Sending personalized and targeted emails has become a cornerstone of modern marketing strategies. It’s a powerful tool for nurturing leads, promoting products, sharing updates, and building lasting customer relationships. The effectiveness of email marketing spans industries and benefits both B2B (business-to-business) and B2C (business-to-consumer) companies.
Be Aware of the Regulations
Email marketing can be a highly effective channel for reaching customers, but it’s also one of the most heavily regulated. Following the rules isn’t just good practice – it’s essential to avoid fines and maintain trust. GDPR and local marketing laws set clear boundaries for what you can and cannot do when sending marketing emails.
GDPR and Privacy
Privacy is not something to take lightly. According to the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), sending marketing emails without explicit consent is illegal. This means:
- You must have a clear opt-in process where the recipient actively agrees to receive emails from you.
- You must include an easily accessible unsubscribe option in every email.
- You are required to store proof of consent and be able to document when and how it was given.
The Norwegian Marketing Act
In addition to GDPR, Norwegian law places further restrictions:
- You may not send marketing emails to personal addresses (like ola.nordmann@firma.no) without consent.
- However, you may send emails to general business addresses (like post@firma.no) without prior consent.
Violating these rules can result in fines and damage to your company’s reputation and trustworthiness.
How to Make Email Marketing Effective
Compliance is just one part of the equation. For email marketing to truly work, you need more than random newsletters. Here are some practical tips for creating successful campaigns:
Build a Quality Email List
Forget about buying email lists—they usually yield poor results and can harm your brand. Instead:
- Use lead magnets (free resources, checklists, e-books) to encourage signups.
- Include a clear signup form on your website.
- Collect emails from people who have already shown interest in your services.
Segment Your List
Not all customers are the same—so why send them the same email?
- Divide your list based on interests, purchase history, or engagement levels.
- Customize content so each group receives relevant messages.
Example: A customer who just purchased a product shouldn’t receive a “first-time discount” campaign, but rather tips on how to get the most out of their purchase.
Write Emails That Get Opened (and Read!)
A good email isn’t just nicely formatted—it needs to grab attention. The subject line is key: keep it short, clear, and enticing. Examples:
- “Exclusive offer just for you!”
- “5 simple tricks to save time every day”
Keep the body text short and scannable—people don’t read, they skim. Use CTAs (Calls to Action): What do you want the reader to do? Click, download, buy? Make it clear.
Optimize for Mobile
Over 60% of emails are opened on mobile devices. If your email doesn’t look good on a small screen, it’s likely to end up in the trash.
- Use responsive templates that adjust to mobile screens.
- Avoid large images that load slowly.
- Make CTA buttons large enough to tap easily with a thumb.
Test, Measure, and Adjust
Email marketing is an ongoing process. You should always test what works best.
- A/B test subject lines, content, and CTAs to see what leads to higher open and click rates.
- Check your analytics: How many open the email? How many click? How many unsubscribe?
- Adjust your strategy based on the data you collect.
Summary
Email marketing works—but only if done right. By complying with privacy laws, building a quality list, and crafting valuable, targeted messages, email can become one of your most profitable marketing channels.
- Stay compliant with regulations
- Tailor your content to your audience
- Make engagement easy and appealing
- Continuously test and optimize
By following these principles, your emails will not only be read—they’ll deliver results.r.
