The 5 Email Marketing Techniques You Should Never Use

< Blog
Updated on: August 23rd, 2022Sharon Sexton6 min read
The 5 email marketing techniques you should never use

Email marketing is a very powerful tool in your marketing bag of tricks. However there are certain things that some marketers are doing regularly that actual hurt their business which is not a good thing. It doesn’t matter if you are a mobile app developer, retailer or service provider; at some point almost everyone uses a form of email marketing which is why you should be aware of the 5 Email Marketing techniques you should never use.

Subscribers are intelligent and aware, which means using certain techniques is a recipe for disaster. Rather than using tactics which are more manipulative in nature, the focus needs to be on providing service to them.

Techniques you should never use

  • Using No-reply Addresses – Talk about off putting. The No-Reply@ or the DoNotReplay@ email addresses literally scream “Go away” to customers because it is extremely cold and impersonal. Instead use an email address that utilizes your business name and allows for replies. After all, don’t you want to engage your mailing list?
  • Mandatory Opt-ins – Opting in to any type of marketing should always be customer driven. You need to ask people if they want to be part of something or else you risk upsetting them because people don’t like to be forced or tricked. For example, many businesses still utilize a purchase point as a mandatory opt-in for future emails. Why? If they aren’t asking for more information don’t try and sneak it in or shove it down their throats. Not only does it increase the risk of being flagged for spam but it also attaches a negative vibe to your brand in regards to how people who don’t appreciate the emails will feel. Instead include it but as an option to the process.
  • Misleading Subject Lines – What is the purpose of a subject line? The answer is not to simply get the email opened, but instead is to get the email opened by someone who is more likely to convert. That means using any sort of misleading subject line is pointless. If you trick someone into opening an email that just boosts your open rate but lowers your conversion rate because a curious person who has been duped is very unlikely to convert. However they are very likely to now view your brand unfavorably. Instead use clear, descriptive subject line that focuses on things subscribers care about and match the content of the email.
  • Ignoring Behavior – By this we mean the technique is just to spam the entire list with the same email regardless of the most recent actions by the user. For example, most people send sales promotions to everyone on the list regardless of when they made their last purchase. Why? Inactive users should get emails to help nudge them back into action. Highly active users should get sales and special offers because they use them. New users should get onboarding emails and content that helps new users convert. When you continually ignore behavior it shows that you don’t care enough about individuals to cater to them.
  • Hiding Unsubscribe Links – We have all been there; you are trying to unsubscribe from some spam email you managed to get on but the link is nowhere in sight. Does that deter you? Often the answer is no. Instead you get frustrated, irritated, and keep looking until you find something or someway to contact the annoying party to get off that list which can include flagging for spam. Now why would you ever want customers or potential customers to go through that emotional run or risk the spam flag? How can that be good for your brand? You want to make it worse? Simply require people to log in to unsubscribe; people hate that. Instead look to use an easy to find unsubscribe option and then add a re-direct that states you are sorry to see them go and perhaps include the option to find out why they are opting out for additional data; of course while still allowing one-click unsubscribing.

The bottom line is that email marketing is a highly effective way to connect to customers. Why would you ever want to poison that well? In theory never, yet we continually see people making mistakes that are going to cost them in the long run. So make sure you don’t make that same mistake and remember that these 5 email marketing techniques you should never use are on the list because they can hurt your brand and business.

Be sure to check back every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for great new Lounge Lizard blog articles.

Published on: December 2nd, 2016
Blog cta banner bg

DRIVE YOUR SALES TO NEW HEIGHTS!

Related articles

Personalize your website with these 5 easy tips
5 min read

Personalize Your Website With These 5 Easy Tips

August 23rd, 2022

Personalization has been a hot topic lately as it relates directly to the user experience, which we all know has become paramount online. Most people enjoy [...]

Beware of web design company shells
6 min read

Beware Of Web Design Company Shells

August 23rd, 2022

It is a sad fact in today’s marketplace that you need to beware of web design company shells. There is a reason that people and businesses [...]

Should you be using audio branding
5 min read

Should You Be Using Audio Branding?

August 23rd, 2022

Branding is extremely important to your business because it helps consumers recognize and remember a product or service. It can help you connect to customers on [...]

Top 10 web design flaws that alienate mobile users1
6 min read

Top 10 Web Design Flaws That Alienate Mobile Users

August 23rd, 2022

Mobile users are the most common type of internet user these days and because of this, they are not a group that you want to alienate [...]

The important interview questions to ask social media marketing candidates
5 min read

The Important Interview Questions To Ask Social Media Marketing Candidates

August 23rd, 2022

Do you need to hire a social media marketing expert to help manage your social media accounts and associated marketing plans? Many businesses are faced with [...]

How can you improve your mobile revenue
5 min read

How Can You Improve Your Mobile Revenue?

August 23rd, 2022

Making money is what the game of business is all about. With mobile devices being the top choice for doing everything from watching videos, to reading [...]

The 5 Email Marketing Techniques You Should Never Use
Share On:
Newsletter Sign Up

"*" indicates required fields

0 of 60 max characters
0 of 60 max characters

Ready To Grow Revenue?

Digital Experiences That’s Driven Growth Since 1998

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Help My Business*

New York City
112 West 34th Street
18th Floor
New York, NY 10120
Long Island
991 Main St.
Suite 200
Holbrook, NY 11741
Washington D.C.
1101 Connecticut Avenue NW
Suite 450
Washington, DC 20036
Nashville
424 Church St
Suite 2000
Nashville, TN 37219
Los Angeles
1100 Glendon Avenue
17th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Miami
1221 Brickell Ave
Suite 900
Miami, FL 33131
Charleston
170 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
Richmond
919 E. Main Street
Suite 1000
Richmond, VA 23219
Las Vegas
2300 West Sahara Avenue
800
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Austin
2021 Guadalupe Street
260
Austin, Texas 78705
HEY, DON'T GO!
We have an important message from our
Co-Founder Ken Braun.
Video popup poster
GET READY
TO GROW
WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO
MEETING YOU!
Please fill the form.

"*" indicates required fields

Name*
Exit popup final
CHAT SOON!