Email marketing tips

Some tips and tricks:

- Use images to augment your message, but make sure text is the majority of your message.

- Email regularly, not necessarily frequently. Send too often and customers will remove themselves, not often enough and you'll have bad data. Every 3 weeks is a good rule of thumb (12-17 times per year).

- Give something away. "You've won x, y, or z" is a nice benefit that drives word of mouth.

- Use offers with tight deadlines. Today only, this Saturday only, after 6pm, before noon - all put time restrictions on offers which will encourage the viral nature of email and prevent abuse. Offers give you a chance to drive trial and measure your results.

- Build your list everywhere you go. "Sign up and win a t-shirt (or hat)", take a fishbowl to events, ask for cards when out marketing or at Chamber meetings, train counter and wait staff to ask for sign-up.