If you run an online business, you already know that email
is an essential portion of how you do business and
communicate with customers - a veritable lifeline to your
client base. There are several email strategies, besides
the overused spam and direct mail, which will help you
reach potential new clients, inspire them to want to reach
you, and to build stronger relationships with your existing
clients.
Email Signature
A very simple and obvious way to raise your company's
awareness is to install an automatic email signature at the
bottom of all outgoing correspondence. This is something
that most companies are probably already doing, but it is
important enough to be mentioned. If you do not already
use an email signature, it is time to start, and if your
company is using an email signature—bravo—but
this is also a good time to re-evaluate the autograph and
company information that appears in the signature. Is it
clear? Easy to read? Does it contain a link? These are a
few things to consider when designing your email signature,
and evaluating the effectiveness of an existing signature.
Email Newsletter
Publishing an email newsletter is a great way to stay in
touch with your prospective customers, raise brand
awareness, share information and build relationships. It
may sound like a lot of work, but you may only choose to
release a newsletter monthly or quarterly, so it need not
be intensely time consuming, and it is an excellent,
non-invasive way to reach out to customers.
An email newsletter on the surface is simply a way of
sharing news and information with customers and potential
clients who have usually voluntarily asked to receive this
letter. Email newsletters are usually sent to existing
customers who have signed up for the service, so it is a
way of keeping in touch with and reaching out to customers
who are already interested in your business and services.
An effective tactic here is to personalize each
email/newsletter by using distribution technology that uses
the client's first name. Use of a client's first name will
further solidify your relationship by extending personal
attention and courtesy that the customer may not get from
another website business.
Special Offers
Sending coupons to your existing customers and letting them
know of special offers via email is a useful marketing
strategy. This will make customers feel that you are
looking out for their interests, that you appreciate their
business, and want to reward their loyalty. This will make
those customers feel that they have been recognized, and
that their business matters to you, further increasing
their loyalty to you.
This need not be a costly strategy for your business. You
can offer a small percentage-off coupon, which in the long
run won't affect your bottom line, but will benefit
customer alliance. In addition to this, the percentage of
customers who actually redeem these coupons and special
offers tends to be small - they may not need to re-order
products at this time- but the effect of increased loyalty
will be achieved whether the customer redeems the coupon or
not. These compatible marketing strategies are a strategic
choice, and an effective way to build relationships with
your customers, and to increase your business.
----------------------------------------------------
Christian Fea is CEO of Synertegic, Inc. A strategic
Collaboration Marketing consulting firm. He empowers
business owners to discover and implement Integration,
Alliance, and Joint Venture marketing tactics to solve
specific business challenges. He demonstrates how to create
your own Collaboration Marketing Strategy to increase your
sales, conversation rates, and repeat business.
Contact: christian@christianfea.com
http://www.christianfea.com
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