Internet Direct Mail : The Complete Guide to Successful E-Mail Marketing Campaigns
The Internet has changed the way we do business. Customers expect websites, information links, one-stop-shopping online--and businesses are scrambling to meet their demands. "Be proactive. Embrace the Internet as a powerful marketing tool, and you'll reap the rewards of this new medium," say the authors ofInternet Direct Mail. Their practical, step-by-step guide shows you how to maximize the unique features of the Internet to create low-cost, highly effective direct-marketing campaigns.  If your company is networked and has a website, nothing should stop you from marketing directly to your online customers and prospects. E-mail campaigns are not only less costly and more effective than paper mailings but also bring you instantaneous results and help you make lasting links with customers in a way that's impossible using "bricks-and-mortar" techniques.Internet Direct Mailis written for those who need to know how to create, send, and track the results of an e-mail campaign. It's also a valuable reference for those who are already marketing online and want to find out how to improve results while avoiding the mistakes that can cost you sales or customer goodwill.Internet Direct Mailaddresses the questions and concerns of serious, legitimate marketers, including:How do I avoid the appearance of "spam"?Will my prospects expect free products?Do I need to use fancy graphics?How will I get my busy, surfing prospects to stop and open my message?Here are the tips you need to write simple yet sizzling body copy, create a subject line that's impossible to ignore, and build a strong house e-mail list that may, over time, outperform your current postal list. You'll find that much of what you already know about direct marketing translates easily to the Internet.Internet Direct Mailreviews these basics thoroughly yet never lets you forget that you're dealing with a fast-changing, highly technical medium. You're reminded to consider:The online buying habits of your target marketOpt-in language, to capture your customers for the long termOpt-out language, to prevent "flaming" from unhappy recipientsThe technical know-how and hardware capabilities of your customersInternet Direct Mailexplores the advantages of rich media and enhanced graphics in detail and offers reasons not to use these formats. You'll learn the authors' tried and proven-effective rules for composing online e-mail, including how to make it short and sweet, use all-caps effectively, keep the look of text simple and clean, and balance between "tension" and "relief."  Whether you are hoping to acquire new customers, announce new products, promote special offers, or generate requests for more information,Internet Direct Mailhelps you plan an e-mail campaign that hits the mark. Because these authors believe that the most effective e-mail campaigns are those that dovetail with other online marketing efforts, you'll also find helpful suggestions for enhancing your website, using banner ads to advantage, and exploring links to other websites--all in the context of your company's overall marketing plan.  Dozens of examples of successful e-mail campaigns appear in an appendix, showing you what works in black and white. Truly a one-stop, all-inclusive resource,Internet Direct Mailcan help you jump-start your direct marketing campaign today!  STEVAN ROBERTS is president of Edith Roman Associates, a list brokerage and direct-marketing firm. MICHELLE FEIT is President of ePostDirect, an E-mail marketing firm. ROBERT W BLY is the author of more than forty business books.