1. Tell fans why they should follow you. Although not an independent retailer, there are valuable lessons that can be learned from a recent email sent by Ann Taylor.

They promoted the benefits of becoming a Facebook fan which includes an opportunity to see behind-the-scenes when they have photo shoots, style tips, sneak peeks, things they love, special events, and ideas on “how they wear it”.

2. Offer incentives. The email from Bruegger’s is a strong example of how one store is attracting new Facebook fans with a contest for the 40,000th fan to receive a $100 gift card. Plus, they emphasize all the benefits of becoming a fan on Facebook: to hear more about their community initiatives, the chance to win free prizes, exclusive coupon offers, menu updates, and real-time ordering.

3. Make the design appealing. You have two seconds to capture the attention of your email recipients once your email has landed in their inbox. A strong design with bold graphics, a clear message, and an effective layout will increase your click-through rate by ten-fold or more. In a recent study, researchers learned that participants read an email from left to right. So, as you design your email put your strongest message on the left-hand side. n