Emails are one of the most used methods of communication today, and they are Omnipresent as well. With networking technology on the go as in the case of smart phones which represents over seventy percent of the phones in usage today, as well as the increasing use of tablet computers, laptops and the ever increasing Wi-Fi networks, people are able to receive and read emails everywhere and at any time of the day or night.
Email marketing is the art of using emails to get new clients, as well as to keep them. It is a skill that needs to be mastered by any business owner or manager in this digital age. With email marketing, you use emails to give information to your prospective and current customers on a regular basis, to educate them in different aspects of your business, and also offering them information on how to contact you for more information or for a product or service.
One of the hurdles to cross when you wish to start an email campaign is to try to collect email addresses from everyone that visits your business, or that comes to your website. Usually when you create great content that flows well on your website and that grabs the attention of your public, many visitors will willingly want to get updates and will leave their email addresses to keep on getting information from you.
In addition to those that willingly give you their email addresses, you might also want to use other strategies like offering a price reduction during their first purchase which will require an email addresses. This would be as part of your web form. You should therefore complete your site and blogs with a ‘contact me’ page or encourage visitors to leave their email addresses for updates and further information.
Once you have put in place the mechanisms for obtaining the email addresses, you have to then take time to create your email marketing copy for gaining new customers and also for turning those customers into repeat buyers.
This is done by creating interest for your business, and there are numerous ways of doing that. For example if you are a dentist, you might want to regularly send tips on how to take care of teeth on a weekly basis, where at the end you can put information about your practice, opening times, and other important information.
When you create your content, try to be authentic as well as realistic. Let your subject line introduce you appropriately and let your content deliver on what you promise in your subject line. Clarity in usage of language will help you prospective contacts understand you better.
Another part of the email marketing strategy is that the response times are faster, and on certain days that business is slow you can just send an email announcing promotions. Or if by the end of the month there are products that need to be liquidated, you can also send this information to all you contacts. Restaurant owners have even been known to remind their patrons not to forget to reserve tables and give them the menu of the day and other specialties.
You can also use email marketing to remind clients of your appointments, which is usually appreciated by many who may have forgotten about their appointments.
Email marketing can help increase your revenues, solidify your contact with your clients and keep you always on your customer’s mind, which will ultimately pay off in sales.
What do you think?
