Email Marketing Tips, Tricks, & Articles

Email Marketing Video Tutorials Show you how to plan, create, and send successful newsletters.

Read Email Marketing Tips and Lessons written by Michelle Keegan, Constant Contact's Email Marketing Diva.

Learn E-Marketing Lingo from the glossary of Email Marketing terms.

by Michelle Keegan, Constant Contact's Email Marketing Diva(TM)

Growing Your Email List

My inaugural issue of Email Marketing Hints & Tips way back in March of 2001 addressed the importance of building an email list. Almost two years later, many companies have not managed to gather the email addresses of all of their customers and prospects, nor have they asked for permission to use email addresses for ongoing communication. If this sounds like your company, what are you waiting for?!

Did you know?

 

"69 percent of U.S. e-mail users have made purchases online after receiving permission-based e-mail marketing, 59 percent have purchased in retail stores, 39 percent have purchased through catalogs, 34 percent through call centers and 20 percent through postal mail."

And, "78 percent of those surveyed say they want to receive e-mail from their favorite online merchants."

 

Source: DoubleClick

If you are not collecting email addresses and permission on your homepage (and anywhere else you can), you are missing out on opportunities to turn one-time visitors into your best customers.

No matter how they found you - maybe you paid for search engine placement, sponsored a newsletter, rented an opt-in list, placed a banner ad or two, distributed a flyer or sent a postcard. If you are not providing a way for customers and visitors to express interest in hearing from you in the future, you are not maximizing your investment in those expensive marketing efforts.

Without question, email marketing is the most affordable and effective tool in your marketing arsenal. You can use email marketing to maximize all of your other sales and marketing activities and improve the return on investment (ROI) of every dollar you spend to obtain new business.

 

Make it a part of your routine
Train sales, customer service and other employees to collect email addresses and permission at every point of contact!

 

  • On your company website
  • Acquiring new customers
  • In your guest book
  • On customer service, sales and support calls
  • On invoices, statements, brochures, customer surveys and feedback forms
  • In conjunction with other marketing efforts like radio, print, direct mail or TV advertising
  • At tradeshows or events

     

Place your email list sign-up in a visible place
Place your email list sign-up on your homepage and other appropriate pages of your site. Whatever you do, don't hide it! Make it easy for site visitors to find and join your email list. Same goes for your guest book. Place it prominently in your office or store. Remind your employees to ask customers if they would like to receive your newsletter, to receive special promotions, or to be notified of private sales and events.

Place a "join our mailing list" link in the email signature of your regular correspondence. The link should go to your home page or the most appropriate page of your site where your signup tag is prominently displayed.

Make it quick and painless
Just ask for limited information (e.g. first name, last name, email address) to start because subscribers are more likely to complete a short form than a longer one at the beginning of a relationship.

Make your privacy policy clear up front. Be sure your subscribers understand how you will be using their email address and let them know what kinds of emails to expect and how often. Finally, confirm that their personal information will not be sold or traded and explain that they can decide to "opt-out" of further communications at any time.

Create an incentive
If the cachet of being on your company's email list or the lure of private sales or promotions isn't enough, email list sign-up success can be achieved with sweepstakes, drawings or the like. But, make sure your incentive is closely related to your product or service. That way, you will end up with an audience interested in you, not just the latest gadget.

 

It is 15 times less expensive to sell to an existing customer than it is to acquire a new one. And, your own house list can yield response rates of 15%, or even higher. That makes it one of your most important assets. Make the most of every visitor and every customer by building your email list, obtaining permission and communicating on an ongoing basis. Start today!

Email Marketing Video Tutorials Show you how to plan, create, and send successful newsletters.

Read Email Marketing Tips and Lessons written by Michelle Keegan, Constant Contact's Email Marketing Diva.

Learn E-Marketing Lingo from the glossary of Email Marketing terms.

by Michelle Keegan, Constant Contact's Email Marketing Diva(TM)
 

Email Marketing Tips, Tricks, & Articles