Simple Email Rules are Creative Opportunities

Generally speaking, there are no rules for what goes into an email. You can write an epistle, share a daily dose of sunsets, or pass along your favorite memes endlessly. However, there are a few simple email rules of etiquette to keep in mind, especially if you plan to use someone’s inbox to share your latest creation.

Consent is Key

We cannot use someone’s email inbox for solicitation without their permission! Email consent requires that the recipient decide they want your email. Our audience must sign up to receive our business correspondence.

This is a good thing—those on your email list are ready to grow a relationship with you. This means we shouldn’t add an email address to our list just because it was personally given to us five years ago—or even last week.

We most certainly cannot harvest an email address from someone else’s poor email use, like when a great aunt includes your address in the open carbon copy of 35 other folks you don’t even know. The proper process is to personally thank someone for their email address and direct them to a signup page to receive regular correspondence. Without consent, you risk losing not just one audience member but also access to your email service provider.

Consistent But Comfortable

To build a meaningful relationship, even in business, requires regular communication. An email schedule is a smart move to grow an audience. Structure is comforting for many people; it subconsciously sets expectations. Erratic email habits can feel jarring, like saying, “Hey, look at me!” or “Hey, I need something from you.”

Artists are notorious for only sending emails when they have a show—“I need your attention.” Consistent communication, however, can keep you present in your audience’s mind.

Consistency can be defined in many ways, but it’s probably more often than once a year and less than daily. That doesn’t mean sending junk. Just as friendships grow through thoughtful interaction, so does your audience. And while email allows for significant amounts of information to be conveyed, it’s probably not appropriate to regularly ramble and rant—unless that’s your brand!

Clean the Contacts

Although there’s no postage required to send an email, it does cost money and isn’t great for the environment. If an email consistently bounces or is left unopened, it’s a waste of resources.

Email platforms also use the statistics of your emails (deliverability and open rates in particular) to decide how to treat them. For example, this is how Google determines what goes into your inbox, promotions, or events without you telling it what to do.

Removing contacts that don’t engage with your communication may seem counterintuitive to growing your business, but it saves resources and improves the experience for your engaged audience.

Creativity Within the Rules

These simple email rules can be our friend:

• Consent ensures your audience is genuinely interested in you and your work.
• Consistency keeps you present in their mind, even without a major announcement.
• Cleaning contacts saves resources and enhances the quality of your communication.

If you pause to think about these rules you likely have some creative ideas on how to utilize them for your own business vision.

If you’re curious about how to grow your business through email, consider joining a future coworking session. And if a conversation over coffee feels more meaningful, reach out, and let’s talk about how to help you spend more time creating.