 |
What is E-Mail Marketing?So you want free or cheap. Who doesn't? But what is e-mail marketing, and is it really free or cheap? Email marketing can be any type of communication between you and your prospect or client (or donor). From thank yous for business they bring, to newsletters sent regularly, to articles of interest to them that you pass along. Any time you communicate with prospects, clients and donors, you have a marketing opportunity. That doesn't mean you should give them a sales pitch every time you send them email. Sometimes, you should just help. And believe it or not, that's marketing, too. The Right Tools What sorts of email marketing tools do you need? Though some say it isn't necessary, I find a website essential to marketing my business. How else can prospects, clients and donors find out about you? Find out what you know and get to know you and trust you? Then, if you don't have a website program that includes email marketing, you need an email service that allows you to send bulk email without it being spam. These can run from cheap to expensive, from easy to use and track data to complex (and you'd better have good IT people!). And you need to be able to track your results, which may or may not be a part of your email marketing service. Be sure you also have opt-in email marketing capabilities, to be sure you send email only to those who request it. Keep It Simple I find simple works best. My website is a complete package that includes my hosting, email services (both email coming to me and e-mail marketing capabilities), tracking and too many other bonuses to list here. I don't need an IT degree or hours of time to figure out how to send my newsletters and other marketing via email. And some email sending services are that straightforward. Others are not. So do some research and choose carefully. Beyond the tools, you need to set up an email marketing program, if you really want to cash in on this inexpensive method of marketing. A monthly newsletter is a great start. And occasional updates, articles of interest or news from your business world can supplement this well. You may eventually want to increase the frequency of your newsletter to semi-monthly or weekly. But keep it in line with the time you have to spend on it. Every Email Is A Marketing Opportunity And don't forget thanks yous and other ways that let your clients or donors know you appreciate their business. That should definitely be a part of your e-mail marketing plan, too. If you want to start an email marketing campaign, or even just look into your options, and don't know where to start, give me a call at 970-946-6005 to schedule a free half-hour consultation. I'd be glad to get you on the right track to more money! Oh... and email marketing isn't free, but it's usually a lot cheaper than many other marketing methods. So it's definitely worth giving a try. For more information about marketing methods, try these links:
|
