Steps four through 10 for boosting open rates.

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4. Add text to have recipients add you to their safe sender list. This reduces the number of delivery failures from blocked email addresses. For example, Pottery Barn uses the following text:

“To make sure you continue to receive email from us -- including order confirmation and special offers -- please add PotteryBarnKids@service.potterybarnkids.com to your address book or safe list.”

5. Add text to have recipients view your email via a web page. This option is especially attractive to anyone receiving your email via a hand-held or mobile device. For example:

“If you cannot see graphics in this email, click here to view it as a web page.” 

• In HTML messages, use alt tags and support text around images. Readers whose email clients block images by default will still get the gist of your message. Many email clients will also block alt tags, so good use of text is key.
• If you offer a text version, make sure the content includes links to all of your core functions and tasks.

6. Include text stating the offer at the top of the email so that the offer will be visible even if images are turned off or blocked in the recipient’s email client. Five to 10 percent of people are receiving email on their mobile devices, so be sure that the offer is one of the first three lines they read. For example:

"SAVE $145 off ad:tech’s list price of $395 from 12/6/05 to 12/31/05 with promo code: youradtechgift1
Register Now"

7. Design emails to be viewed in the Preview Pane. Fifty percent of your email recipients will only see what appears in the window screen and will not scroll further down the page. You have five inches or less in which to squeeze your best content or offer; however, be careful not to try and squeeze everything but the kitchen sink into this space. Maximize your screen real estate. Most people won’t scroll down past the preview pane, so be sure to put all the important information above the fold. 

Think along the lines of an executive summary. Online customers scan. They don’t read. Make it easy for them to find the key, relevant information and take action. You’ll need to address the following:

• Who is this from? (your logo)
• What’s in it for me? (your offer)
• What action do I take? (your call-to-action)

8. Place your logo in the top left quadrant of the page. Since the average email recipient will spend no more than eight seconds reviewing your email, it is crucial that you establish credibility immediately through brand recognition. The upper left corner is looked at nearly every time. Therefore, placing your logo in the top corner works to give you credibility and buy you time with the reader.

9. Grab attention with your headline. Use a 20 point or larger boldface font for emphasis. By way of illustration, if you're a retailer and you want to showcase your half-price items, bring out your best and most provocative graphic (if promoting with HTML) and display your "50 percent off..." headline in all its blazing glory at the top of the piece. Your recipients -- especially the impatient skimmers -- will know immediately why they should look further.

10. Make sure the main graphic reinforces the offer. Too often companies include generic clip art in emails that do little more than distract the recipient. It does more harm than good. Spend your limited graphic allotment on things that help get the message across.

Try these best practices out on your next email campaign and watch your open rates rise by five to 10 percent.

Barry Stamos is the chief strategist with INBOX Marketing, an advanced email marketing professional services firm that GUARANTEES a 50 percent increase in your email conversions. Clients include ad:tech, Dow Corning, Fortune, LendingTree, Oracle and philosophy.com. Prior to joining INBOX Marketing, Stamos led multi-million dollar CRM solutions for Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies. Additionally, Stamos was formerly the director of strategy with Arthur Andersen Private Client Services and has worked in London for the American Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Embassy.

Stamos holds an eBusiness Certification from the USC Marshall Graduate School of Business, Bachelor of Science Degree in Corporate Communication at Ithaca College and was a Global Scholar of International Economics & Politics at Cambridge University. He is also a sought out industry speaker and prolific writer, having published in magazines, newspapers and internet publications. Stamos is authoring a book, “Guaranteed Email Marketing ROI < 90 Days” to be published Q3, 2006.