Offline mail marketing or junk mail, as it is affectionately referred to, is generally hated by customers. Most potential customers simply toss away their junk mail without even opening it. However, there are a high enough number of people who do read and respond to the junk mail to make it a feasible method of offline direct marketing.
Email marketing is pretty much the same as offline mail marketing, with one very important difference: online, you can only send marketing emails to people who have already requested to receive them from you. Because these people have already chosen to receive your emails, you can be a lot more confident that they will read your offers and buy from you.
Email is the most popular and most used communication tool on the Internet. It is an efficient way to distribute your message to a large number of people who have requested information from you. As a form of online marketing, it generates high response rates and gives you measurable results with instant feedback.
Just remember, it is never acceptable to send commercial email to people who have not requested to receive email from you. Nobody will thank you for stuffing their inboxes with a bunch of unwanted marketing material.
If the purpose of the email campaign is to promote a business or opportunity, make sure and include a website link where interested individuals can click on the link and be redirected to a website or landing page that is relevant to the email campaign. The website or landing page should include a contact form that can be filled out and submitted. Once an interested individual has submitted the contact form, get in touch with this person as soon as possible, preferably within one day. Get into the habit of returning emails at a minimum of once every 24 hours.
It doesn't matter whether your business is online or offline, sending out a regular newsletter is a vital tool for business success. And the best medium for a business letter today is email. An email newsletter is an excellent way to develop rapport with your customer base; it establishes trust, builds credibility, and enables you to position yourself as an expert in the field.
An email newsletter has these additional benefits:
1. It is much cheaper to publish than a printed newsletter
2. Mailing costs are virtually eliminated.
3. It has more immediacy than a printed newsletter and can be easily updated.
4. Customers can easily respond to it and can be invited to send their feedback or suggestions.
5. You can include links to your company's website or to special offers that can be purchased immediately.
6. You can use professional emailing services to get feedback statistics showing how many customers opened your newsletter mail, clicked through to your site and so forth.
Here are some guidelines to follow when using email newsletters as a way of staying in touch with your customer base:
1. Follow the 80% 20% Rule
A common mistake that business writers make is that they focus only on themselves or their company in their newsletters. However, the most interesting newsletters are ones which contain solid information and tips that offer the reader some sort of tangible benefit. Such newsletters are much more likely to be read, and many customers will even look forward to receiving them. So, when composing a newsletter, focus on things that would really interest and help your readers. Don't make it bland and impersonal either, but write naturally, as if you are sat down at the reader's kitchen table and having a cup of tea together. Devote 80% of your newsletter content to entertaining the reader and use the remaining 20% to promote your business.
2. Choose a publishing schedule and stick to it
Consistency is the key to building up a regular readership when you publish a newsletter. Whether your newsletter goes out on a monthly or fortnightly basis, make a commitment to keep to this schedule. If your newsletter is good and regular, your customers will anticipate its arrival in their inbox and be pleased to see it there, as expected!
3. Pick a quality newsletter provider
An email marketing service such as that provided by http://Getresponse.com is an excellent vehicle for delivering mass mailings to customer mailing lists at very reasonable price. Since customers have to ?opt in? to receive mailings you will also be protecting yourself from accusations of spamming. Getresponse also manages people wanting to unsubscribe from your list automatically, which is a great time saver.
4. Make a point of planning your content and layout
Get into the habit of brainstorming for article ideas and working them up in advance so that when you sit down to write the newsletter it won't seem like a big chore. Keep them breezy in style, with short paragraphs and make use of bullet points or numbered lists rather than long boring paragraphs. That way, more people will actually read it. If you have fun writing it that will convey itself to your customers, who will be more likely to enjoy reading it.
5. Add a newsletter sign-up form to your website
Make it easy for people to subscribe to your newsletter. Post a sign-up box prominently on your website. Not everybody who reads your newsletter will have subscribed, so invite readers to sign up by putting a sentence at the end of your email signature, saying something like 'Subscribe to my free newsletter and receive the latest articles, news, tips and special offers. Go to http://yoururl... '
By following these guidelines you will be able to squeeze the maximum potential out of your newsletter. With time and effort this strategy will lead to more repeat business and more new business.
Both Jayme Hanson & D. Hurley are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jayme Hanson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Finances and Debt Reduction Consolidation. Jayme HansonMentor, Project and Time Management SpecialistMarketing tools to increase your business success.http://www.turning-dreams-into-gold.com. Jayme Hanson's top article generates over 22200 views. to your Favourites.
D. Hurley has sinced written about articles on various topics from Work From Home, Book Reviews and Coffee Advantages. David Hurley writes articles on Internet marketing strategies and publishes a popular marketing newsletter packed with Internet business tips and insights. Pick up a free subscription at =>. D. Hurley's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.