Know-How Exchange : E-Marketing

Hi Rcohen,

Appending information from existing customers can be tricky. A lot depends on the age of the list. The older, the less successful you will be at getting them to append their information.

If you have never emailed them before or it has been a longtime or inconsistent, you are going to get a lot of bouncebacks and spam reports.

First, you need a highly visible signup box on your website, and if applicable, not just on your home page but internal pages also. This signup box should briefly explain what they are going to receive.

Next, this should go to a registration page where they can provide their personal information and preferences.

With this signup box in place, you need to make the process rewarding (like Amandavega's examples) and easy - minimal information, easy to update and unsubscribe etc.

The less personal information you require the better, because you can also append this - the idea is to get their first name, last name and current email, anything more make optional.

Next, send out a simple email blast to these people, make the subject line simple and truthful "Requesting updated information" and make sure they know it is from you.

The call-to-action is to send them to your website to re-signup, essentially they are opting-in all over again.

They will then receive the "Welcome" auto-responder email with the incentive.

Your final list will now be much smaller, but it will be higher quality, and this is what counts, quality not quantity.

Finally, develop an ongoing email marketing program that consistently delivers to them high-value.

You can do the same thing with a direct mail card: Push them with an incentive to go to your website to re-subscribe.

That's my digested explanation, for more information or clarification, contact me offline.

I hope that helps!