In-house mailing lists also mean improved personalization and segmentation, resulting in the delivery of a clearer and more relevant message/offer to the target audiences. This will also aid in restricting the amount of emails going to the same person- too many emails can chase off the customer not just from your subscriptions, but from your business as well! So remember that the quality of your email is more important than quantity.

Track the click-throughs of your clients to broaden the level of personalization. Personalization can be carried out using different approaches; you can switch from full-length informative articles for new products and services, to newsletters or announcements of offers. Town and area specific emails can be sent for limited offers.

To make sure that your email is not deleted even without being read, put you company name in the 'From' field. 'From' and your Subject Line should work in conjunction, for your subject line is one of the most important aspects of your email- it is the first bit of information you can interest your customer with. It needs to be intriguing yet direct; teasers should be avoided in the subject line as they can provoke impatience.

The design and tone of the copy should reflect your company's image at all times. Current trends dictate short copy with the message being conveyed in the preview pane itself, if possible. Remember- focus on one offer per email. Emails stuffed with too many offers or messages tend to lose their audience. An effective email marketing campaign will follow this simple 3-step rule:

•  What is the offer?
• What are its benefits/advantages for me?
• What do I have to do to avail of it?

Important information can be reiterated by including it in both copy of the email as well as images in the email. A plain text version of the email is helpful for people using handheld devices.

Testing your email before sending it out to clients can provide you with valuable feedback and save you from many a pitfall. If you cannot align resources for extensive testing, start off with internal testing. Try different subject lines also to see which one has a higher open rate.

While you keep these basic guidelines in mind, stay aware about the latest email marketing trends. The digital world evolves at a very fast pace and you cannot afford to lag behind. Keep abreast of any changes that email service providers implement.

While you make sure that you follow all established guidelines for email marketing, keep in mind that finally, innovation is the key to success! So don't be hesitant in trying out new ideas, and become an email marketing guru!

If you need advice how to outsource this type of service