- 1). Create a database to which you have access to update and from which you can pull data to use for mailing lists. Use this database to store information related to your email subscribers, including their email addresses, names, and any identifying information that you may use in your marketing campaigns for personalization or targeting. Create columns or designators for subscriber status (active or unsubscribed), publications (if you offer more than one type of email) and email frequency preferences.
- 2). Create a signup form on your website that allows web visitors to sign up for email communications from your company. Email Marketing Reports recommends making the form easy to locate as one of its best practices for opt-in registration forms. Make sure the form includes a description of how you plan to use the subscriber's contact information. Explain the types of marketing emails that you send and how often the subscriber can expect to receive them.
- 3). Give your opt-in email subscribers a way to choose between different types of emails from you, if possible---for example, offer both a newsletter and a "special offers" mailing list to appeal to different types of subscribers. Also, let subscribers choose how often they would like to receive your emails, if possible. Offering these types of choices will create a better relationship between you and your subscribers and help avoid "burnout" on your email list.
- 4). Transfer all the opt-in information from your website to your email marketing database. Develop an automated process to transfer this data, or manually pull new subscriber information and upload it to your database, if necessary. Manage your database carefully to ensure that information remains up to date. Mark new email subscribers as active, and only pull lists of active subscribers when you send email marketing messages.
- 5). Comply with unsubscribe requests from your email recipients. The CAN-SPAM (Controlling the Assault of Non-Solicited Pornography and Marketing) Act of 2003 requires that you honor opt-out requests within 10 business days and stop sending marketing messages to opted-out addresses. Mark unsubscribed email recipients as unsubscribed in your email marketing database so that they no longer appear on the mailing lists that you pull to use for email campaigns.
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