3 Keys to Getting Email Delivered

It is finally football season, which means it is time for football analogies. Getting email delivered is a lot like trying to get into the endzone of your oponent. There are a lot of obstacles trying to prevent you from reaching your goal. There are three ways to help you score with your email marketing campaign.

Preparation
The preparation phase is crucial to establishing your email reputation. Building your list naturally using a confirmed opt-in mechanism will help you build a more responsive following. Your mail server must be situated properly in your domain name system zone files. Mail exchange records, SPF, records, and domain key implementation will help recipient ISPs identify your server and sets you apart from the spammers.

Planning
Each email campaign should be carefully planned. Segment the list and send your email messages in smaller chucks. Use message personalization to create highly effective emails that are specific to the recipient. It is important that you spend some time crafting and testing your message to see how it will look in a number of different email clients. Test your message against an online spam filter to ensure that your email message has a low spam score.

Execution
All the preparation and planning in the world will not avail you if you do not execute. In football the coach has a huge chart of plays, but it is up to the players to drive down the field and cut through the defense. When you deliver bulk-email there are a number of defenders trying to keep you out of your subscriber's inbox. If you prepared well and planned for as many contigencies as possible, then it is time to send your email. The defense is constantly making adjustments to close the net around your email message so it is important to know what they are doing so you can make adjustments.

In the email marketing game, your goal is to get your email messages to your subscribers. Take each step, preparation, planning, and exceution seriously and maintain your solid email reputation.

Copyright 2008, Pathfinder Email Consulting