| Spruced Up: Email Marketing Trends for the Fall & Winter Season's |
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The race is on! Even though the leaves have yet to start falling from the trees, it is time to start planning your Thanksgiving and Christmas promotions. According to the EMEC (E-Mail Experience Council), overall email marketing volume for this year is expected to peak in the second week of December. It also noted that 7 of the 8 biggest retail email volume days of last year occurred in the weeks just before Christmas of 2006 and many of those last-minute sales were the result of commercial e-mails sent about a week before. Dressed Up: Email Marketing AdvantagesDid you know that according to recent studies, 95% of Internet sessions include checking email? The reasons are straightforward: nearly everyone online has a personal email account, and nearly everyone uses email every time they go online. Email is often an overlooked tool for small businesses and unfortunately a missed sales opportunity. Email has many advantages. The largest, by far, is to be able to stay in touch with customers-- more frequently and at lower costs. The power of email can be summarized in 6 ways: 1. Email reminds your customers that you exist, even in slow periods. An occasional email to your customers' ensure that you will not be forgotten. 2. Email drives traffic to your website. Announcing special offers, events, or new services by email with links back to your site, can convert browsers to buyers. 3. Email increases sales. Email is perfect for small businesses. It let's you inexpensively target your best customer's at the right times. 4. Email builds awareness. Email alerts people to “what’s new” at your business. Even if they do not read everything you wrote they still see your name in their Inbox which reinforces that you are still there. 5. Emails build trust. Used correctly, email can become a critical service tool. Online shoppers expect an email confirmation after a sale, and your customers expect to be able to provide feedback after their buying experience. Your response email messages build a sense of comfort, trust, and predictability. Don't waste this opportunity! 6. Emails build a sense of community. Emails are easy to be shared and give customers a reason to share their love of your business with others. Payback: Getting Email to Work For You So, how do you make email work for you? There are a lot of different ways to use email: organizational newsletters, headline news, customized reports, announcements-event updates and last minute sales deals. Your email strategy will vary greatly on your focus and goals. So, the first step is to choose which strategy will work for you. Your strategy should be directed by three main factors: 1. What YOU need from your customers. Think about what kind of action you want to inspire: Do you want people to visit your website? Or attend an event? Buy something? Your goals should guide your approach. 2. What your CUSTOMERS need from you. If you are sending a message to your customers Inbox, there has to be something in it for them. Ask yourself: What value can you bring to them through email? 3. What can you AFFORD? It takes time to write and design effective emails, technology to target them, and money to support the systems. Don’t bite off more than you can chew: Start simple, and be realistic about your means. Cashing In: Sending Successful Emails Small tactical decisions can make or break an email campaign. Here are some lessons we’ve learned the hard way: • Set a schedule and stick to it. Most people won’t notice when your emails arrive, but some will. And a regular schedule helps to make it more manageable for you and your team. • Send mailings early in the week. Most people read and respond to emails early in the week rather than later. • Offer something. Whether it is something for FREE or it’s advice, make it worth someone’s time to read it. • Include unsubscribe instructions. It’s only polite. • Create a privacy policy and make it visible. People will want to know what you plan to do with their information. Will you share it? Sell it? • Put yourself on your list. Make sure you see what your customers are seeing. • Don’t overdo it. Respect your customers’ time and show some restraint for your mailings. Ultimately, a good email campaign will build momentum as time goes on. Starting small and building good practices early-on will ensure a successful program. No matter which path you end up taking, make sure to take one. Email can be a critical tool for your business and an awesome opportunity for you. The holiday's are coming. Don’t wait until it is too late to "spruce up" your eMarketing. For more information about getting an email campaign started, give us a call at 888-215-0820 or click here.
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