Ten tips for better results from email marketing.

• Position: MARKETING NEWS

EMAIL MARKETING CAN APPEAR DAUNTING WITH ALL THE LAWS, spam filters, and confusion over the best method to use. Whether you're an e-marketing novice or you've tried it before, learning the tricks of the trade can make the process more comfortable and successful, according to Greg Brown, director of marketing for Melissa Data, a direct marketing software and services company. After reviewing the campaigns the company has run for customers, Brown came up with the following 10 tips to get the best results from your email marketing campaigns:

1. Start with the reader's point of view in mind. This may seem obvious, but you have to approach all marketing from a reader's point of view. This is especially true for email marketing, where the recipients will judge usually within seconds whether they want to open your email. If you yourself would not open it if it came to you, chances are your readers won't either.

2. Choose a compelling subject line. This is probably the biggest success factor in getting yourself exposed. Remember, no one will see all you have to offer them if they don't open your email--and they will choose whether to open it based on the subject line. A catchy subject line can be a little creative, or very to-the-point if you are advertising a basic need that everyone can use. What you might view as your best benefit may not be the best subject line, because--remember--readers need to trust you in order to open your mail. You can get to the rest within the body.

3. Structure your email body right. This is more complex, but very important. Once again, you need to look from the reader's point of view, and think about their eye flow as they read. This might mean leaving wordy information for the end of the email and instead starting with a compelling question, offer, or great benefit to capture the reader's attention. A few pictures can enhance your email: but remember it is not a website. Too much content will overwhelm the reader and they will get bored quickly.

4. Think strategically. As a business, you must market your company based on the real best reason to do business with you. There might be many impressive aspects to your company, but focus on the reason people will actually choose to buy. This can really be different than your first instinct on email marketing.

5. Lead the reader intuitively to buy. Some of the best emails I've seen give very compelling reasons and very naturally convince you to "click here" for more information...