Email Marketing: Tips and Tools

With today's email filters and professional spammers, it is important to make sure your emails don't land in the Junk folder.

Start with the basics: CAN-SPAM Act
The CAN-SPAM Act establishes the rules for using email marketing. This applies to using email lists or sending emails in bulk to people that you do not know. In addition to prohibiting false header or subject information, the law requires that you:

• provide recipients an opt-out method
• include your physical street address
• identify that the message is an advertisement

All of these can be at the bottom of the email message. If you are emailing to existing customers, you are exempt from some of these requirements. Click here for more information. If you receive marketing email that does not comply, you can forward it to: spam@uce.gov.

Beyond CAN-SPAM Act: Permission Based Email Marketing
Here are 6 elements to permission-based email marketing. This article has specific acceptable and unacceptable practices for permission based email marketing.

Using html? Emails with code errors may be junked
You can validate your code for free at http://validator.w3.org/.

Want more help?
This site gives you nuts and bolts in creating effective email campaigns: http://www.lyris.com/resources/email-marketing/.

Books on Permission Based Email

Permission Based Email that Works