Email marketing is a powerful digital communication tool. Research from Statista shows that in 2023 alone, a staggering 347.3 billion emails were exchanged daily worldwide.

 

However, with so much competition for attention in inboxes, simply sending emails isn’t enough.

 

Email marketing thrives on etiquette, building trust, and fostering strong customer relationships like any successful conversation.

 

5 Etiquette Tips You Need to Know

 

Email marketing etiquette ensures that the emails you send to your subscribers go straight to their inbox and get opened.

 

Emails crafted with respect and purpose are more likely to resonate with your audience, leading to:

 

• Higher Engagement

 

Compelling emails with clear value propositions encourage recipients to open, read, and interact with your content.

 

• Boosted Conversions

 

By fostering trust and rapport, well-crafted emails convert clicks into loyal customers and brand advocates.

 

Get noticed and nurture lasting connections with your audience, ultimately driving business success with these 5 tips.

 

1. Build Your List the Right Way

 

Creating an email list from legitimate sources is vital for your email marketing success.

 

Stay away from buying email lists. They often lead to lower engagement and more people unsubscribing due to poor-quality leads.

 

These people are not interested in the first place because they didn’t willingly sign up for your email list.

 

Instead, aim to get subscribers who genuinely want to hear from you.

 

A good tactic is offering something of value when they sign up, such as an ebook that provides a solution to their problem.

 

Importance of Building an Email List

 

A well-maintained email list is an invaluable asset for any business.

 

Email marketing consistently outperforms other channels, generating an average return of $36 for every dollar invested.

 

The key, however, is quality over quantity.

 

A smaller list of engaged subscribers is far more valuable than a large, uninterested audience. This focused approach is the foundation for successful email campaigns.

 

Regularly cleaning your list by removing inactive or unengaged subscribers is essential.

 

This practice improves deliverability rates, ensuring your emails reach the inbox instead of the spam folder, and enhances your sender reputation.

 

How to Segment Your Email List

 

Segmenting your email list empowers you to personalize your messages for specific subscriber groups.

 

By dividing your list based on demographics, interests, and engagement levels, you can deliver targeted content that resonates deeply.

 

It will result in higher open rates, click-through rates, and, ultimately, conversions.

 

• Here’s how you can effectively segment your list:

 

• Use sign-up forms to gather details on your subscribers.

 

• Analyze how often they open or click on your emails to determine the topics that interest them the most.

 

• Have a double opt-in check to ensure they want your emails.

 

Ask them about their preference through surveys or polls.

 

Investing time in segmentation allows you to send emails that matter, fostering a stronger relationship with your audience and driving meaningful business results.

 

2. Avoid Spam Tactics

 

Today’s spam filters are sophisticated, employing AI algorithms to detect unwanted emails.

 

If your open rates decline, it often indicates that your messages are being routed to spam folders.

 

Here are some tips to steer clear of the spam filter:

 

Be Honest in Writing Your Subject Line

 

Crafting honest, accurate subject lines is crucial for avoiding the spam filter.

 

A 2016 Litmus study revealed that 54% of respondents felt deceived into opening promotional emails due to misleading subject lines.

 

Breaking your subscribers’ trust can derail your email marketing efforts. Therefore, always align your subject lines with the content of your emails.

 

Additionally, aim for concise subject lines (around 6-10 words or 50 characters), as this has been shown to increase open rates.

 

Beware of Spam Trigger Words

 

Avoiding spam practices is a fundamental principle of email marketing.

 

It happens when you use trigger words like “100% free,” “Only $xx,” and “Earn xx.”

 

Instead, prioritize engaging, valuable content that resonates with your audience.

 

Excessive use of images can also trigger spam filters. Maintain a healthy balance between text and images, aiming for a ratio of approximately 80% text and 20% images.

 

Make sure to adhere to local laws.

 

Adhering to local laws like CAN-SPAM and GDPR is essential to avoid issues with internet service providers (ISPs) and ensure legal compliance. We’ll delve deeper into these regulations later on.

 

3. Do Not Disregard Proper Timing and Frequency

 

One of the most important parts of email marketing etiquette is knowing when to send messages.

 

Sending your emails at the right time can boost the open rate of your emails and the number of clicks on your links greatly.

 

However, sending emails at the wrong time can lead to them being overlooked or even deleted without a second thought.

 

Don’t Overwhelm Your Audience With Emails

 

A common mistake is over-emailing. Bombarding your subscribers with too many messages can quickly lead to disengagement.

