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) |
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