3 Things You Must Never Do When Sending Emails to Your List

Email marketing is one of the most powerful tools for building a business online. It's a direct and personal way to engage with your audience, promote your products, and generate consistent income. However, many people have the wrong perception about email marketing. They think that once they've built a list of subscribers, their job is done. In reality, building your email list is only the first step—what comes next is just as important.

Maintaining and nurturing your list is critical for your long-term success. You want your subscribers to stay engaged, trust your content, and keep coming back for more. If done wrong, you’ll not only lose subscribers but could also face serious problems like spam complaints, which can hurt your business.

Here are three things you must never do when sending emails to your list, if you want to keep your audience engaged and happy.

1. Ignore Your Email Delivery Rate

One of the most common mistakes email marketers make is not paying attention to their email delivery rate. This refers to the percentage of emails that successfully land in your subscribers’ inboxes. If your emails aren’t reaching your audience, then your efforts are wasted, no matter how great your content is.

Why is this important?

Not every email you send will be delivered, for several reasons:

• Spam Filters: Your emails may be flagged as spam if your email service provider or your content raises red flags with spam filters.
• Inactive Subscribers: Some subscribers may have inactive or invalid email addresses, which can affect your delivery rate.
• ISP Blocking: In some cases, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) might block your emails if they detect certain patterns or complaints from users.

How to improve your delivery rate:

• Keep Your List Clean: Regularly remove inactive or bounced emails from your list. This helps to ensure your emails are going to valid addresses.
• Use Double Opt-In: A double opt-in process confirms that your subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails. This also helps filter out fake or mistyped email addresses.
• Check Your Reputation: Make sure your email domain has a good sender reputation. If too many people mark your emails as spam, your sender reputation will suffer, and fewer emails will be delivered.

You should aim for at least a 95% delivery rate. The more people who actually receive your emails, the better your chances of generating sales, building relationships, and growing your business.

2. Forget to Include an Unsubscribe Link

Another big mistake many email marketers make is hiding or forgetting to include an unsubscribe link. It may seem counterintuitive to encourage people to leave your list, but providing an unsubscribe option is essential for maintaining a healthy relationship with your subscribers.

Why is this important?

• Legal Compliance: According to email marketing laws like the CAN-SPAM Act in the U.S., it’s mandatory to include an easy-to-find unsubscribe link in every email. Failing to do so can lead to legal issues and even hefty fines.
• Trust and Transparency: By giving your subscribers the option to unsubscribe, you're showing that you respect their choice. This builds trust, and subscribers are more likely to stay on your list if they feel they have control over the relationship.
• Avoid Spam Complaints: Without an unsubscribe link, frustrated subscribers might flag your emails as spam. This can damage your reputation and impact your email deliverability, as more of your emails will start ending up in the junk folder.

Best Practices:

• Make sure your unsubscribe link is easy to find and works properly.
• Consider asking for feedback when someone unsubscribes to learn why they are leaving. This can provide valuable insights for improving your future emails.
• Don’t try to guilt people into staying. Keep it simple and respectful. If someone unsubscribes, it’s better than having them mark your emails as spam.

3. Send Disturbing or Irrelevant Content

The content you include in your emails plays a huge role in how your subscribers perceive you. Sending disturbing, offensive, or irrelevant content will drive people away—and fast. Not only can this lead to a high unsubscribe rate, but it can also result in spam complaints, harming your business.

What do we mean by disturbing content?

• Inappropriate Material: Avoid sending emails with inappropriate content, such as graphic images, violence, or anything that might offend your audience. Many email service providers strictly forbid such content, and you could risk having your account suspended or terminated.
• Off-Topic Emails: Even if your email doesn’t contain inappropriate material, sending off-topic or irrelevant emails can confuse and frustrate your subscribers. For example, if your list is centered on fitness tips, don’t suddenly send an email about cryptocurrency or politics.

How to stay relevant and appropriate:

• Stick to Your Niche: Keep your emails focused on the topic your subscribers signed up for. They subscribed for a reason—don’t betray that trust by veering off into unrelated subjects.
• Know Your Audience: Understanding the needs, interests, and preferences of your subscribers will help you create content that resonates with them. Personalize your emails as much as possible to address their specific challenges.
• Stay Professional: While it’s okay to be casual and conversational, always maintain a level of professionalism in your emails. Avoid language that could be interpreted as offensive or inappropriate.

Conclusion

Email marketing is not just about building a list—it’s about building relationships. To keep your subscribers engaged and happy, it’s crucial to follow best practices and avoid mistakes that can lead to lost subscribers or worse, legal trouble.

Let’s recap the three things you must never do when sending emails to your list:

1. Ignore your delivery rate: A clean list and a good sender reputation are essential to ensure your emails are getting delivered.
2. Forget to include an unsubscribe link: Make it easy for people to leave your list if they want to, and you’ll build more trust.
3. Send disturbing or irrelevant content: Keep your emails on-topic, professional, and appropriate to maintain your subscribers’ interest.

If you follow these simple guidelines, your email marketing efforts will be far more successful, helping you maintain a healthy and profitable relationship with your subscribers.

For more email marketing tips, check out our previous post on 

The Secret To Build A Profitable Opt-in List – 3 Easy Steps To Do

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