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How to Use A Newsletter to Develop your Business
If
you are not yet using a newsletter as a part of your
marketing efforts then you are missing out on potential
and existing customers becoming valuable long-term buyers.
Newsletters
provide an effective tool for collecting interested
visitors' email addresses and converting them into buyers.
They also are a great vehicle for keeping in touch with
your most valued contact - previous customers. How?
NEWSLETTERS
KEEP CUSTOMERS
When
you have a customer buy from you, but no newsletter
to follow up, than you are virtually handing him or
her back to your competitors. Of course, if the service
was good and the product memorable they may come back,
but what if you have a new product that your existing
customer may wish to buy and they do not know about
it? What if they lose your website address? What if
they just forget about you? A newsletter will prevent
these things from happening.
HOW
OFTEN?
That
depends on various factors. Some businesses contact
their subscribers as often as every day, others as infrequently
as several times per year. What works for you depends
a lot on what you are selling, what information you
can give them, how often your subscribers will want
to hear from you, etc.
A
good rule of thumb for many businesses is once per week.
Twice a month if you really feel that is the most you
can do. More often and the customer may unsubscribe
or routinely delete your messages. Less often and you're
allowing your competition the chance to win over your
potential customer.
WHAT
DO I WRITE ABOUT?
Are
you very informed on the product or service? Do you
have a lot of contacts? Can you point out related products
or services they might be interested in?
You
do not need a long newsletter. A sale alert or announcement
of a new service or product can do just as well for
some businesses, while others find a tips format more
suitable. Industry news or 'How to...' and 'Top 5...'
topics are a good idea and always try to make a connection
between the newsletter and your product or service.
Subscribe to several competitors' newsletters (they
will surely be subscribing to yours). Use a free email
account to subscribe and see what they are providing
their customers.
KEEP
IT CONSISTENT
It's
amazing the amount of newsletters that abound online.
Because of this subscribers can forget which ones are
legitimate and which are spam.
Keep
your format consistent so your newsletter becomes visibly
familiar. Also indicate that the subscriber requested
the information and provide an unsubscribe link on EVERY
issue. You must do this if you want to limit complaints
or spam reports.
Your
newsletter deserves time and attention - it is the voice
of you and your business and will help you to build
relationships with your customers (and potential customers)
in a way that no other tool can.
1howto.com
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