So what's different about the electronic approach, other than the method of distribution? Don't you still need great copy and an effective target list of potential buyers?

There are a lot of similarities between electronic and postal direct mail, so you'll read chapters on words and phrases that work and don't work. You'll still get the advice on how to construct your message to grab the attention of the recipient. This immediate attention issue is even more acute with e-mail: hitting the DELETE button is a lot quicker than handling a piece of mail, opening it or not, and tossing it in the trash.

Lewis has tailored this book nicely to this new medium, exploring how to adapt to this communications vehicle without getting burned. Chapters discuss opt-ins, avoiding the "spam" accusation, and how to use the e-mail subject line most effectively. He explores how to establish rapport through e-mail, using personalization and psychology to elicit the desired response. The chapter on rich media and viral mail is certainly something you won't find in a typical marketing book.

This book is filled with medium-specific information, quelling my fear that this would be just another marketing book with "E-Mail" dropped in the front of the title. These pages are a treasure-trove of resources and tailored advice. The ten pages of tips at the end of the book supplement the tips that appear on the pages throughout the text. An abundance of examples illustrate the author's points. Indexed.

Using techniques that grab reader attention
Herschell Gordon Lewis' Effective Email Marketing tells how to avoid the common pitfalls of the typical email marketing program to focus on massmarket messages which get results. Individualization and customization are part of the keys, as well as using techniques that grab reader attention.