Email Marketing Is Still Alive and Well
We’re covering my fav 5’s of marketing vehicles (tactics) in the next several posts. I’m purposely starting with my number one pick for marketing small businesses and non-profit organizations – email. When some people hear the words “Email Marketing” they automatically picture a graveyard. With so many new, sexy marketing strategies like social networking, pay-per-click, and blogging gaining steam, has the bell finally tolled on email marketing?
No way!
As a matter of fact, 68% of small businesses surveyed (in 2011) by Pitney Bowes listed email as their preferred marketing channel. I’m defining email marketing here as any opt-in campaign involving e-zines, emailed coupons, or monthly newsletters that you send out.
So, why do you think so many small businesses keep relying on email marketing?
Because it works.
In fact, I had one client garner $7,000 in sales from one email we developed and sent out on her behalf. So yes, email marketing is more than worth your time. But if you’re still not convinced, here are the top 5 benefits to start or continue using email marketing to build your business.
- Email Marketing Puts You In Touch With Your Audience – Most people use the Internet for one primary purpose: checking email. Almost everyone has an email address and far more people know how to use email than know how to Twitter, update a Facebook page, or find a blog. For your email marketing campaign, this is very good news. It means this is one of the best ways to get seen, heard and known.
- Email Marketing Is Affordable – Email marketing is cheap. In fact, cheap is an understatement; it’s probably the most cost-effective way to reach a large audience that you can find. In fact, the Direct Marketing Association estimates that the average Return On Investment (ROI) when it comes to email is approximately $40.56 (for 2011) for every $1 spent. Don’t you wish you could get that kind of ROI out of the stock market?
- Email Marketing Keeps Your Business “Top of Mind”- People are busy these days. Really busy. And it’s incredibly easy for them to forget about your business as they go about their day. The last thing you want to do is put your business on hold until someone needs you and then ‘hopefully’ remembers to call you. A monthly newsletter helps keep your business on their radar. They already know, like, and trust you (because they signed up for it in the first place); your messages will give them a little reminder that you’re there waiting to help solve their problems. It can also give them a pleasant nudge with your promotions, sales and discounts.
- Email Marketing Helps Increase Sales – Over 73% of people who make online AND in-store purchases do so as a result of receiving an email. So if you’re having a fantastic sale next month you want to make darn sure people know about it. Imagine how many customers would come if you offered a coupon only for newsletter subscribers? And when your other customers found out that subscribers got “special treatment” like that, they’d be sure to sign up too.
- Email Marketing Allows You To Be A Problem Solver – If you’re in business, then you probably already know that customers don’t care about the upgraded look in your boutique or the new coach you just hired. All they want to know is if you can solve their problems. That’s all. The great thing about email is that when you send out an informative, relevant newsletter or ezine (at least each month), you’re doing just that. That kind of helpfulness strengthens the bond between you and your customers. And it’s all about the connection.
Your Action Plan…
If you’re not already collecting your customers’ email addresses, start. Put out a sign-up sheet; ask when customers make purchases, put a sign-up button on your website, use any ‘legal and ethical’ way possible to get this valuable info. Make sure you stress the benefits here; after all, who needs one more email? They’ll only say “yes” if they know what’s in it for them. The more you make it sound as if you’re doing them a favor, the more sign-ups you’ll get. And in the long-term, the more money you’ll earn.
If you’re already sending out an email, make sure you’re staying true to your list with relevant, helpful information.
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