you’ll notice that your readers are from various countries throughout the world. With other forms of marketing, you are limited to specific geographical locations. With email marketing, you can reach individuals anywhere in the world.

Pitfalls

Many business owners use opt-in email marketing to establish an online presence and increase their customer base. Email marketing is a viable business marketing strategy, and many individuals have had great success using it. Although email marketing does work, there are some factors that business owners should consider before starting an email marketing campaign.

Secondary Email Accounts

When you collect email addresses in exchange for free information, the majority of addresses you receive will be from individuals who did not provide their primary email addresses. It is common for individuals to create secondary email accounts with the sole purpose of using them to receive free products and information. Therefore, many of the messages you send may go to inboxes that are not checked regularly.

Messages are Informal

Most individuals know immediately when the email they receive was delivered to multiple people. While it is possible to use email marketing programs to customize emails, this form of marketing is still very impersonal. Also, many individuals also view unsolicited emails as spam. If potential customers think you are spamming them, they may develop a negative impression of you and your business practices.

Unfixable Mistakes

Once you send an email to your list of subscribers, there is no way to retrieve it. Therefore, if you make a mistake, you cannot correct it. If you catch your error right away, you can send your subscribers a follow-up email message explaining your error. However, you must keep in mind that you can easily damage your reputation with customers if you make mistakes often.

Spam Filters

Spam filters are able to detect mass email messages quite easily, so the majority of your messages may end up in your recipients’ spam folders. The majority of individuals delete the contents of their spam folders, so there is a chance that a good portion of your subscribers will never see your messages.

Pricing

Opt in email marketing is an effective and efficient investment. According to the email marketing company StreamSend, the return on investment for this mode of advertising will be $43 for every dollar you invest. The company also states that email marketing has a 37 percent customer retention rate. Additionally, a study by the Aberdeen Group shows that another email marketing company, ConstantContact, generates 29 percent more revenue from email marketing than its competition.

Email marketing pricing plans are based on how many emails your business plans to send per month (StreamSend) or on the number of email addresses your business sends emails to (ConstantContact).

For example, if your business sends 2,000 emails monthly, SteamSend will charge you $19.90 for each month of service. These prices scale with the number of emails sent. Monthly StreamSend pricing plans are as follows:

· $19.90 for 2,000 emails per month, with a $5 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

· $39.90 for 10,000 emails per month, with a $4 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

· $59.90 for 20,000 emails per month, with a $3 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

· $99.90 for 10,000 emails per month, with a $2 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

· $159.90 for 10,000 emails per month, with a $1.60 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

· $209.90 for 10,000 emails per month, with a $1.40 surcharge for each additional 1,000 sent

Additionally, StreamSend offers a free 200 email, 30-day trial for new customers.

ConstantContact charges you monthly based on the number of contacts in your email marketing database. The company’s pricing plans are as follows:

· $15.00 per month for up to 500 email addresses

· $30.00 per month for 501 to 2,500 email addresses

· $50.00 per month for 2,501 to 5,000 email addresses

· $75.00 per month for 5,001 to 10,000 email addresses

· $150.00 per month for 10,001 to 25,000 email addresses

If your business plans on marketing to more than 25,000 email addresses, you should contact the company for pricing. Additionally, ConstantContact offers discounts if you pay for months ahead of time. Further discounts are also available to nonprofit organizations that pay ahead of time.

These companies are just two among the many options you have to fulfill your email marketing needs. Always research all possible avenues for this type of marketing to find the best fit for your business and your wallet.

Conclusion

Email marketing will allow you to promote your business while at the same time build trust with your readers, which in the long run will result in a profitable business relationship. To make your marketing campaigns work, make sure you provide your readers only with useful and pertinent information. Keep in mind that despite its widespread use, email marketing cannot replace face-to-face communication. It cannot be heavily relied upon when it comes to building relationship in the workplace, which requires social interaction. Although this method of communication is somewhat informal, see that every email message you send is totally free of error, which can easily hurt your reputation.