Basic Elements Every E-Mail Should Include

Every e-mail is a valuable opportunity to connect with your consumer base. But opportunities are limited; even more so if the e-mail fails to engage or results in an unsubscribe. Before sending out that next e-mail, follow these three tips to make sure your message has the best chance of success.

1. Personalization: Nothing says “I don’t care about you” like a generic e-mail. It’s like getting those letters in your mailbox addressed to “Valued Resident.” Personalization can come in the form of customized salutations, messages sent with a specific initiative based on a recent user activity (taking advantage of list segmentation), or even just the tone of the message itself.

2. Branding: Every message must incorporate your brand in some way. It can range from the complex – like videos and flash – to the utterly simple, like a logo, customized signature or slogan. The point is, you want each e-mail to be immediately associated with the sender.

3. Call-To-Action: Every message no matter its content, must guide users toward a specific action. If you are sending a product announcement e-mail, provide a link to a pre-populated shopping cart and a FAQ page. If you’re soliciting feedback , provide a link to a form, or other places to connect with the brand like your Twitter account or Facebook page. In all cases, make your call to action prominent – tell the reader what you want them to doearly and often. Once users become accustomed to your e-mail as a portal for interactionand education, they will be much more likely to read it and respond.