Electronic marketing is a very creative field. It has few if any restrictions and there are multiple approaches to managing e-marketing campaigns. Only sky is the limit. However there are some golden rules of e-marketing that should not be breached.

The First Commandment

Do not Spam

Spamming is a double sin. Firstly, it is simply an unethical way of delivering your marketing communications to consumers. Secondly, extensive spamming is likely to lead to negative outcomes rather than positive ones as many consumers will be irritated by the junk mail and turn away from your company forever.

The Second Commandment

Do not be a Copycat

In order to be successful, an E-marketing campaign needs to be based on original ideas. There is no point in copying the patterns that others have used before. Instead, try to think of a brand new marketing ploy that is capable of capturing the marketplace by storm.

The Third Commandment

Do not be Uncle Scrooge

Uncle Scrooge is a character from Walt Disneys cartoons who was notorious for his efforts to save every penny possible. Successful E-marketing campaigns come at a cost. The money that you manage to put aside for the E-marketing campaign will pay off later. It is hard to promote a business on a shoestring (particularly if the shoestring is short).

The Forth Commandment

Do not Push it!

It is good to be persuasive. However, you should always bear in mind that no consumer likes to be pushed. Do not put your consumers under pressure unnecessarily. It is ok for marketing communications to contain some healthy aggression but do not go overboard. One example of excessive aggression is informing the consumers of special deals available from the Website throughout a week and following the original e-mail up with daily reminders. It will make many consumers feel they are being spammed.

The Fifth Commandment

Do not Lie

It is common (and normal) for marketing communications to present the products and services available in a rather idealistic fashion. While modest exaggeration has always been part of the marketing game, there is no point in building-up unrealistic expectations that you will not be able to fulfill.

The Sixth Commandment

Do not Generalize

Consumers prefer to receive marketing communications that are tailored to their specific needs or at very least to the needs of a consumer group that they can identify with. It is highly improbable that you are going to be able to come up with a unified message that could find its way to the hearts of all consumers as the respective needs of these consumers vary.

The Seventh Commandment

Do not Procrastinate

Occasionally, E-marketers need to take time-out to review the marketing strategy and to identify possible improvements. Taking a short break should not be interpreted as a stop over. E-Marketing campaigns should be carried out on an ongoing basis rather than from time to time.

The Eighth Commandment

Do not Forget about the Competition

Do not forget about your competitors because competitors are not going to forget about you. You should continuously benchmark your e-marketing strategy against the competitors efforts. Learn from their achievements and do not repeat their mistakes.

The Ninth Commandment

Do not Lose Objectivity

Be honest with yourself. Once you realize that the e-marketing campaign is not delivering the outcomes expected, do not hesitate to put it to scrupulous analysis and to identify the areas requiring improvement. Bear in mind, that the value of your e-marketing communications can be measured on the basis of the consumers response rate only! You can not call your e-marketing campaign a success just because you like the way you are running it.

The Tenth Commandment

Do not Expect Miracles

Miracles do happen..but not very often. Your e-marketing campaign is going to succeed only through dedication and hard work!