Email Marketing: Are Your Efforts Giving You No ROI?
For most entrepreneurs, email marketing is a task that is done because we either receive them from other entrepreneurs or because we assume that this just comes with the territory of being a business owner. However, if we were to measure the ROI for our efforts, most people would see a low return. Why? One of the reasons is that most entrepreneurs don’t know how to use target potential clients. Another reason is attributed to the fact that most entrepreneurs don’t know what vital piece of information is missing needed to yield a high "click-through" return rather than a spam complaint or "opt out" request.
Before I expound on how to increase your ROI for your email marketing efforts, understand that not everything you send will be in the interest of everyone on your contact list. For example, John Doe would not be interested in a Women in Business Conference held in New York City. Additionally, Jane Doe would not be interested either, if she lives Australia. In order to effectively market to your potential clients, you must know the following:
- Name
- Gender
- Location
- Birth Date (Day and month)
- Email Address (Of course)
- Career
- Interests (How they can benefit from your products and/or services)
With this information, you will be more equipped to target potential customers by sending them relevant information about your business! This strategy not only saves time, but will also save your valuable energy as well. For example, if you own a civil engineering consulting company, send a monthly bulletin about tips in your industry to your construction company contacts. Another example, send an email inviting your metro Atlanta area contacts to your grand opening event at your newest office location in Marietta.
Sending an e-newsletter on a regular basis will help to build a trusting relationship and lead to an increase in sales. Remember, people are more likely to do business people they know and keep in touch with, regularly.
Consider sending a monthly email to your consistent customers thanking them for doing business with you company. In this email, send them a 10% coupon for their next purchase. In addition, you can also include a free download to one of your popular eBooks. How about sending your clients a gift for their birthday? Showing appreciation towards your clients adds a personal touch that will set you apart from your competitors.
Ok, so you twisted my arm. I’ll include another one. Consider sending your contacts a video expressing the tip and/or trick of the month (with a short text preceding the video.)
Wishing you higher email marketing ROIs!
About the Author: Priscilla Walker is the president and CEO of Your Dependable VA, Inc., a virtual assistance company. Your Dependable VA provides professional office assistance to small businesses. We offer business support so that business owners can free up their time and energy to focus on running their company without getting burned out.
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