E-mail marketing is one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with customers. It is generally cost-effective, and if done properly, can help
build brand awareness and loyalty. At a typical cost of only a few cents per message, it’s a bargain compared to traditional direct mail at $1 or
more per piece. In addition, response rates on e-mail marketing are strong, ranging from five to 35% depending on the industry and format. Response
rates for traditional mail averages in the 1-3% range.
One of the benefits of e-mail marketing is the demographic information that customers provide when signing up for your e-mail newsletter.
Discovering who your customers really are — age, gender, income, and special interests, for example — can help you target your products and services
to their needs. Points to consider when creating your e-mail newsletter:
HTML vs. Plain Text:
Response rates for HTML newsletters are generally far higher than plain text, and graphics and colors tend to make the publications look far
more professional. The downside is that HTML e-mail is slower to download, and some email providers may screen out HTML e-mail.
Provide incentive to subscribe:
Advertise the benefits of receiving your newsletter to get customers to sign up for your newsletter, such as helpful tips, informative
content, or early notification of special offers or campaigns.
Don’t just sell:
Many studies suggest that e-mail newsletters are read far more carefully when they offer information that is useful to the customers’ lives
rather than merely selling products and services. Helpful tips, engaging content, and humor are often expected to accompany e-mail
newsletters.
Limit questions:
As each demographic question you ask may reduce the number of customers signing up, it’s best to limit the amount of information you solicit
or give customers the option of skipping the questionnaire.
Many small businesses assume that the Internet has little value to them because they feel that their product or service cannot be easily sold
online. But inexpensive information processing and electronic media can help most small businesses provide better, faster customer service and
communication. Using email campaigns is a proven way to help grow your business.
Do you need help implementing your
email marketing campaigns?
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