As you know, e-mail was, and still is, the key component of ‘social interaction’ – yeah, it’s not wrapped as nicely as other social networking initiatives but it is still viable as an integral part of the customer/employee communication.  Not only is it affordable, it offers you an opportunity to stay connected – on your terms.

Here are a few great tips from the trenches:

REWARD: Identify e-mail forwarders and reward them – they are your best brand ambassadors.

PERSONALIZE: Personalized images can increase conversion by 50% - especially if a subscriber/recipient’s name is highlighted.

LIST SIZE: The larger the list, the less effective it is – lists typically become obsolete in six months (a big reason to keep up the database).

AUTHENTICATE: Insure that the program and your e-mail/domain meet standards to preclude spam issues or getting black listed - provide instructions on how recipients may add you to their white list.

EASY TO SUBSCRIBE: Create a preference center so subscribers can say how often they'd like to receive emails, what they're most interested in etc.

INCREASE OPEN RATES:  Scrutinize the “Subject Line” within e-mail campaigns.  Reason simply, most recipients (even if they know you!) will react to a subject line with a topic that offers subject matter that is relevant to them. Think long and hard about what that subject line should be.

INCREASE CONVERSION: The actual layout and design of the e-mail itself will determine open rates and ultimately conversion.  Consider less graphics and more text in the upper most portion of the e-mail real estate.  That way, one or two lines of text will appear in the recipients "Preview Pane" -- offering them a quick view of the e-mail content.