Following these simple steps below, along with a good third party service, will allow you to create an affordable emarketing campaign with a professional looking email newsletter.
1. Build a list of people that want to hear from you
To build your list, begin by requesting permission to collect email addresses at every point of contact with your current and prospective customers, clients, and members -- both online and offline. For example, you can add a "join my email list" sign-up box on your website, prominently display a sign-up book in your store or office, and ask people you meet if they would like to join your email list.
2. Make your readers want more
Blatant sales pitches aren't a productive way to build a relationship with your customers. Make them want to read your newsletters by cutting down on the sales promotions. Instead, share useful, relevant, and interesting information that addresses their concerns and needs. By providing useful content and suggestions, your recipients will not only read your emails on a regular basis, but they will actually look forward to your next email. In time, they will view your emails as a key information source and even share the content with friends.
3. Stick to a schedule
Planning ahead is key to managing a successful email-marketing campaign. Map out what information you want to communicate and determine the best timing. Planning your content and focus ahead of time will make it much easier for you to develop your campaign and stay on schedule. By following a regular schedule, your recipients will quickly learn when to expect your emails and be more likely to read them.
4. Take your audience's pulse
Companies that work to develop relationships with customers are those that remain top of mind, during the holidays and beyond. One of the best ways to start a two-way communication with customers is through online surveys. Online surveys help you capture feedback that customers might not otherwise feel comfortable sharing. Even if you are not technically inclined, there are many online services that include expertly written templates with question-and-answer choices you can modify.
Even though the economy is a reality, it can be a self-fulfilling prophecy too. If you cut all spending and hunker down, you will lose the opportunity to engage your customers. Instead, take the opportunity now to keep putting yourself and your story out there with confidence. And if you have difficulty with that let your customers tell your story by developing case studies that show the value you are bringing to your customers.
Email newsletters are a great way to do this. They are uniquely suited to accomplish the long-term goals of member retention and loyalty, not just for promotions during the holiday season. Small businesses should use email marketing throughout the year to provide interesting, relevant information to their customers. This information should be about the company's products and services, but also about related topics on which the company can educate and inform consumers. Customers may know the company provides a good service, but they'll be surprised and pleased if they learn that the company is also willing to offer advice, interesting insight and valuable resources in their regular newsletter. Then, when they need a service that you provide, they're more likely to turn to that company because of the established, trusted relationship.
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Eric Groves is SVP of worldwide strategy and market development at Constant Contact.
