E-mail marketing has become commonplace and is a great way to engage your contacts.  Once you have your e-mail prepared you want to ensure that it reaches your contacts' inbox and that they open it.  Personal preferences and SPAM filters can hinder that process, but we have a few tips to help you increase your open rates.

1.  66 percent of contacts check e-mail on a mobile device, so ensuring that your e-mail is mobile friendly is key.

2.  Write a subject line that captures the recipient's attention without misleading the reader about the content of the e-mail. Avoid the "what happens next ..." syndrome.

3.  Your e-mail should have a good balance of text and images.  An e-mail with too many images can load slowly and trigger SPAM filters.

4.  Have a concise call to action in your e-mail. You're contacting people for a reason, so make that reason clear: learn more, register now, buy now, etc.

5.  Send a test e-mail to yourself and review it. Make sure the links within your e-mail work properly. You'll also see how images load and look.

6.  Too many e-mails will turn off your audience and you'll find your recipient list shrinking. Send only when you have something important or valuable to tell your customers.

Pedro Pérez is a founding partner of Nuevo Advertising Group and an adjunct professor of Global Brand Strategies at Ringling College of Art and Design. For over 17 years Pedro has offered clients his knowledge and expertise. Pedro has always demonstrated a keen analytical sense combined with a good dose of common sense in crafting digital and online marketing strategies as part of an integrated marketing plan.