Be seen. Be heard.

Using Email Marketing to Grow Your Business
Email Marketing can be a remarkably inexpensive and
amazingly cost effective way to grow your business and improve
your bottom line. If your business is new to the world of email
marketing, it is exceedingly important for you to follow email
marketing best practices to assure the best results possible. First
of all, let's take a look at what email marketing is and isn't.
EMAIL MARKETING IS…
Delivering PROFESSIONAL email communications to
an INTERESTED audience, containing information they find
VALUABLE.
The most important distinction here is that you are dealing with
an audience that WANTS to hear from you and is EXPECTING to
hear from you. This is called "permission-based" email marketing.
You want to market to those people that have elected, or "opted-in",
to receiving communication from you.
EMAIL MARKETING IS NOT…
PURCHASING a list from a third party vendor, RENTING a
list from an outside company, or BUYING an "Opt-In" list.
INCREASING TOP OF MIND AWARENESS VIA
EMAIL MARKETING
Think about this… for the majority of businesses, most of their
upcoming business will come from their existing customers. In
almost all cases, word of mouth from existing customers is the best
form of advertisement. Because of this fact, it is imperative to raise
your customers Top of Mind Awareness (TOMA). You want to be
the first thing they think of when your product or service is needed
- whether it is needed for themselves or a family member, friend
or co-worker. Keep in mind that not only is your existing customer
invaluable but referrals and references are vital to the growth of
any business, and a free form of advertising. Utilizing this theory is
where an email marketing strategy comes into play and can work
as a vital component to the growth of your business.
BUILDING A QUALITY, PERMISSION-BASED
EMAIL LIST
Since an email marketing list is one of any business's most
valuable assets, it’s worth spending the time to build it right. The
question most companies have is this, "If I don't purchase a list,
where will the email addresses come from?" Here are some
strategic ways to help you quickly grow a permission-based email
list from Constant Contact:
Incoming and Outgoing Calls: If you haven't been doing so
already, ask people to join your mailing list during incoming
and outgoing phone calls. Train yourself and your employees
to ask people to join while explaining the benefits.
Motivation: i.e. Everyone who signs up to receive our email
newsletter in the next 10 minutes gets an extra 10% discount
coupon.
Events and Meetings: Collect where you connect.
Print Media: Include sign-up link in brochures, whitepapers,
articles, and other communications that highlight your
organization.
Optimize Website and Social Media: Include a sign-up box
on every website page, blog and any other social media site
such as FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
QR Code: Add a QR Code on your business cards that links
to an online sign-up form.
Point of Sale: If you're a retailer, place a sign-up list or guest
list at your POS.
Displays: Display a sample newsletter at your location.
Privacy Statement: People like to know their address will not
be sold.
Employee Contests: If you have employees, get them
involved and consider providing some incentives or rewards
for assisting and building your email list.
For more information, contact Mariann Siegert Levin at
Mariann@Omega-Enterprises.org
"You're dealing with an audience
that WANTS to hear from you and
is EXPECTING to hear from you."
Mariann Siegert Levin
Omega Enterprises
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Mariann Siegert Levin is President of Omega Enterprises
specializing in helping non-profits and businesses
succeed through educational seminars, consulting
and marketing services. She is a Local Area
Expert for Constant Contact in Social Media Marketing
and Email Marketing. She is also the author
of Hired! eWorkshop (available through Amazon).
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