Newsletter preparations

DKIM

A cumbersome abbreviation, that much is clear. But without DKIM you can hardly use newsletter platforms any more. DKIM stands for Domain Keys Identified Mail. DKIM signing of an email serves to ensure the authenticity of email senders.

A signature is added to the e-mail (the “header” of the e-mail), which is assigned to the domain. This is intended to make it more difficult to forge the sender of an e-mail. The process is based on asymmetric encryption. 

To achieve this, DKIM must be activated with your mail provider. The key pair is generated and the public key is entered in the DNS (Domain Name System) of your domain. The private key is stored on your mail server (abbreviation: MTA).

You can find out more about SPF, DKIM and DMARC in this Articles from the E-Werkstatt.

Opt-In

Voluntary registration for the newsletter is the first step on the way to implementing permission marketing methods. When users register for a newsletter, this is referred to as the opt-in procedure.

You will receive even more qualified registrations with the Double opt-in Procedure. In this case, the interested party receives an e-mail after registration with simple instructions on what to do to make the registration effective (usually a link to the operator's website, which must be clicked).

Double opt-in ensures that you only manage functioning e-mail addresses in your tool.

Particularly helpful for you and the subscriber is the use of the Confirmed procedure. The subscriber receives a welcome e-mail after successful registration.

In this e-mail, you can already provide the first articles and a link to the newsletter archive, but you should definitely explain the possible ways to unsubscribe, the Opt-Out procedure. Such welcome emails are usually not deleted, but kept for a long time.

What is it all about?

Create a single, factually worded sentence in which you explain to interested parties what your newsletter is about. Formulate the sentence in such a way that it would encourage you or your friends to sign up. Don't use any market-screaming terms. Think from the customer's point of view. Ask yourself what you can do for the customer, not what your customer can do for you.

Write this sentence wherever the interested party can register for the newsletter.

Legal matters

By following the permission marketing principle, you automatically have no legal problems. In Austria, for example, according to the TKG 2003 (Telecommunications Act), no unsolicited e-mails may be sent unless there is already a business relationship or you have given your express consent.

But right or wrong, with permission marketing you always achieve good data quality. This is because only those who are in principle interested in your offer are on your mailing list. You don't waste mailings on uninterested people, you don't suffer a bad reputation. Sending an e-mail costs far less than sending a brochure, but why burn money here when it can be put to better use in other ways?

Hunters and gatherers

Think about where you can get in touch with customers and interested parties and how you can obtain their consent to receive the newsletter. Collect these contact details:

• E-mail address

Exactly, preferably just the email address. In any case, only collect the most necessary contact details when registering for the newsletter. Nobody understands why they should be obliged to provide their telephone number or address when requesting emails; you can still argue with their first name and surname. You can use suitable measures to obtain further contact details at a later date. This always works easily if it is completely clear to the customer why this data is needed (e.g. for sending catalogs, competitions). The salutation has now also become a problem area; you will do yourself more good if you do without it.

This is the basis for personalized newsletters. If you can also collect the motives (interests), you can design newsletters that correspond exactly to the individual interests of the recipients, i.e. are as relevant as possible.

Interests

While the personalized newsletter was previously the goal to be strived for, a meaningful Segmentation may already achieve better results. You ask about the interests of the recipients and send appropriate newsletters taking these interests into account.

Data warehouse

Determine where you will collect the registration data (Excel sheets, database, newsletter tool, Outlook, etc.). Choose a system from which you can easily export the data. Also save the date and time of registration so that you can provide proof of registration in the event of a dispute at a later date. In the EU, we recommend the provider mailerlite (affiliate link).

Enter the relevant information in your Privacy policy in.

Who, What, Why - The Policy

Create a newsletter policy. Explain in it why you collect which data and how you generally handle the data. Describe the likely frequency of mailings and the expected content. After all, who would subscribe to your newsletter if they don't know what will be in it and how often they can expect to receive emails?

Be sure to explain how to successfully unsubscribe from the newsletter or how to delete all data. Permission marketing not only means that registration is voluntary, but also that no major obstacles are placed in the way of unsubscribing. This way, you will be remembered fondly and perhaps even recommended to others.

Bear in mind that unsubscribing is often not a matter of eternal value. Perhaps the recipient has only changed their e-mail address, or perhaps they do not need your information at the moment for professional reasons. This can easily change again. The easier it was for them to unsubscribe, the easier it will be for them to subscribe again.