In some ways, we can consider email revolutionary. It even predates the ancestor of the Internet, the ARPANET. In 1965, the first version of email was found on computers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a program called “MAILBOX.” In just over ten years, people saw the potential of email marketing, but because that method didn’t exist at the time, Gary Thuerk ended up pioneering the first spam message when he sent the same email to 400 people in 1978.
Today, we know that there is a clear distinction between spam and email marketing. But usually, when people think of spam, the first thing that comes to mind is messages telling them that a million dollars is waiting for them and all they have to do is click the button. By this standard, almost anyone can identify which messages are considered spam.
Since no one is fooled by that anymore, spammers have become more knowledgeable with their techniques. And sometimes, this means that even your techniques can get lost in spam ploys. So if you’re building your own email marketing campaign strategy, here are some tips to help you distinguish legitimate email marketing from spam.
Spam is sent without permission, email marketing requests
If you notice, legitimate campaigns start with a subscription form on websites. As a business owner, you should respect your customers enough to let them decide if they want to receive weekly email updates from you.
Spam messages are intrusive and there is almost never a way to unsubscribe from their mailing list. But one conclusion of spam is that they offer something to their readers (not real, but it’s the idea that counts). Mention what you can offer your readers, like a free trial or a free PDF, so they know what they can get by signing up for your emails.
Spam enters misleading subject lines, email marketing sends specific lines
Spam messages often promise something big in their subject lines. But even legitimate email marketers get carried away with using subject lines like “Your invitation from us” or “Your gift is waiting.” Studies show that the click-through rate for emails with deceptive subject lines is close to zero. Why even bother?
Everyone knows this tactic, too. Admit it; you would never open an email that says “your gift is waiting for you”.
At this point, one of the best methods to get users to open your emails is to use open loops or incomplete ideas. For example, you could use “The only thing I wish I’d learned in college is…” to make recipients want to know more.
Spam makes it impossible for users to unsubscribe from mailing lists, email marketing honors opt-outs.
As email marketers, you need to make sure that you give your recipients options to opt out of receiving your emails. Along with this, good email marketing not only allows users to opt out, but presents clear and concise explanations of how users can opt out. Be sure to give your recipients a return email address as well.
It’s worth noting that some email marketers still act intrusively, sending certain types of emails to people who have already opted out. You must honor recipients who request to opt out of receiving all commercial messages. Remember, at its core, spam is a large amount of unsolicited messages.
When you follow the email marketing guidelines and respect your customers, you know your campaign can and will be successful. It all comes down to your strategy. With the help of some experts in email campaign management, your business can deliver the best email campaign without bordering on spam.