E-mail marketing campaigns work only as well as the Web sites to which they drive prospects and customers. Yet, paradoxically, most online marketers don't use their Web sites optimally.

The number of spam e-mail messages containing social media links is on the rise. Security firm MessageLabs detected an attack in mid-November that raised the amount of these messages from only a fraction of a percent to 4% of all spam.

Thanksgiving is this week, and with the turkey comes the holiday shopping season. With shopping comes online marketing - and this Cyber Monday stands to be one of the biggest e-mail marketing days in history, according to Responsys.

E-mail marketing firm Responsys is aiding weight-loss program Nutrisystem with various e-mail programs, as well as developing cross-channel customer-experience initiatives. The company is using Responsys' Interact Campaign, the company's software as a service (SaaS) campaign-management platform.

Intel is conducting a digital e-card campaign that lets users make personalized 3-D cards to send to their friends and family. The campaign, launched November 16, runs through the end of the year. It features a Web site where consumers can create e-cards and view information on Intel products.

Nonprofit animal-rights group SPCA International is using the November 15 premiere of a documentary about Operation Baghdad Pups, a program that reunites members of the US Armed Forces with pets they befriended overseas, to connect with donors via e-mail blasts.

E-mail marketing has come a long way since its infancy. We've developed advanced features allowing marketers to drastically increase ROI. We're leveraging social media platforms by offering integration for e-mail campaigns. Tools like A/B split testing, transaction e-mails and segmentation are standard for serious e-mail marketers.

For online retailer Lamps Plus, sending out coupons is a double-edged sword. The online retailer, which plans to send out a holiday e-mail coupon offer for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, has found that distributing coupons too often is not good for revenue. This holiday season, Lamps Plus is offering a coupon for $30 off of a $200 purchase to attract new customers.

For law firms, e-mail marketing can be a tricky business. Aside from CAN-SPAM, law firms are required to follow special rules, depending on the states they practice in, that dictate how lawyers can market to potential clients. Still many firms want to get into digital marketing and are approaching channels like e-mail as a CRM tool, sending newsletters to clients to build relationships.

E-mail marketing is a great way to stay in contact with donors. You may send them updates on cause-related events, send a newsletter, and even advise them of an upcoming mailing. The key is to be interactive and get their attention. Show them you care. Show them you understand them and how they can be of assistance to you and your cause. Whatever you are doing, be sure to ask them for a donation.