Email Marketing Basics

Before we start with email marketing basics, I’d like to specifically mention that none of the techniques, practices, or recommendations on this email marketing guide uses email spam.

Even though some advanced techniques we will discuss might be called as “Gray Hat” marketing methods, I personally do not tolerate spam, and will do my best to advice against spam.

How long have you been using email as a communication tool?

Most will answer this question as “years”. Yes, most of us have been using email as a communication tool for years. In fact, email is an important part of our every day life. Email is addicting, sometimes too much time consuming, and guilty for information overload.

I have a love/hate relationship with email, probably you also do. I can’t live without my email, I love my email. It delivers me all the great news from friends, family, business partners and customers, but sometimes I hate it. It is the hardest part of the day to go through hundreds/thousands of emails trying to find the important ones.

Let’s forget about all the emails you receive from companies, online marketers, websites, etc. and think about this “What if you only received email from your friends and family only?”

Yes, you heard it right, all the email you receive come from your friends and family. Even though your friends and family members still send you junk emails, forward emails, etc. their emails usually get priority, right? If the sender is a friend or family member, you usually open that email before any commercial email right?

I am trying to set a different mindset here. I’m not talking about regular marketing lines “Offer something valuable, ask for permission, keep them interested, write interesting headlines, etc.” I’m talking about the mindset that will make you the real cash and put you aside from other email list marketers.

Who is The Friend/Family Member You Look Forward to Receiving Emails From?

I want you to go through your email contact list, and email history and try to pick only 1 person here. Pick the one whom you are looking forward to receiving emails from.

When you start your week after a nice weekend getaway, sit on your desk, and start going through your emails, which person’s emails make you most excited? Which specific email makes you forget about the long work week, and want to read that email right away, even before the staff meeting?

It might be your brother, sister, mom, dad, cousin, or a friend. Remember, we are excluding any commercial and work related emails here. We are focusing on the emails which are sent by people you know, and have a personal relationship with.

Did you come up with a name here?

Great, now start writing the reasons why you’ve chosen a specific name (or two).

I look forward to receiving email from my brother, here are the reasons:

We are connected: He is my brother. Draw a circle starting with relatives, friends, your favorite bloggers, lovemarks, and keep drawing wider circles. Tighter the circle gets, more connected we are, and a higher chance I will read your emails first.
He never sends me junk emails: Remember, even friends and family members send us junk emails. They don’t mean to fill your inbox with junk, but they do. Some stupid video they find online might be funny and interesting for them, but it might be a junk email for you. Have you ever put a family member or friend in your block list? Unfortunately, I had to. I couldn’t tolerate more forward emails, and had to send them to junk.
He shares exciting information: He recommends me websites and products very rarely, but when he does, I know they are exciting websites and similar to my taste. If he recommends, I will definitely check it out.
He doesn’t lie to me: When he says something, I trust him. He never lies to me, and we trust each other.
We have similar interests: Business or pleasure, we share similar interests. Whether the topic is online marketing, or a new launched website of a guitar player we follow, he knows that I’d be interested in hearing about.
He shares information unconditionally: Whether it’s his expertise or something new he’s learned, he shares unconditionally. He doesn’t offer his valuable knowledge to be able to get something in return. Or at least, he makes me feel that way.
He writes to me, not to his contact list: He might have something to share with all of his friends, but he never says; “Everybody, please read this”. He always starts with “my name” or with “brother”, and I know he’s talking to me, not to 20 people at the same time. He makes me feel special.

These are only some of the reasons came to my mind in a few minutes why I look forward to receiving emails from my brother. You can add many more reasons to this list depending on the person you’ve picked.

The Secret of Success in Email Marketing

When I send emails to my list, I want to implement these rules. If my emails to my list members can be like my brother’s emails to me, I will have the ultimate success in email marketing.

My email marketing guide will walk you through many techniques and methods to become a successful email marketer, but if you do not understand and implement the mindset I have talked about at this article, I bet, you will not be successful in email marketing.

The success to email marketing is all about understanding the needs of your readers, implementing them, and continuously testing for the optimum results.

If you feel comfortable about the mindset, you are ready for the next step. Email Marketing Basics is not completed at all. Now, it’s time to talk about important topics such as email privacy laws, basic terms in email marketing (single opt-in, double opt-in), and a few more 101 guides.

Until the next article, you should pick that person (or a few) from your contact list, and try to understand the reasons of successful email communication between you and him/her. Why are you looking forward to receiving emails from this person? Ask this question to yourself again, and write down all the reasons you could come up with. We will revisit these reasons during our email marketing guide.

*This article is a part of my Email Marketing Guide Article Series.