PPB November 2019

regularly by clients to email out a PDF attachment or a flyer the client had developed for print advertising use. Not only will these trigger spam alerts intended to keep out virus attachments, but many recipients will not be able to open your promotional email properly on their cell phone if it isn’t mobile optimized. An email that your current subscribers can open easily on their mobile devices is more likely to get clicked and passed along to others who may become subscribers. 5 Do customize your email to the recipient. Addressing an email with the recipient’s name (Hi Bob!), as cheesy as it seems, still vastly improves opens and click-through rates for the email marketing campaigns we work with. You can improve your results even further by keeping targeted list segments or groups in Mailchimp and publishing email content specific to your different customer groups. Relevant, personalized emails mean higher open rates. And higher opens mean higher engagement and pass- alongs, which bring more subscribers. 6 Do have an opt-in content giveaway on your site. Email addresses are a precious and rarified gift nowadays and must be earned before prospective subscribers turn them over. One of the best ways we’ve found to grow email lists is with a content giveaway, such as a short book with free tips on whatever your expertise is in, which provides value for your prospect. The ebook on my site (https://napkinmarketing.com/free- email-samples-book) has allowed me to passively grow my list into thousands of subscribers. A content giveaway can give access to an exclusive video, a webinar invitation, a downloadable ebook or guide, or access to an automated email series “course.” Once it is set up, you will be able to collect email subscribers as people will be incentivised to sign up for your content giveaway. 7 Install a live agent/ live support chat on your site. Take advantage of real- time traffic by engaging visitors online with a live agent on your site. Most live support software can be set up to ask for a client’s email address and permission for further contact at the start of a chat. This, in turn, changes the conversation into an inquiry, which can give you the express consent necessary to add them to your list. 8 Add opt-in forms on your most popular blog posts. Dig into your web analytics and find out which of your blog posts and pages are most popular. Next, leverage those pages by adding in an offer at the bottom of each one where the visitor can join your email list. 9 Don’t be afraid to email B2B contacts. For B2Bmarketers, CASL provides some flexibility to email business contacts whose email addresses are both a.) published online in a conspicuous place, such as your LinkedIn contacts and b.) their profession relates to what you’re emailing themabout, such as a business buyer and supplier. Under CASL this constitutes implied consent to contact them. 10 Use a CRM system. Keeping track of prospects and opportunities with Customer RelationshipManagement (CRM) software can be one of the best ways to grow andmaintain an email list and keep track of sales opportunities. If someone is in your CRM systembecause theymade an inquiry about your service or because their email is conspicuously published, and your message relates to the recipient’s functions or activities in a business or official capacity, this constitutes implied consent under CASL, and you can email them for up to two years. However, make sure youmaintain permission records to back this up and always respect unsubscribe requests. 11 Build your list with social media. Think of social media followers as customers “flirting” with your brand, while the ones on your email list are the ones with whom you have a more serious relationship. Encourage your social media followers to become email subscribers by promoting your eBook, email sign- up form or blog post with an email permission form at the bottom in your social media posts. 12 “Rent” an opt-in email list by having a publisher email on your behalf. While buying an email list is not recommended, there are many reputable publishers that maintain clean, opt-in email lists. If you don’t have your own list and want to send something out quickly, you can investigate using a service like Scott’s Directories that can email your promotion to their list on your behalf. Note: Always make sure the publisher is following CASL and GDPR laws. Ask to see examples of their previous mailings to check for unsubscribe messages, etc. This works best for B2B email campaigns where the publisher takes the names and emails of businesspeople and trade contacts from public directories and sources. NOTE: The above article offers general marketing strategies but should not constitute legal advice. I ammerely a digital marketer, not a lawyer. Always check with your legal advisor on your specific circumstances to ensure your organization and marketing activities are in compliance with spam and privacy laws. Adina Zaiontz is director and founder of napkin marketing (napkinmarketing.com) , where she is responsible for setting the overall direction and product strategy for the company. napkin marketing is a Toronto-based advertising and web design firm, specializing in helping businesses reach new customers online, by effectively sharing their business and brand story, and leveraging social media, email and search marketing. | NOVEMBER 2019 | 81 THINK