Effective Email Subject Line

Email marketing has exploded in growth over the past few years, as marketers have continued to see the benefits and outstanding ROI this marketing medium can bring. However, despite the great results being attained, many marketers still overlook a very important component of their email marketing campaigns: The Subject.

Just about everyone who uses email knows about the subject line. It's the little bit of information that is displayed along with the 'sender name' when an email lands in someone's inbox. Some email programs show the sender name, subject and a preview of the message, while other email programs only display the sender name and subject. In these latter scenarios, the subject is an even more vital part of your email marketing campaigns because that may be the single biggest factor in determining whether or not someone will open your email marketing campaign.

Far too many email marketers spend a long time perfecting their message content (which is a good thing!) and then they simply gloss over the subject. An there's the mistake. You may have the world's greatest content, but if your subject line isn't compelling enough to make your readers open the message, all that great content will just go to waste. With that in mind, here are a few tips for crafting your subject line:

1. Short & Simple: A Few Words Can Go A Long Way

A good subject line is short and to the point. Many email programs restrict the amount of characters that are displayed in the subject. What this means is that your subject may get cut short. Worse yet, you don't really know where it will get cut off, which would lead to some highly unexpected results. Imagine sending out an email campaign to business professionals with the subject line: "Learn to Diversify Your Sales Strategy." Now imagine if that subject gets cuts short by your readers' email programs, and all they see is "Learn to Dive". Chances are, your business-focused readers won't care to open that message. On the other hand, if your subject is just a few words, and is direct and to the point, then it will be displayed fully and you will know with the utmost confidence what each recipient is getting the context of your email marketing campaign, regardless of their email software.

2. Pique Your Readers Interest Everyday

People receive a lot of email messages, so you want to make sure your email marketing campaign cuts through the clutter. For your email marketing campaign to succeed, you need to pique people's interest. After all, it is their choice as to whether or not they open your email. And if the subject doesn't elicit some interest or curiosity, then it can easily be skimmed over. The best way to come up with a captivating and interesting subject line is to put yourself in your readers' shoes. Don't tell them what you think they want to hear; tell them what they actually want to hear! This can be tough because you need to keep it short (as per point 1), but a few words is more than enough to get a reader's mouth wet and make him or her want to know more. Remember, if your subject is dull, boring, or completely uninteresting, your reader will go looking for the delete button, and no email marketer wants that.

3. Cheesy or Overly Exaggerated Subjects Doesn't Fool Anyone

If you send out an email and in the subject you promise that "all of your dreams will come true", today's consumer will likely delete your email marketing campaign prior to even reading another word. If your subject guarantees your readers will be rich beyond their wildest dreams, then it will almost always get trashed (not to mention classified as spam). Today's consumer is very savvy and these cheesy, out-dated gimmicks simply don't work. Before writing your subject, assume that each one of your recipients is very well aware that your product or service is not the miracle of all miracles. The moment you send out an email with an overly gimmicky subject, you are really shooting yourself in the foot. This is not to say the content of your message is not special, but with limited reading time for emails, people quickly dismiss anything that sounds "too good to be true". Make sure your email marketing campaigns don't get filed into this notorious group!

4. Be Honest: Describe Your Content

Your email marketing subject should not be conjured up in isolation of your actual email content. They should go hand-in-hand, where the subject nicely describes what the reader can expect in the body of your email marketing campaign. Far too many times in the quest for the perfect subject (and while following the points above) an email marketer will stray so far away from their content that the subject ends up having nothing to do with the message. This is a catastrophic mistake because in addition to the subject acting as a determining factor for opening your email, it also sets up the reader's mentality for what they can expect to see in your email marketing campaign. If they open your message expecting to see tips for effective email marketing, but instead you give them tips for dieting, they will swiftly close your message. While a goal of the subject is to get the reader to open he message, you also want to set it up so that the reader keeps reading. And you can only do that when your subject is honest. After all, if you're trying to fool your readers into opening your message, then you can't expect them to be that attached to what you eventually want to say.

A good email marketing subject can go a long way towards boosting your results and helping you achieve your goals. This important part of every email marketing campaign should be given some serious thought and, when combined with the points above, will help more people open your email and read your content.

