Although  an e-mail marketing campaign  seems something as simple as a bulk sending,  is more than this.  The fact is that a good communication in this area must have a solid starting point based in the planning.  Their success and, consequently, the achievement of objectives will depend on  the proper planning and its implementation.

The first step of the planning is setting goals. We have to decide what needs must  be covered in the short, medium and long term. 

We must bear in mind that any action has be done  in due course, so we must mark a calendar that reflects each part of the communication process.

So we can not let any stage at random. We have to avoid improvisations 

Another point to plan an e-mail marketing campaign  is the target definition as explicit as possible. We must anlyze the conditions and features  of potencial market.

Although the planning of an e-mail marketing campaign has to be defined from the moment of its creation, we must not be rigid. We have to see every stage  to detect and correct deviations.

We have to adapt the e-mail marketing campaign to the response of our audience.

Before sending a massive email to apologize for some mistake, we must think aspects such as:

- Are you sure that this is the best way to correct something you said?. Maybe it looks like you are  hiding  behind a screen... If you know that the offence was serious you must use another way. Sending an e-mail is easy and many people do not take seriously the apology.

- The inmediacy of e-mail make it an advisable way to start some kind of apology. It can be requested when the error is still latent.

- You must include the word "forgiveness" or "sorry"in the subject line. This will ensure that the aggrieved party open your mail.

- Do not include anyone else in CC or Bcc without express permission of the recipient. Let the injured party decide if  he want everyone know that you've apologized or not.

But remember that say what you feel in a message is different  that saying that through other ways. Above all think if it is the right channel for your apology and pray for the injured party has ever happened something similar and he will accept your apologies :-)

Although I do not like "catechisms" about marketing or any other subject, sometimes they are necessary to recapitulate interesting thinkings and refresh your memory. You must keep in mind what  people say in your sector.

Current trend for successful business is the orientation to the customer. Marketing has to rethink itself to get to the point. Now, corporate communication must be organized on terms such as:

1. Inbound. Customer approach exceeds product approach
2. Initiative. Customer decides when and how contact us.
3. Customers identification. We need to articulate new mechanisms to select customers
4. Customers Intelligence. We must develop tools to get knowledge about customers and guide our product towards them.
5. Interactivity. We must maintain a constant interaction with the customer through any channel.
6.  Marketing and product / service customized.
7. Investment. Treating the customer as an asset whose profitability will return in the medium-term or long- term.
8. Identifying new business opportunities, such as cross-selling or creating new product lines
9. Retention rates. Give the customer a differential value (individualized treatment, personalization service ...)
10. Impact on the income statement. The cost of achieving a customer is more than maintain one .

The e-mail marketing becomes the perfect tool to help you in the change towards a customer orientation. Do not discards it as a piece in your corporate communication strategy.