13 Tricks to Make Your Email Campaigns Delete-Proof

Your customers' email addresses are a precious commodity – a golden ticket that gives you a free pass straight to their inbox, where (at least in most cases) you have far less competition for their attention than in their Facebook or Twitter feeds. If they’ve entrusted you with this level of access, it’s important to make sure that you're always a welcome presence and that they not only open your messages but even look forward to receiving them. At all costs, you must avoid abusing this privilege with emails that come so frequently or offer so little value that your recipients unsubscribe. Once you’ve been banned from their inbox, you'll probably never get a second chance to earn your way back in. By using the tactics outlined below, you can create powerful email marketing campaigns that are not only spared from the dreaded delete key but that also further advance the trust your customers have in your brand and, ultimately, drive them to buy from you time after time.

1. Make it worth their while.

The most important ingredient of a must-read email is the subject line. Keep it short and choose your words wisely. The recipient’s decision to open or delete hinges on your ability to make the case that your message is worth their time and attention. The best, most enticing subject lines convey to the recipient that the information that follows is urgent, unique or extremely useful – like in the example from Epicurious above, which featured the subject line "Packed Lunches, Made With Love." After all, what parent who faces the tedious task of packing school lunches every day wouldn’t be drawn in to read more?

2. Inspire and inform.

In today’s age of information overload, a brief but indispensable tip or inspirational message – whether it arrives on a daily, weekly or monthly basis – can be a refreshing change of pace for your customers.

3. Sell them a solution.

Don’t talk to your customers about your products or services. Talk to them about their needs and problems and give them a road map to solutions.

4. Make the ordinary extraordinary.

Emails with no other purpose than seeking “likes” for your Facebook page or follows for your Twitter stream are a dime a dozen and almost assuredly destined for the trash. However, if you can illustrate the valuable content and community connections that your customers are missing if they’re not part of the conversation, they’ll be much more likely not only to take notice but to take action as well.

5. Don’t underestimate the power of a good deal.

Everyone loves a deal, which is why discounts and free shipping offers are sure-fire attention-grabbers. Get more mileage out of your campaign by encouraging your customers to share their special offer with their friends via email or Facebook.

6. Demonstrate incredible value.

Discounts aren’t the only way to reel in bargain-lovers. Another equally effective approach is to provide creative, budget-friendly ideas and strategies that will let them satisfy their wants and desires without breaking the bank.

7. Turn them on to trends.

People like to be in the know about what’s new and what’s coming next. Give your customers the inside dish on the latest trends while highlighting the must-have items of the moment.

8. Show them what they’re missing.

No one likes to think they’re missing out on something that will save them money, make their life easier, solve a problem or even make them the envy of their friends and neighbors. Showcase your most popular products and feature reviews or testimonials from customers who love them. Nothing tips the scales toward a sale like the rave review of another customer who simply can’t live without whatever it is you’re selling.

9. Give the gift of ideas.

From Valentine's Day to Mother's Day to graduations and Christmas, your customers have at least as many gift-giving occasions as there are months of the year. For those times when they're in search of that perfect present, a well-timed email with creative ideas at a variety of price points is a welcome source of inspiration.

10. Gain a lot with a giveaway.

There’s nothing like the allure of a giveaway to motivate your customers not only to read  your email but to take the action you desire, whether it’s reviewing a product, “liking” your brand on Facebook or providing a referral to a friend.

11. Campaign for a cause.

Tying your email marketing campaign to a charitable cause is a win for everyone. Not only will your promotion be more attention-worthy but your customers will get a feel-good boost for choosing to spend their hard-earned dollars in a way that benefits the greater good.

12. Get the party started.

Building your campaign around events or classes offers your customers the opportunity to meet others who share similar interests and learn something new. Enhance your invitation with an exclusive discount for event attendees, and you’ll deliver an even more powerful motivational punch.

13. Invite them in.

Sometimes a simple email can open the door to a much deeper level of engagement. Remind your customers that your experts are available to them one-on-one and that together, you can identify the products and services that are the best fit for their specific needs and goals.

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Get it Write: How to Use White Papers to Establish Your Expertise

Growing a business in today’s marketplace begins and ends with building trust with your customers.

There’s no more direct route to earning that trust than by demonstrating your expertise in your field. If you can convince a prospective customer that you not only understand their needs and problems but know exactly what’s required to solve them, then it’s hardly a big leap for them to believe that you’re the best one for the job.

White papers are a marketing tactic that provides a proving ground for your expertise. By conveying objective information, thorough analysis and useful insights, a white paper is an effective strategy for cementing your customers’ confidence and trust in the products or services you offer.

