As part of the Doorways series on marketing, I want to introduce my readers, particularly those just now tip-toeing into online marketing, to the basics of email marketing to your existing and potential customers. Email marketing can be one of the most effective ways to influence your target audience, to build your company’s reputation and to provide a service that builds loyalty. The goal of all marketing is to build relationships and trust – people don’t do business with people they don’t know or don’t trust.
Generally, email marketing consists of newsletters or e-zines (a digital magazine), special promotions, lessons or courses, polls and general correspondence. An important caveat about email marketing is this: YOU MUST HAVE PERMISSION TO SEND ANY TYPE OF SALES MESSAGE TO ANYONE. In other words, they must subscribe ahead of time to receive your email marketing pieces. Note on my home page that there is a sign up form for my newsletter. Once someone has “opted-in” (subscribed), you are free to send newsletters and those other types of email marketing without violating the FTC’s CAN SPAM Act.
If you are going to start email marketing, you will need a few things. The first is to register with an automated email marketing service. Why? To ensure CAN SPAM compliance and to be sure your messages get through. A high reputation email marketing service like Aweber is important. They will provide you with HTML code for the sign-up form so you or your Web guru can add it to your site to begin collecting subscribers. To add additional subscribers, put a link to the sign-up form in your email signature so that routine emails notify readers that you have a newsletter or course, etc.
If you provide online shopping, you can place a link to your newsletter subscription form in your customer’s receipt email. Encourage current subscribers to forward your newsletter to friends to read and subscribe to. Be sure the subscription form is on every page of your website, make sure your website is on your business card and when you hand that over to someone, let them know you have a newsletter. Offer past issues of newsletters on your website or submit to article sites like Ezine to get more leverage.
Now that you are getting subscribers, you have to offer them something of value: something that solves a problems, eases a pain point, fills a need or educates them. Your email marketing is NOT just about sales messages. Bombarding readers with nothing but advertising is no way to build a loyal community which is what “new” marketing is all about.
If you want to offer a newsletter or e-course via email and you can’t, or don’t have the time to write it yourself, consider outsourcing to a copywriter. There are affordable writers to be found online, but do find one well-versed in English and who has an understanding of your market and copywriting.
Email marketing is just one “doorway” to finding and serving your customers. Give it a try! If you need help getting started, check out my online coaching services.
Build a business, not a job – check out my website to see how!
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