A growing number of small businesses are getting the message when it comes to e-mail.

What they are learning is that e-mail can be a key, cost-effective part of a company’s marketing strategy. According to PowerHomeBiz.com, a site for helping small businesses do big business, there are seven elements that need to be considered before engaging in e-mail marketing.

• Avoid spamming at all costs. This means that you should send e-mail only to people who requested it, and this is why they call it permission-based marketing. The rule is simple and clear: If the person did not agree to receive your e-mails, then it is spam.

• Personalize it. People are apt to respond more favorably to “Dear Elizabeth” than “Dear customer.” Only send personalized e-mails when you have complete data.

• Be clear about your privacy policy. When visitors subscribe to your newsletter and provide contact information or other details, they assume that the information will be used by you and never shared, sold or rented.

• Respond to inquiries. Just as you return phone calls, you must return your e-mails. The hallmark of good Internet customer service is quick response times.

• Acknowledge your subscriptions. It is important to send a verification e-mail to new e-mail subscribers. Besides, this practice verifies the accuracy of the e-mail and clarifies that the subscriber has opted in. You can do this automatically by setting an auto responder to your subscription e-mail.

• Keep a record of all requests for subscription to your newsletter or product offering updates–even for years afterward. If you receive a complaint, you’ll be able to verify that the person did, indeed, register.

• If the person wants to be taken off your list, make it easy. Be sure to include clear instructions on how to unsubscribe from your list in every e-mail you send. Upon receipt of the request to unsubscribe, acknowledge the e-mail and respond that you have removed the person’s e-mail address from your list.

• Avoid giving the person the runaround. If not, you could wind up with a disgruntled person who could easily damage your reputation.

To learn more, visit the Web site at PowerHomeBiz.com. For more information, visit www.comcast.com/business or call 1-800-316-1619.

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