About the Author: Robert Burko is the President of EliteEmail.com, the leading email marketing program, serving thousands of businesses across the globe. The EliteEmail.com email marketing service is part of the EliteAnswers.com family.

Want to be successful selling affiliate products? Then you NEED to build an opt-in list
By Derek Gehl

One of my readers, Wayne, recently wrote in to ask the following question:

"All I would like to do is affiliate marketing without list building, etc. Is this still possible today? More important, is it possible to make a living doing this or do I need to move on?"

Honestly, Wayne, if you're not willing to build a list of people you can stay in touch with via email, then my advice to you is: Move on.

Can you make sales as an affiliate without doing email marketing? Sure. But if you actually want to be successful, then email marketing is THE key strategy you can't live without.

When I look at my own affiliate program -- and the affiliate programs of my most successful students -- I see that 95% of all "Super Affiliates" have their own substantial opt-in list. And that list is the reason for their success.

If you're unfamiliar with the term "Super Affiliate," it refers to affiliates who generate significant sales on a consistent basis and typically earn their living entirely through affiliate marketing.

(Yes! It can be done -- if you go about it correctly.)

Sure, you can earn some money by building a high traffic site and funneling traffic to the different affiliate programs you belong to -- but if you don't have an opt-in offer that allows you to capture your visitors' email addresses, you'll never be able to market to them again in the future.

The same principle applies if you run a business selling your own product.

If you sell someone a product and you don't capture their email address, then you can't send them offers for additional products in the future. And that severely limits the lifetime value of your customers.

Affiliate marketing is no different.

Remember, the first sale (or commission) is only the beginning! Your existing customers will always be your best leads. They're the ones who have shown they trust you enough to act on one of your offers -- and they'll be far more likely to respond to your future offers as well.

It all comes down to the 80-20 rule... 20% of your customers will ultimately be responsible for 80% of your sales. If you don't give them the opportunity to become repeat buyers, then you're seriously missing out!

So if you're considering affiliate marketing as an opportunity, don't forget that the superstars of affiliate marketing are also savvy email marketers as well.

But if you remove email marketing from the equation, your chances for success will decrease exponentially.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Derek Gehl specializes in teaching real people how to start profitable Internet businesses that make $100,000 to $2.5 Million (or more) per year. To get instant access to all his most profitable marketing campaigns, strategies, tools, and resources that he's used to grow $25 into over $60 Million in online sales, visit: http://www.marketingtips.com/tipsltr.html

7 Great Email Habits for the Beginning Internet Entrepreneur

Submitted by Guest

If you are just starting out as an Internet entrepreneur then you have a lot to learn about doing business online. One such thing you need to concentrate on is your e-mailing habits. E-mail is your way of communicating with people and potential customers, so developing good e-mail habits early on is very important.

Habit #1 Respond Quickly
Always respond as quickly as possible to an e-mail. Don’t respond so quickly that you do not answer the questions or write properly, but respond as fast as you possibly can. One to two days maximum.

Habit #2 Grammar and Spelling
As a beginning Internet entrepreneur you cannot risk losing customers because you can’t write properly or spell. Fortunately, spellchecker and grammar check will help you with this. Be sure to use it with every e-mail.

Habit #3 Appropriate Subject and Format
Make sure the subject heading is filled in and gives the reader some clue as to the content of the e-mail. Then, make sure the format of the e-mail is similar to that of a real business letter. Lastly, don’t forget to keep it short and sweet. When you write a long drawn out e-mail you will lose people’s attention.

Habit #4 Address Recipient
Always address the recipient of the e-mail. You don’t have to start out with Dear Recipient, but their name should definitely be addressed. This gives a more professional look to your e-mail, which is just what you are trying to accomplish as a new Internet entrepreneur.

Habit #5 Provide Contact Information
Always provide your contact information in your e-mail following your signature. This way individuals will be able to visit your website, call you, fax or e-mail you without having to ask you for this information or do any extra research. Make it easy.

Habit #6 Cases
Don’t use all upper case or all lower case. Type correctly, just like you would write. You would never send a business letter in all caps or all lowercase, so don’t send e-mails this way either. Some people will interpret this as either screaming or whispering, respectively, and some might think it is just unprofessional. Avoid this and type correctly.

