Email marketing was already old before social media marketing came of age. It's a testimony to the efficacy of this mode that this continues to be an important channel for millions of small businesses. Email marketing lists are considered priceless and businesses go to great lengths to develop and maintain them for two reasons: sales and more sales!
Here are 8 small Business E-mail Marketing Ideas that will drive qualified, In-The-Mood_To-Buy Traffic to a Company´s Website.
1. Make the sign-up process easy. Place a sign-up box high on the company's website and add a link to the email-marketing signup page on the organization's social media profiles. This can serve to drip feed a steady list of new prospects.
2. Grab the reader’s attention from the subject line. Start with a compelling proposition: a teaser, giveaway or discount. Try to hook readers from the beginning so they'll read till the end. Oh, and do this so the email isn't snagged by the spam filters.
3. Stay compliant. Stay on the right side of the email service providers. Use the good programs on the market and know the difference between a “hard bounce" (the message won't be delivered because of a problem with the email address) and a “soft bounce (the message hasn't been delivered yet but might be later on).
4. Develop the audience. What sources are generating the most responsive audience members, the kind who open, read and click on the links of newsletter? Work further on those sources to build the company's email newsletter list. Try a double opt-in process since it ensures that the subscriber truly wants to read the content and the newsletter will go to a working email address.
5. Use best practices. The most effective calls-to-action go above "the fold," the area of the message that shows up on a computer screen, without a user needing to scroll down. Also emails without a lot of images generate a higher return on investment. (And for yourself, only use programs where you can measure the outcome of the email marketing).
6. Be brief. Test and tweak until arriving at a satisfactory combination of format, structure and tone. Readers might just scan an email newsletter. Pack in words with special meaning and use subheadings.
7. Keep the communication going. Judiciously use automated replies. Auto-replies are time-savers, providing useful information, nudging readers toward downloads, reminding them about freebies -- all while generating information on subscriber behavior. Service providers range from MailChimp and aWeber to the more advanced and feature rich such as 1ShoppingCart and Infusionsoft. I personally use MailChimp but If i make the choice of an "e-mail marketing program" I do love 1ShoppingCart for its all-in-one customer-relationship-management, email and ecommerce solution provided with ample customer support.
8. Trial and Error... Check the analytics and continue with whats working and change if not. Trial and error is a fundamental method of solving problems. It is characterised by repeated, varied attempts which are continued until success, and you will get the best strategy for your Business.
Add me to your LinkedIn Network (mireille.lundqvist@gmail.com), or Follow me here or on Twitter @No1LadyL for more insights, predictions, and expertise.
Have A Fab Day Filled With Energy & Success!
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