Email is fast becoming the marketing channel of choice for most businesses — and for good reason. The Direct Marketing Association projects that email marketing ROI will hit $45.65 for every dollar spent this year. But concerns remain. In an effort to reduce stuffed in-boxes, consumers are increasingly using spam filters that block even the most legitimate opt-in email marketing, and JupiterResearch reports that 17 percent of Americans change email addresses every six months. But there are some proven ways to make your targeted email marketing message resonate with customers and best prospects:

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1. Build your list, don’t buy it. Even though the price may be modest for tens of thousands of names, the demographics of a purchased or rented list are a crapshoot, and there’s always a risk you’ll be accused of spamming. Instead, give visitors to your Web site an easy way — and a legitimate reason — to opt in to your emails.
2. Make it more than a sales pitch. An email marketing strategy that only hawks products is doomed to fail. Instead, use email to provide valuable insights and guidance that further the reader’s understanding and appreciation of your product or service. “Have something to say,” recommends Ben Chestnut, cofounder of the Rocket Science Group, an Atlanta firm that produces the email software MailChimp. “Don’t just add to the clutter.”
3. Make it stand out. The more singular the discussion or advice, the more your direct email marketing strategy will reverberate. Donna Maria Coles Johnson, a Charlotte, N.C.–based provider of tutorials and training to growing independent businesses, recently missed sending out her scheduled e-newsletter for the first time in more than eight years. In the subsequent issue, she described what went wrong and what readers could learn from that breakdown.
4. Keep it short. Email marketing programs wrapped in a newsletter can be overwhelming for the reader. Rebecca Leigh Brian, owner of the New York–based marketing and branding firm Tribecca Designs, prefers “e-blasts” — succinct emails that highlight products or events. “Usually, we keep e-blasts to six sentences or less,” she notes.
5. Link to a blog. Blogs and email marketing aren’t mutually exclusive. If your email is brief, include a link to a blog for more comprehensive information. “A brief email and a link to a blog go together,” Chestnut says. “They’re like peanut butter and chocolate.”
6. Archive material. Even the most ardent reader may miss the advice in a brief email. Johnson makes sure that her communications mention an archive at her Web site. “With spam filters, not everything gets through,” she says. “And [the archive] is a great way to drive Web site traffic.”
7. Build momentum. Email marketing campaigns work best when they build on prior material, creating a complete picture of what you do. “Each one should offer a nugget of value,” Brian points out.
8. Solicit feedback. Email marketing is a great opportunity to connect with customers and best prospects. Jamie Carney, president and CEO of RugsDoneRight.com, asks for suggestions on ways to improve her Web site.
9. Think frequency. Johnson says her readers value the reliability of regular e-communications. Chestnut prefers sending emails at sporadic intervals, which he says increases their impact. Choose a schedule that makes the most sense for your budget and target audience.
10. Be patient. Give your permission-based email marketing campaign enough time to build brand awareness and elicit response from your target audience. Says Chestnut: “It took me six months just to get in the groove of emailing.”

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