Follow these common-sense and time-tested suggestions, and your campaign can produce tremendous results for new customer acquisition, customer loyalty and customer retention.

Segment Lists, Targeted Messages

Chop your database into smaller, segmented slices based on preferences and past behaviors, in order to make your messages as relevant as possible to each group. Prospects and customers will be more likely to respond to messages that match their interest sets. Use historical data to apply what you know about the likes and dislikes of your target market segments, and develop your messages and offers to fit.

Personalize to the Max

Don't just segment when you can use the full power of the database to personalize email content to individual name, history, likes and dislikes. In the world of direct emarketing everyone is unique and one size does not fit all, so use the tools available to be as personal and as relevant as possible.

Quality Over Quantity

Boost response rates by creating offers for unique products, useful information, compelling content, special pricing or gifts. Again, match the offer to the segment. Every message in a customer's inbox requires time and attention. Your objective is to offer each customer something of value – be it information, entertainment, or monetary value. If you don't deliver, your customers will opt out of your mailing list.

Call-To-Action

Your campaign's primary objective should be to have prospects take action. Examples include: Click to….. link to more information, buy, join, communicate with a sales representative, participate in a survey, play in a contest or refer a friend.

Sales vs. Marketing

Many marketers think the Web is primarily a direct sales medium, rather than a multifaceted communications tool that can used to create sales activities in other channels. But many sales are not done on impulse or from afar Decide which sales channel your campaign is going to support.

Text vs. HTML

Give your customers the option of receiving messages in text or HTML format. Some people will always prefer text to graphics, and some email readers only support basic text. Give your customers what they want, and be sure your email has been tested for readability by all major email readers.

Micro-Sites

Giving respondents a micro Web site to respond to rather than just an email address creates more interaction and measurement opportunities. Plus, a picture paints a thousand words.

Online Off-line Integration

Use a micro Web site, too, as a response option for your off-line (direct mail, display ads) promotions. Again, you'll not only create more opportunities to interact with your customers, you can keep ads and mailers less cluttered and entice readers online for the full story.

No Spam Ma'am

Don't send unsolicited emails. As mentioned earlier, spam messages are unwelcome and counterproductive. You'll only damage your company's reputation by sending unwanted emails.

Respect The Customer

Messages and offers that go to unresponsive consumers week after week are no better than spam. Also make it easy for them to unsubscribe, access and change data.

Measure & Report

Tracking the actions of your customers and prospects is critical to your success. After deploying several campaigns you will have generated a mountain of response information. Analyze it and use it when creating new offers and new approaches.

Click Through Analytics

Analyze campaign response data in conjunction with Web site visitor behavior data to get a single, unified view of your customers and prospects behavior. Track what pages prospects visited; what information they viewed, and what products they bought. Again, use the data to customize your offers and Web site content. And remember that technology is a magical tool for marketing wizards to use—but it does not replace the wizard.

Follow these common-sense and time-tested suggestions, and your campaign can produce tremendous results for new customer acquisition, customer loyalty and customer retention.