In one of our previous tips we discussed how and why you should be building your customer database - because your current customers are a great source for recurring revenues and for spreading the word about your products. One of the most effective ways to drive customers back to your website and keep them in the loop with your latest news is email marketing. Email marketing involves sending an email to your customer and contact database, or a specific group of customers in your database. Remember this isn't like spam in the slightest - you only send to customers who have given you permission, and you're sending them useful information they actually want to receive! But, what do I write? Figuring out what to write in your emails is the hardest part. Follow these golden rules of content: Be relevant, Be useful, Be timely.
Here are 4 tips to help you work out what to write:
Tips and Advice are very well received and happily read by your customers, as they are educational and informational, so very useful. If you are a service based business such as an accounting or law practice, this is probably the most suitable type of email marketing to use. That said, nearly every business has valuable free advice and ideas they can impart on their customers.
Promotions and Special Offers are another type of email well received by your customers. These don't need to be scheduled or regular, so you can send them whenever you have a special offer or promotion running. These are very well suited to online stores.
A Newsletter Every business can write a newsletter. It doesn't have to be monthly, it can be bi-monthly or quarterly. Include educational topics, latest industry news and information, current promotions and announcements. Feel comfortable including something fun and personal like a favorite recipe or directions to a place you enjoy hiking, as this personal touch helps to build a relationship with your customers and contacts.
Special announcements are another reason for an email campaign. Do you have some news that your customers would be interested in? Have you made changes to your organization or the way you do business, hired or promoted employees? And if your announcements or interesting news aren't regular enough for a newsletter, there's no reason you can't send a one time campaign when they come up.
Do you have questions about your online business? Curious or confused about what would work best for marketing your business? Let's Talk! We want to support you as you take actions to achieve business growth! The Team at Business Infusion 800.701.4617.
