Email Opt-in List Basics

An email opt-in is a term that refers to emails that have been requested by the user receiving them. Opt-in emails are targeted and often personalized. An opt-in email list is also referred to as a permission-based email list.

The key factor for email best practice is that the user has granted permissions to a specific sender and often a very specific segment from that sender. Without obtaining permission before sending email, the email is considered unsolicited bulk email, better known as spam.

If you have a permission-based list, the following are some email opt-in tips to assist you:

• Permission, you have it or get it
• Clean your list, purge duplicates
• Segment your list, especially if you have a varied client base
• Continue to build your opt-in list via your website and email
• Respect Privacy and opt-outs
• Provide good offers and incentives
• Design with the mailbox in mind, all about presentation
• Frequency, this is a trust exercise so take your time
• Test, test and test, there’s lots here to talk about
• Personalize your emails, nothing sweeter than a person’s name
• Add Social Media links, expands your opportunity
• Integrate into your marketing program
• Consistent, be consistent, always the case
• Include your web analytics, to allow you to measure
• Allocate budget for your service provider
• Follow-up

Email will continue to be the marketer’s primary communication tool transitioning to responsive emails which render properly on mobile devices. If you’re looking to expand your current email list or start a new one, there are many tips in our free 2015 Email Marketing White Paper to assist you.

Alex Page, RAVEN5 Ltd January 2015

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