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Internet Business
Use Email Marketing To Keep Customers Buzzing About Your Business
by Tim Knox, author of
Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama
Email marketing can be used as an effective tool for communicating with
customers. Its is an effective medium of communication to boost sales by
ensuring that your customers constantly remember you.
The other day my radio show cohost, Paul Finley, mentioned that he had received
an email from his dentist. The point of the email was to let Paul know that his
office would be closed for a week and included instructions on what to do in
case of a dental emergency.
Obviously Paul's dentist reads my column because I've been preaching about using
email to keep in touch with customers for years. OK, maybe he doesn't read my
column and is just a brilliant guy in his own right. Either way, the point is
clear: using email - no matter what type of business you're in - is an excellent
way to keep the lines of communication buzzing between you and those folks who
keep you in business.
You'll notice that I didn't say to keep the lines of communication "open." I
said to keep the lines of communication "buzzing," as in active, as in
constantly communicating messages that will entice them back into your business.
The difference is huge. "Open" simply means that you're there if and when your
customers happen to think about you. "Buzzing" means that you proactively do
things to keep your business in the forefront of your customer's mind. Instead
of waiting for them to come in only when they need something, you send emails
that give them reasons to come in as soon as possible. You don't wait for
Mohammed to come to the mountain; you send the mountain to Mohammed via email.
It's called "email marketing" and every business - including yours - should be
doing it. Don't confuse email marketing with spamming. The emails you send your
customers are never unsolicited or intrusive. You get their permission to send
them occasional emails that are of benefit to them. And by benefiting them you
increase your business and solidify your relationship with the customer.
Ideally you should collect email addresses from everyone who walks through your
door, whether they buy something or not. Offer them the opportunity to sign up
for your free email newsletter or announcement list and offer them an incentive
to do so, maybe a $10 discount off their first purchase if they sign up today.
The allure of saving $10 not only entices them to give you their email address,
but to also make that first purchase while they are there to save the $10. See
how that works? You got them added to your email list and they made an immediate
purchase. You can now use email marketing techniques to turn them from a one
time customer into a repeat customer.
Remember the number one rule of sales: it's easier to sell to current customers
than to sell to new customers. The first sale is always the hardest. You should
concentrate on building a legion of repeat customers and email marketing can
help you do that.
Email should be a part of every business's marketing strategy. If you own a hair
or nail salon you could email customers on slow days and offer a special
discount if they come in by a certain time. If you own a clothing store you
could email your customers every time a new clothing line comes in or if you're
having a sale. If you're in the furniture business can email your customers
about excess inventory and offer them a discount if they come in by a certain
date.
Email marketing works for professional service providers, as well. Accountants
can email their clients with special bulletins about changes in the tax law or
to remind them when it's time to file forms. Stockbrokers can email clients
about changes in the stock market or to tell about a hot new IPO that's on the
horizon.
Doctors and dentists can use email marketing to notify patients that it's time
for their annual checkup, to remind them of impending appointments, to inform
them of new office hours, or to let them know about new services. Or perhaps
you're in practice building mode and you want to offer a referral bonus for
current patients who refer their friends and family to you.
You get the idea. Email marketing can increase your business's revenues,
solidify your reputation, and keep you fresh on your customer's mind.
If you have questions about putting email marketing to work for your business
just shoot me an email and I'll point you in the right direction. Or if you've
successfully used email marketing to increase your business let me know about it
and I'll share the news.
I'm sure others would love to hear about how smart you are.
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Tim Knox is an entrepreneur, author, speaker, and radio host. Visit his web site
and check out his internet radio show at http://www.timknoxshow.com. You can
order Tim's new book, Everything I Know About Business I Learned from my Mama: A
Down-Home Approach to Business and Personal Success, from Amazon.com.
More next month...
Best wishes,
"There is marketing that snores or bores. Then there
is marketing that roars. Make your marketing roar!"
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