E Mail Marketing & Newsletters

E mail Marketing & Newsletters

Are you looking for some affordable advertising options?

Would you like to attract the maximum number of customers?

You might be surprised to learn about some different marketing strategies that can be adopted even when short on funds. One such strategy is e mail marketing or newsletter marketing. Having been around forever, it’s basically direct marketing in which you market your product or service in a direct way. This marketing tool uses electronic mail providers like MailChimp or AWeber for communicating its message to a specific audience.

Most email services charge a monthly fee but MailChimp is actually free for up to 2000 names on your mailing list. Granted, this level doesn’t offer all the various automation tools but for most, it’s a great affordable way to start. Most others start from around $20 per month and up.

So, if you’re looking to promote your business with little cash flow, then e mail marketing might just be ideal for you. Let’s see how it works!

How E mail Marketing Works

It’s thanks to the Internet and technology that e-mail marketing is possible. Typically, a crafted email is sent out to several people at once by using the email list or mailing list.

This same marketing strategy can easily be used for promoting e-commerce websites, events or even weekly specials. It’s quite easy to send emails out to both your existing customers and prospects. All you need is a detailed or segmented mailing list. Because, as the saying goes, the money is in the list.

If you’re not already doing so, you’ll want to get in the habit of collecting email addresses from your customers. Doing do allows you to stay in touch after the sale and tell them of new products or other specials. If you think repeat customers and rewards programs, you’ll be on the right track here!

Say No to Buying those Email Lists

More quality email subscribers means better promotion of your business.

You just want the quick fix eh? Seriously?! Yes, there are ways to “buy” email lists from various third parties out there but this type of list will not help you. One size does not fit all!

You need a list of people who would be specifically interested in your product or service that’s why it is important to build your own list organically. If customers seem hesitant at first, why not offer a simple enticement: 10% off your next purchase to sign up! Thank your customers for joining.

Don’t be that Spammer Guy!

Anti-spam legislations are now enforced in many countries including Canada and the US. Therefore, you need to be aware of the rules and abide by them period. Everyone hates Spam, it’s one of the scourges of the internet. So don’t be that guy!

The beauty of using a reputable e mail marketing service provider like MailChimp is that they handle this compliance for you. Going a step further, they even have pre-made templates available, to ensure you stay compliant. Another great benefit is they allow visitors to both subscribe and unsubscribe from your list at any time automatically. This is a prime example of how some automation in the right place can help big time. Sweet right?

Make a point of gaining permission from your email subscribers before sending them any messages via email. If you’re doing this in store, just ask them to sign your sign-up sheet and check the little box giving you permission to email them. If you’re at a home show or market, you can even use a Tablet, preloaded to your sign up sheet — people LOVE pushing those buttons! Weird I know, but it works !

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What Content Should I Use In My Newsletters ?

The best use of email newsletters is to talk about your products or services without sounding commercial or salesy. At the last rough count, I’m subscribed to roughly 200 newsletters so yes, my newsletter inbox gets quite full most days. Do I read them all? No. Do i skim read the headlines, yes mostly. Headlines matter for your open rates — think one line elevator pitch!

I’ve seen newsletters so jam-packed full of information and links that I almost immediately unsubscribe. Some are so badly put together from an esthetic point of view, they are just plain hard on the eyes. Remember that an email newsletter is essentially a sales teaser. I’m a big believer in the mantra: be brief, be brilliant and then be gone. For me, some of the most successful and enjoyable newsletters to read are the ones with a single topic or article of true value and interest.

Having a quiet month or week? Why not try a simple email blast with a limited time special offer? We’ve seen clients go from tumbleweeds to a lineup out the door within hours thanks directly to effective email marketing.

It should be noted that each market is different and it will likely take some trial and error to find what works for your customer base. If you’re really not sure about your content, why not Poll your customers? Ask them what they’d like to see next month? One more thing, don’t forget to add those social media links in there too and yes, MailChimp has you covered there too!

Pros of Email Marketing

• Cost saving as they are affordable advertising options
• Time saving in both setup and maintenance
• Quick contact with a pre qualified audience
• Highly Effective marketing tool
• Analytics — campaigns are fully measurable and trackable — see what works!
• Segmentation — reach specific A List customers with relevant, personalized messages
• It helps build brand awareness and better relationships with customers

Cons of Email Marketing

• Many people may not open your email or may delete it by considering it unimportant or unsolicited
• Be aware of Spam and avoid spammy wording
• Your email may get filtered into the Spam folder if you don’t gain permission from customers first
• Relevance — Subscribers will only stay if the content remains relevant to them
• Avoid the temptation of sending too many emails.

How Often Should I Email ?

How much is too much right? You might be surprised to learn that a 2015 study of 2000+ US adults reported 91% wanted to receive promotional emails from brands they like. 86% would like to receive promo emails at least monthly. 61% said at least weekly and only a lowly 15% would like to receive promotional emails every day. Take that Costco !

So, if you’re just starting out or have been a little “sporadic” recently, we’d recommend at least once per month. If you’re more seasoned in the game and have oodles of quality content, try a weekly run for a months trial. Whichever option you choose, keep an eye on the Open Rates (MailcChimp analytics) and if you start seeing a rise in unsubscribers, it’s time for a change. The most likely changes to assess first will be 1) change the frequency — weekly to bi-weekly and 2) Up your content game — nobody likes boring content, so kick it up a notch or two!

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E Mail Marketing, Tried and Tested

E Mail Marketing began in 1978 and right from the start, email launched itself as a highly effective channel for direct marketing. In 1991 the invention of the Internet helped the tactic literally explode almost overnight.

In all that time, the channel has consistently put up big numbers for marketers of all sizes including mom and pop stores. There is absolutely no reason why it can’t help you!

Pay attention to quality content, be helpful, be friendly and timely. Consider offering incentives for sign ups and referrals. Reward your loyal customer base with unique specials only available to them. Show your customers that you care and their patronage really matters to you.

E Mail Marketing is very much worth your time.

Originally published at .