Email marketing is another tool to increase business and drive traffic to your website but the emails must be received AND read to have any chance of success.

Here are some tips to smart email marketing:

1. Craft a compelling “grabber” subject line

Like any news article or blog post, the most important part is the headline. Like a headline, the subject line is your first contact with a reader and, like all first impressions, it is critical to craft a compelling reason to open the email. It is even more important with email. Emails are competing with a lot of other emails the reader is trying to cull—the delete button has been humming already before it gets to yours. How will you avoid that death null?

The best subject lines are simple, direct headlines. News or how-to advice seem to work best. Come on ads are removed faster than a weed in Martha Stewart’s garden.

2. Use HTML rather than plain text

Photos are an important part of any story and help get your story across. So is audio and video. They are more interesting than the WOT (wall of text).

3. Use professionally designed email templates

These are usually spam friendly and allow you to customize and brand as you like. Don’t be vanilla. Add links in the message to different parts of your site and measure which attract the most clicks.

4. Use list management software to track email effectiveness

There are many services that provide ways to track delivery failures, open rates, opt-outs and click throughs to your embedded links. Constant Contact is one.

5. Test

Test different subject lines, templates, photos, messages and links to see which work and which flop. Test different frequency models.

6. Include an unsubscribe link

Add a physical mailing address with your message to comply with Federal anti-spam law. If you email overseas, comply with foreign anti-spam laws.

7. Provide text description for all graphic images

Not all email programs will display graphic images. Your message should be compelling even without the images.

8. Use a spam checker

Many mailing services include these. Some free ones: Spamcheck and Lyris Content Checker.

9. Send email at the right time

The best business to business mailings are Tuesday – Thursday, before 3:00 p.m.
For consumers, use weekends and evenings.

10. Define Your EVP (email value proposition) quickly

What value are you providing your email recipient on a regular basis? Folks can only tolerate a certain number of repeat mailings before they opt-out. Make sure you give them a reason to open your mail on a regular basis.

State your call to action early —- you only have a few seconds.

Joseph Ferrara is publisher of Sellsius Real Estate Blog.