American Express Publishing has improved the renewal rate for its Skyguide business traveler program by adding an online component.

Roughly 10,000 people have opted in to receive Skyguide's weekly e-mail newsletter offering business travel tips.

And the firm, which mails from 6 million to 8 million pieces of print direct mail per year for the suite of products, has also started doing a small amount of e-mail marketing for it, according to Janet Libert, vice president, editor and publisher of Skyguide, speaking at DMD New York in June.

The result has been a reduction in the amount of churn. The 20-year-old program, which offers a magazine and other products for business travelers, has 140,000 subscribers and a steady annual growth of 3%. Subscribers pay $75 per year.

American Express added the online component to Skyguide in the wake of 9/11, when customers wanted “more ways to reach us,” Libert said. But it has had to deal with some tough restrictions.

For example, the firm has a policy that only one e-mail per week can be sent to a customer from any division. How do they decide which one that is?

“ROI,” Libert said. “Which program will generate the most revenue?”

She added, “Be happy when you get an e-mail from American Express.”

The Skyguide group also had to learn from its gaffes, which included things like placing unclear subject lines on the newsletters.

This is important because 40% of permission-based e-mail never gets opened, according to Libert and her session host, Steve McKenzie, senior vice president of marketing at CFM Direct in Oakbrook Terrace, IL.

That being said, the pair offered some advice for neophyte e-mailers who want to avoid getting stopped by spam filters:

First, avoid excessive punctuation, multiple fonts and color, JavaScript, and overuse of “click-heres” or links.

Also, try not to use the word “free,” or euphemisms for it like “money-back guarantee.”

And refrain from using all caps and question marks.

When renting outside e-mail lists, use a trustworthy list broker and ask how the list was developed (is it opt-in?) and how often it's rented out. Practice good list hygiene, monitor delivery and have a timely bounce-back management policy.

Finally, observe the golden rule for e-mail: Provide notice, choice, access and security.