One of the best uses of email marketing is staying in contact with customers with whom you have already established a business relationship. They are aware of your ability to keep your promises as well as the quality of the product or services you are offering. Most spam laws say you are allowed to send unsolicited emails to current customers but because the rules are on your side does not always mean it will be acceptable to your past customers.

When they submit an order, include an opt in option, agreeing to receive email marketing information from you and it can default to a yes and they have uncheck it to not receive the emails but opting into your mailing list means they probably trust you enough to at least look at other options. The biggest advantage of using email marketing to your current customers is being able to customize and personalize the approach.

If a customer recently bought a printer from your online business, within a week or two, sending them an email inviting them to view the selection and prices on printer ink is a natural follow up for additional sales. Again, they already have a positive outlook towards your company, provided the sale went without a hitch and are more open to conducting business with you again.

If your business does not sell printer ink, become an affiliate with a company that does, and then include a link to the site in you email marketing tool. Since you are recommending the service, they may feel more comfortable making the purchase through the third party, and you still earn a small commission on the sale.

If you company offers a newsletter or has a blog on the subject of your products or services, invite them, through email marketing to sign up to receive it for free. If you charge them for it, offer them a free issue or two as a past customer and charging for subsequent issues. Just make sure you follow their wishes and that the information you send them has substance to it and is not a waste of their time to read or a waste of your time to produce.

Be sure to include a tell a friend link in any email marketing materials so that if they like what they see they can refer your site to friends and relatives. This type of button can also be on your website and once they have referred a friend, you have the potential to add them to your list of satisfied customers with follow up email marketing materials.

Above all, do not send spam. Not only can this get you kicked off of your ISP, it can be deadly to your online reputation. If someone opts out of future mailings, get them off the list immediately. Even accidental emails can be detrimental to any future relationships.