 

This can result in decreased sales, unsubscribes, and even spam complaints. The ideal sending frequency varies depending on the type of email:

 

• Nurturing emails: Up to once daily, at most.

 

• Sales emails: Once a month is often optimal.

 

How to Find the Optimal Sending Time

 

Timing is crucial. Consider your audience’s location and when they will most likely check their email.

 

We recommend having personalized send times for each subscriber or time zone. Experiment with different times and analyze your data to determine what works best.

 

Generally, late mornings or early afternoons on weekdays tend to perform well.

 

However, continuously monitor your audience’s engagement, as optimal timing can vary depending on your specific subscribers.

 

4. Respect Boundaries and Opt-Outs

 

Respecting your subscribers’ boundaries is an integral part of ethical email marketing.

 

It’s fundamental to building a positive relationship with your audience. Understanding and honoring their preferences is essential for long-term engagement.

 

Effective email management demonstrates your commitment to respecting boundaries. It helps prevent over-emailing and sending content that might be perceived as intrusive.

 

Send Emails That Provide Valuable Information

 

Keep your subscribers interested by sending an email marketing sequence that each provides valuable content.

 

Focus on resolving their problems and handling possible objections to avoid losing them. Steer clear of constant sales pitches. Instead, aim to provide valuable information.

 

Tone, grammar, and clarity influence your audience’s decision to continue reading your emails. Make sure to stay friendly, engaging, and inviting.

 

Imagine receiving a sales email with poor spelling and grammar. You would automatically turn off, and click the unsubscribe button.

 

The same is true for your subscribers.

 

Use software and AI tools, such as Grammarly or ChatGPT, to help you send professional content with the right tone and grammar.

 

However, don’t trust these tools entirely. Make sure that your content still appears warm and human to your audience.

 

Make the Unsubscription Process Clear

 

According to the CAN-SPAM Act, the unsubscribe process must be simple. Respect your audience’s unsubscribe requests.

 

Think of it as an easy and helpful way to clean your subscriber list, filtering your audience who are already uninterested out of your list.

 

Also, having an easy unsubscribe method puts your subscribers’ needs first.

 

This shows your care for them, builds trust, and keeps your audience engaged in the long run.

 

5. Comply With Legal Standards

 

In email marketing, it is crucial to understand and adhere to the anti-spam laws in your audience’s region.

 

Non-compliance can result in hefty fines and damage to your brand’s reputation.

 

Many companies have faced substantial fines, averaging $5.87 million, for violating anti-spam regulations.

 

In the U.S., under the CAN-SPAM Act that governs commercial email practices, fines can reach up to $46,517 per violation.

 

It prohibits deceptive subject lines, mandates a clear unsubscribe mechanism, and requires the inclusion of a physical address in emails.

 

In Australia, the Spam Act 2003 and the Spam Regulations 2021 safeguard individuals from spam and unsolicited commercial electronic messages sent via email and SMS.

 

These laws outline who can receive such messages and what information they must contain to ensure compliance.

 

Additionally, it stipulates a 30-day opt-out window for recipients and mandates that unsubscribe requests be processed within 10 business days.

 

Understand the Anti-Spam Regulations in Your Target Audience’s Location

 

Most Americans are concerned about data privacy, with roughly half of all emails they receive being classified as spam.

 

This underscores the importance of adhering to email regulations like the GDPR to maintain subscriber trust and avoid legal issues.

 

In Australia, Binance was fined $2 million for sending unsolicited emails.

 

This incident highlights the critical need to obtain explicit consent before emailing individuals to protect your business and its image.

 

Effective email marketing begins with obtaining clear and unambiguous consent before sending any messages.

 

Maintaining a record of this consent can prove invaluable in case of future disputes.

 

Remember, outsourcing your email marketing does not absolve you of legal responsibility. You remain accountable for ensuring compliance with all applicable anti-spam laws.

 

Conclusion

 

Email marketing etiquette seems cliche, but many marketers still forget it. Don’t be one of them, as many businesses have already paid hefty fines just to stay afloat.

 

Observing proper email etiquette helps you create effective email campaigns to keep your audience’s interest.

 

Therefore, it is crucial to grow your email list properly, segment it by subscribers’ preferences, and avoid spamming.

 

However, we at Results & Co. know how challenging it is to observe email etiquette, especially if you have a large subscriber list.

 

Sending personalized emails to each of them will take most of your time, but with our expert team of writers creating them for you, your business can run smoothly.

 

Schedule a call with us today so you can get back to managing your business.