Continued from page 1
4) Maintain an updated list of all subscribers To protect yourself from any legal backlashes, maintain an updated list of all subscribers to your e-zines. If possible you should also have ISP addresses saved for future reference. If your subscribers choose to complain about your e-zines being an invasion of their privacy, you should be able to show them proof of their subscription, complete with dates and ISP address. This list if properly maintained can save you a lot of trouble later on.
5)Utilize subscribers information for better service As I mentioned earlier, people are more likely to feel a bond with you if messages to them are personalized. Personalized salutations especially are a powerful attention grabbing way that improves chances that reader will read your mail and better still respond to offer included in it. Avoid using salutations such as “To whoever it may concern”, “Dear Unknown”, “To Subscriber”. Instead try to have subscriber’s name in salutation but only when you are certain about their names, otherwise refer to them by their email addresses for example, “Dear myname@yahoo.com” etc. Making a mistake in salutation ensures that your mail will never see light of day and your effort will be wasted. Do not use any personal information provided for any purpose not clearly indicated in your Legal Disclaimer.
6) Respond promptly and clearly to all enquiries On Net, best way to assure your clients of your dedication to their best interests is by a quick, clear and informative reply to their email questions. You should have a 24 hour reply service that generates automated messages in absence of someone to reply to subscriber’s question. Good customer support is paramount to your success on Net. Subscribers need to feel that they are cared for otherwise they will go elsewhere where they feel that their time, effort and money are going to be better appreciated.
7) Allow opt-out with every email sent It is necessary to have an opt-out section in every email you send out to your mailing list subscribers. Humans are by nature dynamic and this means that change is inevitable. Someone who may have been interested in your newsletter may no longer have a need for it. Be sure to have clear and easy to understand instruction for anyone who for any reason might want to discontinue their receipt of your mailing. When a subscriber opts to unsubscribe, make sure that you send a confirmation mail to indicate that they have been removed from mailing list. The subscriber should leave with no dissatisfaction as to your conduct as a Web marketer. You should avoid creating bad blood as it might come back to haunt you.
8) Give something of value in return to subscriber’s time You subscribers should feel that there is mutual benefit by their subscribing to your mailing list. When subscriber receives any email from you, they should feel that by reading it even without taking up offers included, that they are already gaining valuable information. Just like content on your site, content in your mail is important if you are to have a loyal and devoted group of subscribers.
Charlz Wachira is CEO and co-founder of http//www.e-gnorance.com, an online venture aimed at promoting entrepreneurial endeavors globally. He writes on a variety of issues related to entrepreneurship, e-commerce and online marketing.