An effective e-mail marketing system is the very foundation of an online marketing system that strives to create a connection with the consumer as an individual, rather than a number on paper. While points and rewards systems are considered highly effective in ensuring consumer purchasing activity, one strategy that is more effective than the points and reward system in retaining clients is the e-mail marketing approach. There is something to be said for maintaining an online presence not only on your website, but also in the very inboxes of your customers. This is a personal approach to marketing and its value should not be overlooked. There are five steps to take in designing an email marketing campaign and, should you do so, your business is sure to see continued success through the establishment of loyal customers. There are various companies who offer products for email marketing campaigns, such as the Invicta Agency.

1. Establish Your Time Frame

When drafting up your email marketing campaign it is important to establish how often you are going to send out your marketing emails. These decisions will in large part be based upon the industry in which your business operates. Daily campaigns should be avoided because the customer will see these as a nuisance.

Weekly campaigns, however are applicable in the industries where changes in product are more frequent. For example, beauty news changes on a weekly basis sometimes with beauty brands releasing new makeup products sometimes as frequently as every week.

Another industry that sees very frequent updates in production is the electronics industry. Should your business be related to the manufacturing, sales, or distribution of electronics, it is recommended that you send out your email marketing campaigns on a weekly basis. This is a good time frame to adhere to because it is not too often to annoy the customer and it is not seldom enough to lose their loyalty. E-mails sent out on a daily basis should be avoided at all costs, since they will become a nuisance to the customers.

2. Capture the Reader's attention in the Subject Line

The subject line should prompt the reader's interest. When the potential customer sees your message in their inbox, he or she may decide to click on it or ignore it depending upon how the subject line impacts their perspective. You will want to ensure that your subject line is friendly, while at the same time being firm in insisting that the customer reads the message contents. You can title your subjects with things like "X Product is a Must-Have This Holiday Season." This will both engage the viewer's interest and clarify that the product is in limited quantity and purchase should be enacted immediately.

3. Write up an Engaging Introduction

While it may be imperative to offer stunning graphics and engaging photos in your email marketing campaign, it is just as important to ensure that the written content garners the reader's attention. The introduction sentence in each of your email marketing campaigns should be bold and interesting enough to prompt the customer to continue reading.

4. Make Written Content Subject Matter Interesting

The e-mail marketing campaign should not just contain a few notes along with the pictures. The campaign should have engaging content in the form of multiple paragraphs. Much like a blog, the e-mail marketing campaign should choose a subject relevant to the services or goods offered, and then elaborate upon this subject in detail. The writer should choose a subject relevant to their industry and write upon this subject, while including hyperlinks that prompt the potential customer to visit a page of the website wherein products are offered for sale. In addition, it is possible to link the written content in the email to a blog on the website for those who desire further reading. The written content should contain quality enough vocabulary to give off a professional feel, without containing vocabulary that is stuffy or that may be beyond the consumer's level of understanding. Make your writing informative and friendly.

5. Visual Content Should Reflect Your Brand Aesthetic

The visual content that you place in your email marketing campaign should match with the aesthetic of your brand and your website. There should be a color scheme - reds, monochrome, black and white, etc. - that you adhere to in all of your business. This means that if your website contains the primary color scheme of red, blue, and yellow then the photos if your email marketing campaign should also contain these same colors. You can reiterate images that are present in your website in your email marketing campaign messages, as well.

There are countless aspects to consider in developing an effective email marketing campaign. The business owner is advised to seek out the services of a professional email marketing campaign developer or to purchase email marketing software. In addition, the business owner can make sure that his emails are sent out on a routine schedule, that he develops engaging written content, and that his emails are visually stunning.