Step 1 - Collect those email addresses

Start by building your email list. In the beginning, gather your customers' names and email addresses - but probably not much more. When the time comes, and the relationship evolves, you may wish to collect other valuable information to enhance future campaigns. Collect wherever you can. Get people to join your mailing list from your web site. Gather names and email addresses right in your place of business or wherever you interact with your customers. Create a point of purchase display. Engage your employees and sales force in collecting email addresses. Make flyers to put on finished goods or in packages. Whatever and wherever you can, collect the email addresses of your customers.

Step 2 - Create a plan

Next, determine what your ultimate goal is. Most likely it is to strengthen relationships with existing customers. You can also use email to initiate a "refer-a-friend" program, establish yourself as the authority on your business, or to simply let people get to know you as a person. With your goal in mind, think about how you are going to get there. Will a regularly scheduled newsletter help the cause? Will "spot" promotions do the trick? One nice element about email is that it doesn't cost much to experiment. Try different kinds of communications and track the response…customers only have to hit the "reply" button to tell you what they think.

Step 3 - Determine email frequency

Once you have your plan, think about frequency. Believe it or not, many businesses do extremely well with weekly efforts. Others tend to struggle with messages that go out only once a month. Find the right frequency for you and your customers. And, most importantly - experiment! Try sending emails on Sunday nights. Try sending emails on Wednesday mornings. You'll soon discover what works best for your business.

Step 4 - Build content and format

After you've determined your frequency of communication, it's time to think about content and format. From a formatting perspective, there is the tried-and-true newsletter model. Depending on your style, you may want to develop something less boilerplate and more befitting a one-to-one communication piece. (Hey, that's what most of us are striving for here, right?) Here are some thought starters: special-offer promotions, profiles of key employees, company announcements, event driven communications, holiday updates, "members only" club announcements and coupon promotions.

Step 5 - Have fun with it!

Have fun with your email marketing efforts. Include pictures of your family, write a column about the new restaurant that just opened down the block, talk about what community programs you support and teach your customers about your business. Pretty soon, you will have built tremendous customer relationships that can withstand the occasional shortcoming or a lower price offered by a competitor. With a solid plan, some focused effort and strong partners, email marketing success can be yours!