Email Marketing is one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with prospects and clients, and it is extremely affordable. There is no other medium that is so inexpensive and that can get you such great results.

To be effective you need to be sending quality content to a receptive contact list. Receptive means that your recipients gladly receive your emails and in fact, may even look forward to receiving emails from you.

I want to stress the importance of content, and results, over list size. But yes I do think list size is important and I am always striving to build my own list, because I know that the more I build my list the more business I generate, and at no additional effort or cost.

Quick Tip 1: ASK AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY
As simple as it is many business owners simply forget to ask their current clients, and any new prospects who they deal with for an email address. Get into the habit of asking for an email address, and for a much better result, always explain why you are collecting it and ask for the recipients permission to add them to your email newsletter list. It’s a great idea to have a 30 second prepared script that you use when asking for an email address. For example; “Joe, I’d like to be able to send you my monthly email newsletter, in it I cover topics such as…….., would you like to give me your email address so I can include you next time I send it?”……

Quick Tip 2: USE YOUR WEBSITE TO COLLECT EMAIL ADDRESSES
This is another simple one, that is easy to forget or get wrong. Visitors to your website are prime contenders for your newsletter, so make sure you have a visible and easy way for visitors to add themselves to your email list. And these days simply saying “Sign up for our Mailing List” is not enough. Your email newsletter might be free, but you still need to convince visitors that they would benefit from it and why they should sign up. Be clear and tell them the frequency as this is often a factor that stops people subscribing, because they worry they will start receiving daily emails from you. A simple one sentence promo about your newsletter can work wonders.

Quick Tip 3: USE IT OR LOSE IT
OK, I cheated, my 3rd point has nothing to do with collecting Email Addresses. Instead I want to focus on taking action on the first two points. How many times have you asked or been asked for an email address and it was never used? I have been to many events where I have handed over my email address, and the majority will never follow up with an email communication. It’s a shame, because an email address handed over to you, can be very valuable to you if respected and used wisely. The longer you leave it before you make contact, the more likely you will have been forgotten. Make sure any new contacts receive an email from you within a month, and even sooner if possible.

So the point of Point 3 is to ADD THE EMAIL ADDRESSES YOU COLLECT to your database and TAKE ACTION with a regular email newsletter, which your new contacts will receive the next edition of!

Remember, if you need any help with Email Marketing, Web Chameleon offer an Email Marketing Solution to make your job easier. Let me know if you need my help.

© Copyright Belinda Jackson, Web Chameleon