Email tip: if you haven’t contacted your subscriber base in some time, don’t make the first returning email a marketing piece unless you want a high delete ratio or labeled as spam.

I received an email this morning from a service I don’t recall subscribing to. When I replied seeking clarification on when I subscribed they replied Feb 2015. Seriously, this is the first email in 2-1/2 years and it was all “buy from us because we are so cool”. Ah, nope. Delete, unsubscribe!

So Rob, what do you recommend sending when you haven’t sent anything in a while?

Here’s a sample you can use, which is non-salesy, non-spammy and is designed just to say “HI” and allow subscribers to get to know you again.

Hi (subscriber name) – wow, it’s been awhile.

And I’m sorry for that, I really am.

I get so caught up in helping my clients that I completely forget about emailing my own subscribers with new and exciting things.

Sometimes its just easier to post to social media, but not everyone checks their Facebook or LinkedIn or even Twitter every 8 seconds like I do. So there’s that.

But really, it’s been too long and I wanted to drop a line and see how you were doing.

Let me know. I do really care about you and your success. And I’m here if you need help.

Anyway let’s keep in touch.

(your name)

That’s it…it’s that simple.

So if it’s been way too long in between emails, make sure you reintroduce yourself before you start slamming with your marketing message.