The direct marketing industry would be wise to place
Jeanne S. Jennings’ “The Email Marketing Kit” (SitePoint Pty., $197) in the top nightstand drawer of every hotel room on the trade-show circuit. It’s a comprehensive primer for the e-mail marketing novice and a reference tome worth its weight for the seasoned professional—in other words, a newly minted guide to a complex e-universe for the devout marketer.
Organized into detailed (and conveniently tabbed) chapters, the kit not only explains the hows and whys of e-mail marketing for the beginner, but it also touches on intermediate disciplines such as viral marketing as well as more advanced CRM initiatives to better communicate with a core audience. And for all levels of expertise, there is not just one, but two sections on laws and restrictions. First, the aptly named “Laws and Regulations” chapter covers opt-in requirements and best practices to ensure you err on the side of caution when creating and implementing e-mail campaigns. Rounding out the legislative overview is the book’s Appendix A: Anti-spam Laws by Country, a roundup of specific regulations passed in various corners of the world.
When taken as a whole, the sheer volume of information presented in Jennings’ book can be mildly overwhelming, not to mention intimidating. However, each section is easily digestible in one sitting, woven together in a casual, easy-to-read style that continually relates concepts back to the greater objective: strategically sound e-mail marketing. Jennings herself describes it best in the book’s preface: “By reading this kit you’ll gain an understanding of what e-mail behavior drives readers to activate their spam button, and learn how to minimize your own risk of being branded with this scarlet letter.” When it comes to delivering on that promise, the book certainly will have marketers casting aside all suspicion—this information-rich manual is the real deal.
—Christen Gruebel
Hitting the Email Inbox
The Ultimate Guide to Email Marketing