The basics of e-mail marketing If you use e-mail marketing or are thinking of using it, you need to be aware of the following basics. Tracking Be sure you have a tracking device on the back end of your e-mail marketing system. This will allow you to see how many people read what information and if they click through to your Web site. Opt-out E-mail recipients should be able to unsubcribe with just a few clicks. When you receive an opt-out request, you have 10 days to stop sending e-mail to the requestor’s address. Though you can’t require unsubscribers to fill out a laundry list of information, you can put an optional “reason for unsubscribing” bar in your opt-outs. You may be surprised how many people fill these out, and you could get some valuable information out of it. Opt-in Opt-ins can be included in of all your e-mail messages. Make this easy for your audience, too, or they may become annoyed and decide not to do it after all. This is not the time to gather every bit of information about this person. All you need is an e-mail address; you can gather the other information later. Privacy Policy E-mail marketing practices should be fully disclosed before asking individuals to supply their e-mail addresses. A link to a more thorough description of marketing practices can be supplied close to opt-in verbiage. If you decide to do more with the e-mail addresses than what you originally said, seek additional permission of your audience. Give your Web site personality Partners in Financial Planning Inc. wanted a new Web site to show their clients, potential clients and competitors how they are different from other financial planners. Basically, PiFP wanted it's site to be a true reflection of the company's personality. 20 Hats’ first goal for this project was to determine what people look for in their financial planners and match those desires up with the services PiFP offers. From this research, we created relevant page headings for the Web site and text that targeted the audience’s needs. The images and text were chosen to show that PiFP is in the business to develop relationships with its clients and provide the most effective services and products to its clients. When creating or updating your Web site, focus on how you are different from your competitors and showcase that through the formality/informality of your text, the size and type of graphics used, and the simpleness or flashiness of your site. Recommended Reading Do you know how a vision can impact your company or your life? Through examples of real situations, people and companies, this book explains how to formulate a vision through three core elements. Cheers for Sam! Our very own Sam Sims can now proudly put the letters APR after his name. Sam successfully earned his accreditation in public relations earlier this month. APR is a mark of distinction for public relations professionals who demonstrate their commitment to the profession and to its ethical practice, and who are selected based on broad knowledge, strategic perspective, and sound professional judgment. Welcome, Cory! 20 Hats is pleased to announce that Cory Von Tungeln has joined 20 Hats as an intern for the fall semester. He is in his senior year at the University of Central Oklahoma studying graphic design. Before attending UCO, Von Tungeln played baseball at the University of Oklahoma, Cowley County Community College, Oklahoma State University and the Philadelphia Phillies affiliate, the Batavia Muckdogs. Von Tungeln is from Oklahoma City.