Some marketers might regard an opt-in subscription as the end of the permission process—but it’s just the beginning, says Stephanie Miller in a post at the Daily Fix blog.

“Permission does not give marketers a license to just send whatever, whenever,” she argues. “In fact, more than just a one-time exercise, permission must be re-earned with every message.”

Here’s how to implement a strategy that continues to request permission from a subscriber long past the initial “yes”:

Send relevant content only when a subscriber needs it. It’s fine, Miller notes, to remain visible with a newsletter sent on the third Thursday of every month. But the frequency of promotions and offers should reflect a customer’s apparent readiness to buy—for instance, if he or she has made a recent purchase or is up for renewal.

Re-engage non-active subscribers sooner rather than later. “If the messages are not resonating,” she says, “stop them, or offer to change frequency or content type.”

Miller concedes that an email program oriented to strong value propositions will likely result in smaller subscriber files and more work for fewer records. But, she says, it’s worth it: “On the surface, it might sound like poor marketing strategy, but actually, it results in a better situation. Subscribers who really want to be on your file are always going to be more engaged and return higher response and revenue.”

The Po!nt: It doesn’t end with “I Do.” Like any human relationship, an email-customer relationship requires work over time.

Source: The Daily Fix. Read the full post.