Email is Personal... Be Polite! 5 Do's and Don'ts when sending email

I hate marking messages as junk, I really do. As an email marketer there is nothing more brutal than to tell someone their messages are the worst. It's like missing the spectacular vision behind the raindrops on your window pain. Sometimes we are so blinded by our message we miss the opportunity to give someone what they want! I call this self focus.
But what happens when you get on a list from someone who constantly sends you advertisements on viagra, or they market to you in another language? What do you do when you are suddenly receiving messages from someone you don't know, about something you don't care about, so much so you can hardly keep your inbox clear?  YOU take NOTE! That's what you do.  Here are five do's and don'ts when engaging in email marketing!

1. ALWAYS use a SUBSCRIBED LIST!  Under the federal CAN SPAM laws, you can be fined if you email someone with out the explicit permission. Make sure you get the A-OK to proceed.
2. Segment your list ~ Here are some really good questions to ask yourself: Who is this? How do I know them? What do they want from me? What do they do? How can I help them? How do they desire to be helped? What is the purpose of my relationship with them? How can we help each other?
3. Be creative: Don't send the same email to everyone, it's not appropriate.  Get those creative juices flowing and design an email campaign that is target toward the segmented lists you just created.
4. Don't over email! People want to see you, but not everyday! Use your click through rates to determine how often they want to see you.  Send them good info, but don't just send them any info.
5. ALWAYS reply to RESPONSES! Engagement, just like in Social Media, is key. They want to hear back from you. If you can't do this in a timely fashion, set up auto-responders. But make those responders targeted, too.  This creates a comfortable situation for your audience.

Email is personal. People want to feel like each message they receive is specifically for them, and that it addresses their needs and interests. They don't want you to waste their time. They don't want you to waste yours.
If your opt out rates are high, it's time to design a new campaign.  You are more likely to win by counting your losses and revamping your efforts! There's no sure fire way that works, just get in the game. I pays to be personal, and personality pays...