In with the inbox crowd

If your business is already marketing via email you're amongst the ever growing inbox crowd. If you're not then there's still plenty of time to get your email marketing up and running before the end of the year. The question on everyone's lips is...

"why do so many businesses choose email?"

The answer according to eMarketer daily is simple. Email offers return-on-investment that is rarely beaten by any other form of marketing. In fact the Direct Marketing Association in the USA predict that email marketing will return $48 for every dollar spent on it in 2008. In the UK we're likely to see a similar pattern. In marketing return-on-investment is king. You need to make sure that you're returning on every penny you spend.

How can you ensure return-on-investment?

our top tips for ensuring ROI

When you start a new email marketing campaign you're full of excitement and ready to take on the world. This is great. However, its important to keep sight of the ultimate goal - Returning on your investment and growing a profitable business. Many businesses recognise this but it's not always easy to know how you'll achieve it. The truth is there's no golden rule. So we've outlined our top three tips for ensuring you return on your investment.

do your research

Make sure you research the various products and people who can help you achieve your email marketing goals. If you need advice and support you'll need to make sure you choose a company that are willing to help you and have the relevant experience.

You should also ensure you're not paying too much or too little for the products and services you need. Paying too much will increase your budget and make returning-on-investment more difficult. Paying too little could leave you without the tools you need. Before you start, draw up a list of required features and set a budget. Then try stick to it.

plan your campaigns

You must plan your campaigns and set targets that are achievable. If you need to sell five units to return on your investment and to sell these five units you need fifty leads, ask yourself, is this an achievable target? Email Service Providers like newzapp can help advise what is achievable and what is unlikely to be achieved. If you're unsure just ask, we're more than happy to help.

give yourself and your campaigns time

One of the biggest failings in email marketing is not taking enough time. This is important in two ways. Firstly, you must give yourself time to plan your campaigns, test and ensure that your message is as good as it can be. Secondly, you should ensure you're not putting all your eggs in one basket. A one off email can be effective. However, a structured campaign or monthly newsletter will help reduce the risk of not returning-on-your investment.