Want a low-cost (virtually no cost) way to build your business?

One that will drive traffic to your website or online store, increase sales, and build your clients’ trust in you and your business? We reveal how you can do it (and it’s something you can start today!)

Best wishes,

Marie-Louise Cook
Editor – Daily Marketing Bulletin

How To Use Emails To Grow Your Business

A permission-based email programme can drive traffic to your website or online store, increase sales, reinforce familiarity with your company, and build trust and loyalty. It’s no wonder that internet marketing experts say email marketing can be one of the most cost-effective marketing tools in your arsenal

First Build Your List

If you don’t already have a list of customers, then now is the time to start building one. You need to find the names and addresses of people who are interested or could be interested in what you have to offer. So, building your email list entails three stages:

1. The acquisition of the email addresses (where and how you collect them)
2. How you welcome your new subscribers
3. How you behave once your subscribers have opted in (how you manage your list)

A note of caution: Before you even add any email address to your database, make sure you obtain the owner’s permission.

How To Acquire Email Addresses Online

Place a sign-up form on each page of your website. Demonstrate just how valuable signing up will be for them by providing examples of the emails you’ll be sending their way, along with testimonials from some of your happy customers.

Use paid search to reach higher positions in the search engines and post the link to your sign-up page prominently on the landing page.

Advertise your website address in other companies’ ezines (that reach your target audience).

Entice them to take the plunge and sign up by offering free downloadable or mailed reports or future discounts that are only available for online subscribers. Make sure that you place opt-in boxes on your special reports and any registration forms. This has a major impact on conversion rates.

Optimise your website to ensure your receive a high ranking on the search engines. Optimise your newsletters to increase traffic and the number of subscribers. If you are paying for search services like Google Adwords, include your email subscription details on the landing page.

You’ve probably seen ‘Send this ezine to a friend’ buttons on the newsletters you receive. They help to generate leads with little effort on your part PLUS people are more likely to open messages from someone they know than someone they don’t.

When someone buys your product or service, use it as an opportunity to promote your sign-up box and add a link to your opt-in page.

Make sure your email signature (and those of your employees) includes information about your email newsletter with a ‘sign up now’ link.

If you can write free articles for online article sites or for offline newsletters, magazines or newspapers, make sure it includes mention of your ezine and a link to your site.

Your First Encounter

Begin by explaining on your sign-up page the wonderful benefits your emails will bring. If you’ve done your research, you’ll know exactly what triggers to pull, what buttons to push, to get your potential customers interested, even excited about your emails.

When you ask for their details, keep it simple: ask for their email address, first name, last name and what format they prefer (HTML or text). Make sure you include a ‘thank you for subscribing’ page.

Send a confirmation email to validate the address you’ve been given (a double opt-in – an email that says “Click on this link to confirm your subscription”). It can also repeat and expand on the benefits you’re offering to your subscribers.

Keeping The Relationship Fresh

If you’ve promised to provide useful information, you must deliver it. If you don’t, you’ll receive a whole load of ‘unsubscribe’ notices and know that you’ve let your subscribers down.

Discuss this bulletin by leaving a comment below.

Subscribe to the SuccessTrack Blog and receive the Daily Marketing Bulletins by email or via your favourite web-based reader.

(To subscribe go to the top of the right-hand column of this page.)