So you have decided to promote your business using email marketing as one tier of your marketing strategy – good for you, because as long as you use the right techniques, you will not regret it. But before you begin your campaign, make sure you target the right people through your email distribution list.
Many businesses are unsure of how to set up a network of subscribers for their email campaigns. The most important thing to remember is this: build your subscriber list from existing and prospective clients who are already interacting with your brand. Think about all the ways people come into contact with your business, and leave strategically placed invitations and incentives to join your customer network in their path.
One example is to invite visitors to register through your website to receive additional information and periodic updates about your products and services. Another is to integrate invitations to subscribe across all your written and electronic communications: letters and emails to clients, product brochures, promotional offer coupons and leaflets.
You might want to consider creating a promotional offer that provides a free or discounted service or product to people willing to provide their email addresses for the purpose of placing them on your subscriber list. As long as you are honest and transparent about how you will use their details, you do not need to worry that they will feel harassed once they start receiving your emails. Each email you send out will automatically include an option to unsubscribe immediately from your list.
The effectiveness of the above techniques lies in the fact that you have built your database on existing relationships with current and potential customers, who already possess some degree of genuine interest in your products and services. They are therefore more likely to be receptive to your communications than randomly created email lists provided through marketing agencies.
And if you provide real value to your subscribers, they might even spread the word themselves through the ‘forward to a friend’ link within each of your emails. How about that - a marketing technique that triggers another - cost-free viral marketing, the most highly prized technique in the business!