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Make sure your email campaign gets delivered and gets results.

After all your effort creating your email marketing campaign, you want to ensure you get the best out of it, so we've listed below some of the common pitfalls you'll need to avoid to make sure you do:

1. Don’t send SPAM
SPAM is unsolicited commercial email, or put more simply, the Internet’s form of junk mail. Sending SPAM will damage your credibility and may generate bad will amongst your customers. Further, SPAM could get your removed from your hosting provider or ISP.

SPAM is also illegal. For more information on Australia’s anti-spam legislation visit the Australian Government's website. Should you require any further information please contact Ireckon and we will be happy to explain the information for you.

2. Don’t use rented email lists
Email marketing is all about enhancing relationships with your customers. By using a rented list you are essentially sending SPAM and could damage your credibility.

To avoid sending SPAM and using rented email lists ensure you allow your customers to opt-in and opt-out of your email marketing list. Put in place procedures such as double opt-in to verify customer’s details and ensure communication is going to those people who want it.

3. Don't send email marketing just for the sake of sending it.
By all means communicate regularly with your customers, but ensure your message is relevant and try and establish some consistency to your communications and let your customers know how often you will be emailing them marketing material.

Communicating with your customers is vital in building relationships, but sending out communication just for the sake of it may see them avoiding reading your email marketing altogether. Personalise your messages and make sure they are relevant for your target audience.

4. Don’t send mixed messages
Make sure your email marketing is consistent with your corporate image and branding.

5. Don’t send out via an unknown address
Ensure you use your company email address so customers can readily identify you, otherwise they may delete your message without opening it.

Consistent branding will enhance your brand image and easily identify you to your customers.

6. Don’t keep sending to customers who don't read it
Ensure you track the progress and success of your campaign and adjust your message to see what works.

Tracking of your campaign is critical to the success of email marketing as it allows you to see what works and what doesn't work. Further, the great beauty of email marketing is the flexibility it allows you in adjusting messages and its ability to send out to customers cheaply.

7. Don't send out without proofing first
Avoid costly spelling and grammatical errors that will make you look amateurish. A well written message will help enhance your company image. Look for spelling errors, grammatical errors, wrong words used, punctuation errors and illogical statements.

When used properly, email marketing offers businesses the ability to reach their customers, build relationships and increase retention rates far easier and at a fraction of the cost of traditional marketing efforts.