It still amazes me some of the email marketing messages I receive! Does anyone look at these before they are sent! Here is what I call the “7 Deadly Sins of Email Marketing”.
- Images going last – we all like to look at good photography and yes a picture is worth a thousand words, so why put it at the bottom of the message? And make sure they are your best images. I just received an email from a hotel in Washington, DC promoting Holiday stays and the lead in image is the Lincoln Memorial. Yes it speaks Washington, but not a stay in a beautiful historic property!
- Links that don’t work! How frustrating is this! Your reader wants to follow the invitation to visit a web site and the link doesn’t work. Always test, and then test again.
- Who sent this email? Often the “from” is some random name or the exciting “info@” address. Make it personal!
- Why is the logo at the bottom of the message? Just like images your logo, which is also your brand, needs to be visible from the beginning. Don’t hide it! Too many times I actually have to hunt to find out where this email is coming from!
- Over communication – sure there are some organizations or companies who may need to communicate on a daily basis but that is rare. Prepare a basic email calendar, such as two times a month and stick with it! Special updates are fine, but weekly emails are overkill!
- Too Much Content – it is an update, maybe a newsletter – not a novel! The idea is too entice the reader, preferably to your web site or perhaps to a specific event. Too much information will just overwhelm the reader.
- Add to the Conversation – remember to add your social media links! Don’t loose this opportunity to engage your potential customer.
It really isn’t that difficult! Need some help with your email marketing campaigns? Just want a new set of eyes to review your last few emails and give some suggestions? Just give us a call at 301-3401-700 or send us an email at hotelmarket@aol.com.
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