Meet Expectations and Make Your Subscribers Happy
As a follow-up to our email marketing blog post about being relevant to help you avoid declining CTRs, I want to remind you of one simple thing you can do to improve your entire email marketing program: Tell consumers what to expect. Then deliver it.
I am still shocked, as 2010 comes to an end, at how many websites expect you to sign up for emails with no sales pitch, no description of what you’ll get, no nothing. They simply put an email signup box on every web page and think you’ll sign up.
OK, some people will. But without establishing expectations upfront, those companies are setting themselves up to disappoint the subscribers…which leads to ignored emails, unsubscribes and even spam complaints.
It’s not hard. All you have to do is this:
- Have a page on your website that tells people why they should sign up for your emails and what they can expect in content and frequency.
- Send a welcome email after they sign up reiterating these promises.
- Then do what you say you’re going to do.
You know what happens when you are straightforward like this? You establish expectations and you meet them.
And if you find it difficult to include this kind of information on your website, well, that might mean your email marketing program needs to be revisited! If you’re not sure what you’re going to deliver to subscribers, stop looking to build your in-house email list and get clear on what you’re offering.
It really is that simple. It really is just email marketing best practices.
About the Author: Jared LaRock
