It is also a good idea to “throttle” your message to slow its delivery speed and thus spread your message out over time. This improves delivery because the slower you send your message, the less likely you’ll be subjected to frequency filters or blocks. Many large ISPs and corporations are sensitive to mail density and tune their filtering systems to attribute a higher spam score to messages that come in large bunches. Similarly, many ISPs track a sender’s reputation based on the number of unsolicited email complaints that they generate over a certain period of time. 30 unsolicited email complaints received over 6 hours, though certainly undesirable, will be a softer blow to your sending reputation than the same 30 complaints received over 15 minutes.

Secondly, once you have this list you need to give your audience what they want. If you buy tickets to a rock and roll concert, image how upset you’d be if you get to your seat and all of a sudden the concert was switched to a ballet—you’d probably leave and, possibly, never go to that venue again. It’s the same premise with e-mail marketing (and any time of direct marketing). In addition to giving pertinent information, make sure that this information is aesthetically pleasing—no one wants to, or has time to, read a 4 paragraph e-mail without images. Make sure that there is some value to these e-mails, either information or even an incentive that can be easily accessed.

Thirdly, technically speaking, make sure that the e-mails are being sent through a source that complies with the CAN-SPAM (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/canspam.shtm) guidelines. Another useful thing is to make certain that the recipients have added the e-mail address to their white list, or “not spam” filter, so the e-mail actually gets to them.

The most important thing to remember is that direct marketing (e-mail, direct mail, etc) should be used as a means to create a solid relationship with a customer. It should not be used as way to hopefully get some new leads, the shoot 1,000 bullets in the air and hope that one hits something. This is especially important as new legislature makes it a click away, literally, to report SPAM to the government. If used correctly, e-mail marketing can be the most profitable means to disseminate a message; it literally costs less than a penny to send a single e-mail (depending on the service you have, and the number of contacts).

There are many other factors, but these are some of the big ones to keep in mind. If anyone else has suggestions/comments/questions, please post them here…don’t be shy.