Email Marketing Buzzkills to Avoid

Is your campaign irritating subscribers more than connecting with them? It could be if you're making any of these following mistakes. It's time for email marketing couples therapy to save you from turning off your subscribers.

• Don't use 'Info' as your from name..  Who are you trying to kid? Info’s not your company’s real name! Why don’t you tell me who you really are? Otherwise, you’re just like all the other generic marketers out there. Don’t be like them. Connect with me using a legitimate company name. It makes you look more trustworthy.
• Just as bad a the 'info' faux pas, don't constantly be changing your 'From' name.  Stick with a simple company name instead. Otherwise you risk confusing your subscribers and having your messages deleted – or worse, marked as spam.
• YOU'RE YELLING AT ME IN THE SUBJECT LINE!!! ....Seriously, why the all caps? I get that you’re trying to stand out, but there’s a difference between building urgency and being obnoxious. Typing in all caps and using excessive punctuation falls into the latter category and makes me want to delete you so I don’t have to listen to you.
• Use the subscriber's first name.  If you ask for first names, use them. None of this impersonal-but-trying-to-be-personal “friend” stuff. Avoid using Dear Friend, Dear Customer or Dear Member.
• Sending a Blog Post broadcast email with no content. Emailing just to say you have a new blog entry is like calling just because you wanted to hear my voice, then hanging up. It’s weird. The point is to push your content into your readers’ inboxes. Give them a reason to open your emails. Include some pictures and a teaser for your post. Something more than just a link and the title at least.
• Avoid mistargeted Messages. Don’t clog your subscribers’ inboxes with emails that aren’t relevant to them. If you segment your subscribers by location, interest, gender or anything else, use those segments wisely. They’ll feel misunderstood and unloved if you don’t. 

What Kills It For You?  Confession time: What are your pet peeves when it comes to email? Dish about the email marketing mistakes that really get your goat. Are these buzzkills enough to make you unsubscribe from a list? Where do you draw the line between “irritating but excusable this once” and “so maddening that I’m going to unsubscribe?”

---