Email Marketing For Small Business

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

One of the best methods of making sales on your web site is to contact people who have already purchased from you in the past. You could have their names and emails from purchases made through your web site, directly, or from people you have come in contact with through your brick-and-mortar store.

Email marketing is tricky, however, because there is a very fine line between emailing people that want your product and those nasty spam messages that fill our mailboxes each day. So, how do we make the determination?

The answer is simple enough: Don't email anyone you haven't actually made contact with. The temptation to buy a mailing list is always there, but don't do it. That is spam and it will actually drive customers away from your web site.

So, the next step is building your list. This is an on-going problem with many companies, but I will give you some tips on overcoming this hurdle.

1. Collect emails from your web site. Whenever someone orders from you, gather their email and put it on your list of people to contact. These people have already created a connection with you by making a purchase and you now have permission to sell more to them.

2. Have a place on your web site that allows people to sign up for a newsletter, more information, notices on sales, etc… This will add to your list quickly.

3. Hold a contest and give something away. Make sure that the only method of doing this is via sending you information on the client. You must have it that anyone can enter the contest and that the winners will be notified by email. This will add many people to your list.

4. If you have a local business, be sure that each customer that comes in gives you there email. An easy way to do this is to ask them at the check out counter. Offer a monthly giveaway or some incentive to do this. Talk up your online newsletter at your storefront and have people sign up for advance notice on products.

Once you have your list built, it is time to email your customers! As a suggestion, do this about once a month. It is best to run a special with your email. If you are sending out a monthly newsletter, include your specials within its' contents. Always offer a link at the bottom of your email letter for the person to "Opt Out" of receiving your emails.

I hope you find this article useful and if you need any help starting an email campaign, feel free to contact me at www.mywebsource1.com.

Email: The Practically Free Marketing Strategy

by James Fowler
www.mywebsource1.com

Do you email your customers?

Email marketing can be very effective, but you have to be careful. The difference between an email marketing letter and spam is a razor-thin line. You must know your customer to email them. Most businesses don’t even know their customers to email them. It amazes me how many places I have worked with don’t collect an email with every person that walks through their door or purchases from them. I’ve even run into businesses that don’t keep the emails from the people who have purchased from them online! While you can rent email lists, the email method of contacting your customers is almost free and should be a staple in your marketing strategy!

Some simple rules to follow in making your own email campaign:

• Email specials to your customers once a month. Too little and they forget who you are, too many and you become a nuisance.
• Your email could be special, but better yet, if you want to get the emails opened on a regular basis, combine your special with some news-related items. Make it a newsletter if you have the time and mix in a special.
• If you want to email more than once a month, offer the customer something like a coupon aimed directly at them. Example: “Thank you for shopping with us. Here is an extra 10% off coupon if you buy something else in the next 60 days.”
• Invite your customers to open houses or meet-and-greets at your storefront.
• Always, always, always collect an email and keep it for your list. Have your customer service people automatically ask for an email when the phone rings.
• Add a spot on your web site to collect emails from potential customers.
• Every person you meet, every business card you collect should be added to your email list.
  

Hopefully, in time, your list will grow to thousands of people and your business will grow as your advertising costs go down!