If you haven't started using a pre header in your email marketing campaigns then this is something you should start to consider using.

A pre header is a great way to tell the people that are receiving your email what your message is all about and why they should take the time to open it.  The great thing about it is so few businesses are using this tool so your message will stand out in the inbox even more.

Question: What is an email pre header?

Answer: A pre header sits at the very top of your email and is the first text read by email systems when your email is delivered.  This pre header is displayed after your subject line in many of the major email systems.

To see how this might look when delivered to an iPhone a picture is below.

Our suggestion to maximise your pre header text would be to put this before you place your view online link.  So the very first text would be your pre header text and then put your view online message.

You can even incorporate them together so your pre header text and view online might look something like the following:

Power specials start in 24 hours, but don't wait view this message online Click Here.

Have some fun with this and try out some different offers to see what works for you.  Whatever you do don't just make your pre header your subject line again or you will be wasting the extra promotional opportunity.

From 12 March 2014, there will be many changes to the Privacy Act.

Although this seems a while away, if the Privacy Act applies to your business, it’s a good idea to start preparing for the changes now.

Does the Act apply to my business?
The Privacy Act protects personal information handled by large businesses and health service providers of any size.

The Act may also apply to a small business if it has an annual turnover of more than $3 million and either:

• trades in personal information
• provides services under a Commonwealth contract
• runs a residential tenancy database
• is related to a larger business
• is a reporting entity under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act.

If you’re not sure whether the Privacy Act applies to your business, try the 9 Step Privacy Checklist for Small Business  on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) website.

If you’re still not sure, you may need to seek advice from your lawyer or other business advisors.

What is changing?
A new set of privacy principles that covers the handling of personal information by businesses will be introduced.

The changes will affect how businesses can:

• handle and process personal information
• use personal information for direct marketing
• disclose personal information to people overseas.

The Privacy Act changes will also give the Information Commissioner the ability to:

• investigate serious breaches (including the right to impose penalties on businesses)
• assess the privacy performance of businesses.

To comply with the Privacy Act from 12 March 2014, businesses will need to have a clear and up to date privacy policy that is easily available.

For details of all changes to the Privacy Act, visit the Privacy law reform  page on the OAIC website.

For an introduction to privacy legislation, try the snapshot of the Privacy Act for small business or the guide to privacy for small business .

Do you waste precious time jumping between different programs to edit images for your emails? Well, now you can save time and easily do it all within EzyMsg using our brand new image editor. Have a look at the video below to find out more.

If you wish to purchase marketing lists to send commercial electronic messages, it is YOUR responsibility to determine whether consent has been obtained from each person on the list. Under the Spam Act, you have to prove that consent has been obtained to send messages. It is not sufficient to assume that email addresses have been obtained with the consent of the person on the list by the company selling the list without having proof of this from the provider.

Before purchasing a marketing list, you MUST seek written details of how the provider obtained the email addresses and under what terms and conditions. Think carefully about whether you can rely on inferred consent and remember you must still include accurate sender identification information and an unsubscribe facility in your messages.

Lastly before you send to a purchased list have a think about how many people on the list have received emails and how fatigued the list might already be.  You could be wasting your time and money and damaging your brand.

Likelihood of a SPAM complaint = HIGH
Likelihood of your email being opened = LOW