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12 Tips and Best Practices for Successful E-mail Newsletters and Campaigns

1. Never purchase, trade, or borrow an email list!

   This is the cardinal rule of e-mail marketing. Sending e-mail to people who have not specifically requested to receive your mailings (opted-in) is almost always regarded as spam.

2. Make signing up and unsubscribing easy and visible

   Put your form, or a link to your form, on your home page. You may only want to ask subscribers for their e-mail address, first, name, last name, and perhaps one or two other questions to target your mailings, such as their interests or demographics.

3. Use double opt-in registration

   There are two standard methods for online registration-single and double opt-in. With single opt-in, a subscriber enters his or her e-mail address and is then automatically registered. Double opt-in is the preferred method for e-mail newsletter subscriptions because it requires confirmation.

4. Link to your privacy policy

   Place a link to your privacy policy near your list sign-up form. This policy should describe how you handle the information you collect and how people can contact you in case they have any concerns or questions. Your subscribers want to be assured that you will not rent or sell their addresses or other information to third parties without their consent.

5. Send a "Welcome" message to each new subscriber

   Once someone subscribes, send a welcome message immediately. Include a description of what they will receive, how frequently they will receive it, and how to unsubscribe.

6. Keep accurate sign-up records

   Sometimes, you or your Internet Service Provider will get a spam complaint from one of your members who forgot that he or she subscribed to your list. Keep accurate subscription records, including the web site address from which they signed up and the date.

7. Ask your customers to opt-in again if you are using an older list

   If you have not sent a mailing to your subscribers for a while, ask them if they want to continue receiving your messages. Request that they opt-in to indicate they want to stay on your list by sending you an e-mail, clicking a link, or visiting a web page.

8. Remind people that they subscribed

   At the top of your messages, include a standard heading each time you send a mailing. A short note like "Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Here is our latest issue:" can make a big difference in reminding your subscribers that you are not sending them something that they did not request.

9. Avoid certain terms in your subject line and message text

   Don't use misleading Subject Lines. If your Subject Lines contain words or terms that are frequently used by spammers, there is a good chance people will delete your message without reading it and/or file a spam complaint.

10. Include your physical address and phone number

    Put your phone number and postal mailing address in your message. This gives your readers another method of contacting you. In addition, new federal legislation requires physical addresses on commercial e-mail messages.

11. Send your mailings regularly

    Unless you keep in touch with your subscribers frequently, they may forget they signed up to receive your mailings. If you adhere to a schedule, your subscribers will begin to anticipate your messages.

12. Reply promptly to each inquiry or spam complaint

    If you receive an inquiry or a spam complaint, respond to it as soon as possible. For spam complaints, include that person's subscription information with your response.