We communicate heavily through email, which is evident by our overloaded inboxes. We're also told to utilize email marketing—it works. Given the volume of messages, how can you make yours stand out from the rest? We've put together these tips to help you do just that. Happy Emailing!

1. Do use a descriptive subject. Email titles that describe what the issue is about are much more likely to be read than, say, "ABC Company July Newsletter." For instance, this email is titled "The Do's and Don'ts of Email Marketing." It got you reading this, didn't it?
   
   
2. Do keep important information above the fold. Most people will skim the newsletter and if it looks interesting they will read more. If your important message is lower down they will likely not read it. Note how we use the right column to promote our newest service above the fold.
   View a sample we've designed for one of our clients.
   
   
3. Don't make them scroll too much. Really long emails will not be read. If you want to cover a lot of different subjects, instead try including the first few sentences on each topic, along with a link to "click for more." View a sample we've designed for one of our clients.
   
   
4. Don't send out to numerous addresses from your own email account. This can cause many email programs to see you as spam unless you are in a recipient's address book. It is good practice to use a professional email service to send these out for you.
   
   
5. Do include a way to unsubscribe. In 2003 the CAN-SPAM Act was enacted which has strict requirements on email marketing. In addition to requiring a way for users to unsubscribe, it prohibits deceptive subject lines, requires a physical address and more. You can read more about the Act here.
   
   
6. Don't send it out more than once a month. We are all busy people, so reading all of our emails can be a daunting task. When someone feels bombarded by the amount of your emails, it not only lands them straight in the trash, but you also have a negative connotation towards your company.
   
   
7. Don't make it only about you. Have some information of value to the reader or else you risk losing their interest.

Bending Design has a new offering to our clients: Email marketing. Not only designing the emails in an intuitive fashion, but we now also help with sending them out. We can set you up to do as much or as little as you like. We can handle the entire thing for you, or we can give you a login and link and from there you can manage your emails.

Reply to me if you're interested and we can talk more.