Using E-mail to Boost Sales
How did we survive in the days before e-mail?

Think about it: a mere 15 years ago, the Internet as we know it didn’t exist. Most communication was done by phone or fax. And attachments? Forget about getting that PowerPoint slideshow to your cousin in Tampa before lunch. The most efficient way of putting it in her hands was to mail a diskette via a carrier’s next day air service. If you were lucky, she’d get it tomorrow.

All of that has changed. E-mail has revolutionized our world. People on opposite sides of the planet can communicate instantaneously, in spite of the great distances between them. Parents can keep in touch with their kids while they’re in college. The astronauts on the International Space Station fire off an e-mail when they want to check in with their earthbound families.

And businesses use e-mail as a means of attracting new customers.

E-mail can be a powerful tool in your arsenal. Used correctly, it can facilitate branding, get the word out about your goods or services and even persuade a prospective new client to pick up the phone and call you. But beware: in today’s online landscape, there is little tolerance for spam. If your e-mails become too annoying, your marketing strategy may backfire. Even worse, you may get slapped with litigation.

So be crafty – and above all, considerate – when you launch your aggressive e-mail campaign. It helps to follow these simple rules:

RULE #1: Every e-mail should include something of value to the reader.

Marketing directors take note: an advertisement by itself is not something of value. We all know how annoying it is when a commercial interrupts our favorite television show. In the same way, readers become aggravated when they open their e-mail to see five messages all jockeying for their pocketbooks. Advertisements say one thing to the consumer: give me your money.

That doesn’t mean you can’t have advertisements in your e-mails, but show the consumer you’re concerned about their needs, too. Give them something useful. If you’re a family doctor, send them tips on how to keep their cholesterol low over the holiday season. Are you a manufacturer of fishing lures? Collect some fish recipes and distribute them with your next e-mail ad. Your readers will appreciate the thoughtfulness and it may persuade them to turn to you for expert advice in the future.

RULE #2: Be honest about your intentions.

Some marketers think it’s cute to disguise their advertisements in e-mails with deceptive titles. Subject lines like “Hey Baby”, “You’ve Just Won $3 Million” and “We Haven’t Spoken Since High School!” may leap off the screen, but when the viewer opens them only to find catchy ads for extra-large trash bags, they won’t be happy. They may even be tempted to hurl the now-outdated fax machine at their DSL modem. Talk about a clash of technologies.

Deception never pays off, especially in marketing. You don’t have to include the word “advertisement” in every (or any) subject line, but an e-mail outlining the finer points of your company’s new digital camera product should probably have something related to photography in the title.

RULE #3: Be wary of sending unsolicited e-mails.

It’s a generally accepted practice to send e-mails to companies or individuals with whom you’ve had dealings before. Past or current customers are prime candidates for your subscription list, as are prospective clients who have previously expressed an interest in your products or services.

The gray area begins when you start sending out e-mails cold turkey to people who have never solicited your services. The law on this matter is unclear, so it’s best to avoid these circumstances. It’s okay to send targeted e-mails to specific individuals, but a blitz of ads to random e-mails harvested by Internet robots or so-called “dictionary lists” may get you in trouble.

RULE #4: Always include a way to opt out.

The truth is no one is going to be mobbing your gates to demand to be placed on your e-mail subscription list, but most people won’t mind an occasional ad or newsletter. Once in awhile though, you may get a disgruntled response from an e-mail purist who chafes at the sight of a single unsolicited ad. Take him off your subscription list immediately. There’s no point in continuing to annoy him and cause his blood pressure to rise even higher. Angry customers won’t purchase your goods.

In fact, most companies conclude their e-mails with instructions on how recipients can unsubscribe from the distribution list, if they so desire. It’s a good practice – the ability to instantly unsubscribe usually cools off disgruntled heads.

RULE #5: Have fun with it and be interactive!

If you’re having fun, so will the reader. Keep your e-mail messages entertaining and upbeat. Don’t be afraid to make your e-mails interactive. Ask questions. The aforementioned manufacturer of fishing lures might ask those on his subscription list to send in their most exciting fishing experiences. A martial arts school can request that readers e-mail digital images of themselves training with their favorite exercise. Home health agencies can hold “caregiver of the month” contests in which readers nominate exceptional caregivers.

Consumers love interaction. Give them an opportunity to share their own triumphs and experiences and you’ll find they’ll react much more enthusiastically when they see your e-mail arrive in their boxes.

These are just a few tips on how you can design and implement an effective e-mail marketing strategy. As new technologies continue to develop, it’s important for businesspersons and entrepreneurs to recognize their advantages and discover ways they can be used to forward their business. Used correctly, e-mail can bring you and your customers together for a long-lasting and mutually beneficial relationship.

corecubed can help!
For information on how corecubed can help you grow your business and keep top of mind with customers, visit us online at www.corecubed.com, contact us at 1-800-370-6580, x5 or email us at info@corecubed.com.

We offer a full range of strategic marketing strategies encompassing branding, design, and PR, all integrated so your business is differentiated and gets more recognition in ways that are beneficial to growth. Call us today and get started!

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