6 Ways to Gain Consumer Confidence With Permission-Based E-Marketing Campaigns

4. Promise and then deliver.
In your sign-up form, describe what your customers will receive. Be specific! With vague promises of “news and special offers,” it’s up to each customer to decide what the e-mail announcements will or won’t include. By not setting clear expectations or meeting those that are set, marketers inadvertently cause people to delete their messages, unsubscribe from their lists and/or tag their mail as spam, the whitepaper says.

Include in your sign-up form brief text that describes the topics covered or type of content sent, the e-mail formats offered, and the mailing frequency. Indicate that customers will receive “a weekly HTML alert of special, time-limited offers,” for example. To further illustrate your plans, link to previous mailings or samples of the type of content you distribute.

5. Be respectful.
Reassure subscribers that you respect their privacy. Make your company’s policy regarding e-mail addresses readily available to prospective list members, particularly on your sign-up form. Be crystal clear about how you treat the e-mail addresses and demographic information of your list subscribers, either as stand-alone text or within your larger privacy policy, the whitepaper says.

Whether you use it internally, share it with selected affiliates or offer it to list brokers, let people know what they can expect. Make prospective list members aware that they can unsubscribe from your list — or be removed from your database or otherwise stop receiving communications from you — any time they want. CAN-SPAM legislation requires such unsubscribe instructions to be included within messages. But by explaining this up front before people submit their personal information, you build additional good will and trust.

6. Determine customer preferences.
Offer subscribers a choice of what they want to receive and how often, especially if you have a wide range of offers to promote or a very aggressive mailing schedule, the whitepaper advises. Then segment your list to send specific content to the subscribers who’ve requested it. This helps prevent list burnout and shows your list members that you recognize their personal interests.