Here’s what you need to know to create a successful white paper that will help you capture and convert more customers:

What is a white paper, exactly, and how is it different from a blog article?

A white paper is an in-depth report on a specific topic. White papers differ from blog posts in tone, scope, length and audience.

Unlike blog articles, white papers are not designed for the casual reader but for one who is seeking comprehensive information in order to help them achieve a specific objective or make an important purchasing decision. Also, while blog posts are conversational in tone and based largely in opinion, white papers should be formal and fact based.

There is no set length that your white paper must be to qualify. Depending on the topic, a well-written, well-supported four-page document can be sufficient to get the job done; likewise, an exhaustive 10-page report is sometimes what’s needed to give the reader the depth of information they desire. The key is to be objective and thorough.

Target audience

Before you begin, you must define who it is that you desire to reach based on your business growth goals. This is key to determining both the topic you should cover and the approach you should take in doing so.

For your white paper to be successful, you need to make sure that it addresses a need or issue that is common among this audience and that it provides answers and insights in language and on a level they will find relatable.

For example, a white paper on social media aimed at reaching C-suite-level marketing executives would be much different than one on the same subject targeted to entrepreneurs who are launching a new business.

Content and voice

Your white paper must maintain a sense of objectivity. This is the time to persuade through logic, not emotion.

If a reader feels manipulated, then they will view your report with suspicion, and you will lose credibility by association – the exact opposite of the outcome you desire.

Establish a strong sense of credibility by covering all aspects of your chosen subject – both positive and negative. You may even go so far as to compare and contrast your product with others.

Remember to do your homework. Unlike a blog post that represents your own point of view, a good white paper should incorporate research from other respected sources to substantiate your points. Your job is to pull together the existing data and information on your subject, offer thoughtful analysis and provide your own unique insights.

Don’t be afraid to share the types of insider information you’d normally reserve for paying clients. Doing so will only whet your reader’s appetite to seek out more of your expertise.

Make sure you conclude with a call to action. Don’t go straight for the kill with a pitch like “For more information, call our sales department.” Instead, provide options that allow your reader to further their engagement with your brand, whether that’s by subscribing to your blog or e-newsletter, passing your white paper along to their friends and colleagues via social media networks or downloading other white papers on related topics.

Design

Keep in mind: it’s a white paper, not a bland paper. Just because it’s factual and objective in nature doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care to ensure that the information is presented in a visually appealing manner that is a good representation of your brand.

Use charts, graphs and images wherever possible to illustrate your point. And make sure that your choice of typography and colors makes it easy to read, whether on screen or in hard copy form.

Marketing

Your job doesn’t end when you put the final touches on your white paper. After all, it can’t help you get customers if customers don’t know where to find it.

For your white paper to be read, you need to market it well and to the right audience. Promoting your white paper includes everything from having the right title to employing effective distribution methods.

Your white paper is more likely to be read if it is clearly labeled with a strong title. The title of your white paper must be focused and ultra-specific. It should be as concise as possible while communicating to the reader exactly what they can expect to learn from it.

When it comes to spreading the word about your white paper, there are many avenues you can take.

Include links to your white paper in your company’s e-newsletter. When you do so, boost your chances of a click-through by linking directly to a specific section of the white paper that’s most relevant to the content of your newsletter. Instant gratification works in your favor here.

Don’t forget to spread the word about your white paper to your fans and followers on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, using Twitter’s hashtag function to target users searching for a specific topic. Discussion boards focused on topics pertaining to your subject matter are another outlet where you can promote your white paper. You can also use pay-per-click advertising to put your white paper in front of people who are actively searching online for information about your topic.

If you have more than one white paper, make sure to provide responders with the opportunity to download other white papers that might interest them. Also, create a dedicated resource center on your own website where all of your white papers can live.

When in doubt, send it out. Direct mail marketing is not dead, so use email or mail to put your white paper in the hands of your target audience. And don’t be afraid to hit up the same list more than once. On the second pass, you might catch the eye of a reader who either overlooked your offer the first time or might not have been ready to act on it previously.

See your expertise transformed into leads

A good white paper does require a significant amount of time and effort to develop; however, the potential for return on your investment is great.

According to a survey published in October 2011 by Eccolo Media, technology buyers regard white papers as the most influential type of marketing collateral, with 65 percent citing white papers as “very” or “extremely influential” when making a purchasing decision.

If you select a topic that’s important to your target audience, provide them with information that’s truly valuable and useful and market your white paper effectively, you’ll have successfully built a powerful lead-generating engine, as more and more prospective new customers discover who you are and the wealth of expertise you have to offer.

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