Habit #7 Previous Messages
When you respond to someone and are answering their questions be sure to include the previous e-mail so they may see exactly what you are replying to. Frequently, people send e-mails and when you reply without the previous e-mail attached they have no idea what you are responding to. The best thing is to copy parts of the previous e-mail and paste it in your e-mail with your response. Or be very specific when answering questions, such as restating them, for the convenience of your reader. If not, you will waste your time and theirs and not be perceived as a professional.

About the Author

Michael Turner reveals his foolproof way to increase website traffic in his free 7 part mini-series. Grab it free right now at http://www.powertraffictactics.com/

Source: ArticleTrader.com

Your Money Is Still In Your List - Build It!

Submitted by Guest

You are a home business entrepreneur. You have just built a fantastic website, acquired a host of good products but your advertising budget is small. How do you go about enticing people to your website? I know exactly how you feel because, like lots of small home business entrepreneurs, I have been right where you are now.

Even if you’ve only been marketing on the Internet for a short time, I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “the money is in the list”. A good email opt-in list – a list you build yourself, is worth its weigh in gold. It is the difference between being wildly successful and falling into the deep black hole of cyberspace. So how you go about building an opt-in list without much money?

There are several ways to go about capturing leads cheaply or for free. The most common method is to offer a free newsletter on your site. People who surf the web surf do so mainly for information. Giving them what they want, works. Offer free information as an incentive to join your list. Free works! Don’t' offer something that is available everywhere you turn on the Internet. Offer something of value – a mind-blowing free report, an e-book packed with great information or an awesome free gift.

There are numerous free list-building programs that offer ways you can build your list. The List Builder's Club, The List Machine, ListDotCom and Opportunity.com are just a few of the good ones available. Sign up with one or all of them and see if they are what you are looking for. If they are not, there is no need to waste time with them.

Because of the spam factor, buying leads does not work as well as it used to but it is still quite effective. It just takes more leads to get the desired response. Right now lead companies are falling over themselves to sell single opt-in leads cheaper than their competitors. Some companies are literally giving them away free for a limited time at the rate of 2,000 per day. Sign up with one of these companies and find an autoresponder service still willing to allow you to import purchased leads. It is a numbers game. Let's say you only get 50 – 100 sign-ups for your newsletter out of each 2,000, it is still not a bad deal. That is 1,500 – 3,000 additions to your list each month at a fraction of what it would cost to buy double opt-in leads. It is then up to you to build a relationship with the ones who have agreed to opt-in to your list.

Traffic Exchanges are great places for getting leads. Don’t expect a huge number of direct signups for your programs from them. Most of the people surfing the Traffic Exchanges are advertising their products or sites. They are not looking for programs to join.
The best way I've found to work the Traffic Exchanges, is to join a few lead generation programs of your choice and advertise them on the Traffic Exchanges. The people surfing the Traffic Exchanges who are not getting results are open to offers from new recruiting programs.

Run contests on your website and have people subscribe to your newsletter as a requirement of entry. If your newsletter is any good they will continue to receive it even after the contest is over.

A fantastic list building method that requires no expenditure is writing articles. Write articles and submit them to web sites, e-zines and other places on the Internet. E-zine publishers are constantly looking for fresh content so articles will always be in demand. "I can't write"! Sure you can! If it means the difference between starvation and making money, you discover just how well you can write. Get out your notepad and sit at your computer with the TV and radio off and get something on the page. Everything improves with practice and your writing will too. Try it. You have nothing to loose and you may find you are a fantastic writer. Write about something you know are familiar with or are an expert on. If you blatantly advertise your products in your article, it will not be accepted. You can advertise your website or your expertise in your Home Business in the resource box at the end of your article.

I have found that it is best to implement several methods to build your list quickly. Whatever method you use, remember that for email marketing to be effective it must be targeted. Your prospective customers must be interested in your product or service.

List building is not a get rich quick method but it is still extremely effective. It takes time to build a responsive email list and it may be several months before it becomes the moneymaker you anticipate. With this in mind plan a really good lead building strategy from the outset and you should gradually see your profits soar. Your money is still in your list.

