With sophisticated bulk email services being available for such low prices, and support easy to access, one might be forgiven for thinking that all marketing emails would be equally effective. A little time perusing your competitors’ marketing emails will show this to be fantasy.

The problem is that businesses new to the craft tend to make the same mistakes when starting. Here are a few hints to give you a bit of an edge.

1. Pick an email template that suits your campaign

You might think one is particularly attractive, with colours that you like and a very exciting layout. Ignore this one. You should go for a template that your customers will like and that will generate click throughs.

2. Send your email to particular addresses

A person receiving a marketing email that has no relevance to them is the one who is likely to click the unsubscribe button. Balance the risk of an unlikely profit against the cost of a lost subscriber.

3. Populate your own email lists

Whilst there is a case for bought-in lists, the costs of the ones likely to gain a sale are very high. The costs of cheap ones, with the likelihood of breaking laws, can be just as much. Build your own right from the start.

4. 0.25% can be good

Accept that even a small increase in returns is good. It shows you are doing something right. Build on it.

5. Believe your returns

You might have thought the last campaign was the best you have ever created. If the stats show it was worthless, then try something different. You bulk email service provider will have just that, something different.

6. Open fire, all weapons

Do not restrict yourself to email marketing alone. Integrate it with counter promotions, posters, your website and other forms of advertising.

7. Pinch ideas

Subscribe to the email marketing lists of your competitors. The good ones will show you the way to go, the poor ones what to avoid. Even then, you will have to find that extra edge.

Whilst there is no real excuse for basic errors there is a charge: loss of sales.