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5. Develop professional looking campaigns. Try to keepthem consistent with your branding initiatives. The moreprofessional the communication, the more likely it will bewell received. Additionally, as it is part of your ‘Circle ofLife,’ it should all carry the same message of who you are andthe work you do. (The exception to the rule: If your websitelooks unprofessional, it should always be a priority to fix thatfirst and have it as the basis for your onlinecommunications.)6. Track your success. While there are lots of companiesout there that offer campaign services, cost should not bethe biggest factor. Look at what they can do for you to helpyou create the most effective campaigns possible. Youshould be able to track your campaign’s success, be able tolook at your statistics across several campaigns, and be ableto see who has opened your campaign – including howmany times and at what times. Looking at these trends willhelp you decide when to send out future campaigns, what isbeing looked at, and who is paying attention.7. List management and opt-in/opt-out services are alsoservices to look for. You should be able to link your emailsign-ups to a service that allows you to manage your mailinglist. When someone signs up, you should use a double opt-in,which means that they are sent an email confirming that theywant to receive email from you. Every campaign absolutelymust have an opt-out option so that if they do not want toreceive email from you, they can be taken off the list. A goodservice should provide this automatically. Along with listmanagement, it is good to define your lists so that you cantarget your campaigns to specific audiences. For example,existing clients will be more interested in care andmaintenance products, services, and helpful hints whilepotential customers want information that will help themlearn about what you do and the benefits associated withworking with you.8. Test your campaign. Whatever service you use shouldgive you the option (most likely for a fee) to test how yourcampaign reads and performs in different email readers, ondifferent browsers, and whether it gets through certain SPAMfilters. This will help improve the way you develop yourcampaigns and reach a larger audience. Also, be aware thatwhen campaigns are opened on different platforms, not all ofyour content may perform the same or even be visible.Gator - 24”INSIST ON THE BESTASK YOUR SUPPLIER FORA PURITY POOL NET9. Include links. Links are good in that they help create acall to action and can be used an extra way to see if peopleare engaged in the content you provide them. Make surethat if you are including any links in your campaign, thatyou have checked to make sure the address is correct andworks properly.Red Baron - 20”Pro-Lite - 18”Ultra-Lite -18”Spa Scoop -14”Red BaronPelican16” to 18” The Premier Manufacturer ofProfessional Service NetsCelebrating 50 Years of Dedicationto Quality Without Compromisewww.puritypool.comRequest info at www.pondtrademag.com/infocard/ # 139‰10. Always include your company information. Yourbusiness name, website address, email address, physicaladdress, and phone number. This will help keep you frombeing flagged by SPAM filters and add credibility to yourcampaigns.To determine how successful you are with yourcampaigns, just look at your numbers. Average open rates forour industry are between 25% and 35%. My clients are oftenabove 40%, which is above the average across the board inany industry. To calculate your average open rate, divide youropens by the amount sent minus bounces (emails that werenot delivered). Additionally consider the fact that some ofyour recipients may not open the campaign, but will view apreview of it or have an email reader that does not supporthtml and/or they may only read a text version, which alsodoes not get recorded as an “open.” Do not be discouraged ifyour numbers are around 30% – that is average. Frustrationmay mount, however, as your list grows and your open rate38 POND Trade Magazine pondtrademag.com