About the Author

Janice Sharman currently runs the Sure Profits Center. Get ALL the Home Business Internet Marketing Information and Resources You'll Ever Need to Profit on the Internet! Subscribe to her 'Secrets To Sure Profits' Newsletter at http://www.profits4sure.com

Source: ArticleTrader.com

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Autoresponder Email Service vs Software
by: Bina Omar

A followup autoresponder is essential for any web based business. The question is should you sign up for an autoresponder email service or buy a software or script with a one time investment?

To answer this simply: It really depends on your needs.

If you’re just starting out, with no special or unusual requirements, then I would highly recommend that you go with an autoresponder email service.

I myself started out with a service and later converted to a script. If I knew then, what I know now, I would have stayed with a service and saved myself much unneeded headaches.

Here’s just several reasons why I believe you should go with an autoresponder service:

* Access to the latest

With a service, you don’t have to keep up with everything that’s going on in the autoresponder and bulk mailing world. It’s the autoresponder service’s job to keep track of what’s happening and to make sure that they offer you the latest features and that they keep in line with the latest rules and regulations. All you have to do, is log in and read about it in the nice yellow announcement box on your main account page.

* Deliverability

Let’s face it. This is probably the biggest problem that anyone doing bulk mailing faces. Most say that it is easier to just install a script on your own servers and increase your chances of getting through ISP filters and having your email delivered. The reason being because you are on your own servers and therefore, have your own unique IP. As opposed to sharing IPs with every other autoresponder user who could be spamming addicts.

It is not uncommon, however, for you to get blacklisted by ISPs even if the script is on your own servers. And when that does happen, an autoresponder service with qualified staffs would probably be in a better position to "negotiate" with the ISPs to get unblacklisted.

But the reality is, there’s more to increasing mail deliverability then just your IP address. There's the server sending the email, the content of the message, the URLs in the message, the DNS and other technical settings of the machine, and a host of other factors … Having to keep up with all these, in itself, is a full time job.

* Affordable monthly fee

Surprised? This is probably one of the main reasons why most would switch to a software or script - to run away from the monthly fee. But believe me when I say, in the long run, it’s cheaper to pay the monthly fee. You’ve got to consider firstly, the initial investment, and then there’s the hiring of someone to repair it when it "acts up". And don’t forget the fee you have to pay to upgrade to the "latest" version that includes the latest cool features. Remember, we are working on the internet where the law and technology is changing ever so quickly. Oh, and there is, of course, the additional cost of herbal medicine to get rid of your persistent headache as you try to keep up with your script’s "attitude".

The above reasons should be enough to convince you to go with an autoresponder service. The only reason that may require you to have your own autoresponder script installed on your own server is if you need more control over how your script works. Here are my reasons for switching to my own script:

* Integration with other scripts

I needed my subscriber database to synchronize with my membership database. When someone subscribes to a certain list, they would automatically be subscribed as a member. And when someone subscribes as a member, they would automatically be subscribed to the special list. I needed this to work with unsubscriptions as well.

* More control over autoresponder features

At the time I switched to a script, I needed more features than was offered by a service. The script allowed me to have unlimited autoresponders with unlimited messages with tracking systems and rss capability. All of which, surprise surprise, is now available with a service.

So, if you think you need a feature that is missing from a service, you can be doubly sure that you’re not the only one and that the service will quickly pick this up. It would probably take a bit more time but it will turn up.

* Control over subscriber list

I had built an email list of a few hundred when I decided to change over to a script. By the time I realized that I should have stuck with a service, I had then build my list to a couple of thousands. I did try to make a switch back but list imports to reliable autoresponder services require people to double opt in. Which reduced my list number to about 30 people.

They say that if people wouldn’t bother clicking on your confirmation link, it’s because they don’t want to be on your list in the first place. They probably just haven’t had the chance to click on your unsubscribe link. If this is the case, then this reason would be invalid.

To sum things up … just stick to an autoresponder email service … unless you desperately require a unique feature that is critical in determining the success of your online business.

Copyright 2006 Bina Omar

Source: ArticleCity.com