When I use the term “e-mail marketing,” I am not talking about copying and pasting a ton of e-mail addresses into the “To” or “CC” section of your e-mail application. That’s old-school, extremely limited, and is simply a waste of time for the busy small business owner. It does not work, and many Internet service providers will put these e-mails in the SPAM category.

Effective e-mail marketing uses an e-mail service provider that is dedicated to distributing mass e-mails in an efficient and legal manner. Much like Internet service providers, e-mail service providers do one thing: e-mail marketing. These e-mails are quickly differentiated from the standard text-based e-mails. They are graphic in nature and often look like a Web page has landed in your in-box.

Established e-mail service providers, like Constant Contact, have strong working relationships with Internet service providers, and thus a much higher percentage of your e-mails arrive at their destination. Did you know that 20 percent of all e-mails sent never get through? By using a trusted provider like Constant Contact, 97 to 99 percent of your e-mails will get through.

I use Constant Contact as my e-mail marketing service provider and love their services. They are an industry leader and prices start in the $15 to $30 per month range. They are worth every penny, so take advantage of a leading e-mail marketing service provider. Furthermore, a wealth of metric and report tools also come with these accounts. Knowing who, what, where, and when your customers read your e-mails is critical to communication success.

I could write a 100-page chapter on e-mail marketing, but there is no need. An e-mail marketing expert, John Arnold, has already written a fantastic book entitled E-Mail Marketing for Dummies. If you want a worthwhile read with tons of detail, then pick up John’s book. You won’t be disappointed.

Your thoughts?