Want to get more out of your business?
Pick the low hanging fruit – customers who already know you. Stay top-of-mind with regular, valuable communication and easily generate repeat business and create referrals.
It’s what the winners do: when you’re a customer of a major brand, they constantly stay in touch, building their presence, making sure you don’t forget them.
Email is the best way to do exactly that, generating 40 times more customers than Facebook and Twitter combined, according to a study by ExactTarget. Everyone has at least one large brand they interact with via email. It is the most desired form of communication by consumers for receiving communications from brands and it is the most effective.
How do you deliver information in a way that keeps you top-of-mind?
First, you will want to put together a content schedule and decide how often to contact your list. A good rule of thumb is to send an email every two weeks. If your sales cycle is more frequent and your customers buy more often, you might want to send an email every week. You will want to pay attention to trends in how your audience reacts. Remember: When in doubt, test. Every now and again try sending an email in the morning instead of the afternoon, on a weekend instead of the weekday, test out different email subject lines. Take note of the results and change your strategy based on the data.
Next, fill your schedule with the information that best meets your customers needs by educating them about what you have to offer and how it differs from your competition. Your current customers are the most likely to be interested in promotions and specials and are your best bet for buying new and improved versions of your products. Just remember to keep your communications benefits based. You know your customers needs and concerns. If you maintain a focus on helping them address those needs and concerns you will be more likely to catch their attention.
Then, share your email across your social media platforms to increase your reach. Social media shares aren’t likely to result in direct sales, but in this age of educated consumers, you can count on your customers scanning your social media to research your brand.
Plan on 3-5 hours to develop each email campaign, including compelling visuals and the right mix of different types of content
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