Dear Friend,
This
month's issue provides concrete tips on
how you can use e-mail marketing for your
e-commerce store or business to increase
sales.
If you are currently not selling your merchandise through an online store, now's the time to contact us to see how easy we can make it to sell the products that we ship for you online.
Best Regards,
Gene Kent
President, Medallion Fulfillment & Logistics
________________________________________
E-mail Marketing Tips that Work
E-mail
can be a powerful marketing tool. It's
a fast, cheap and easy way to bring your products or
services to the attention of a vast number
of customers. You can use e-mail marketing
to promote your brand, broaden your customer
base, present new products, promote sales,
and build a personal relationship with
your customers. E-mail marketing is a proven way to acquire new customers
and reengage existing ones.
Follow these tips from e-commerce experts to get the most out of your next e-mail marketing campaign.
- Be selective about the number of e-mails
you send out. Don't bombard customers
with too many e-mails. Daily or weekly
e-mails will just annoy them and cause
resentment. Once or twice a month is
generally sufficient to maintain a positive
connection.
- Commit to a dependable schedule so
customers can anticipate your contact.
You might send out an e-mail newsletter
the first week of every month and follow
up with a discount coupon on the 15th
of the month.
- Use your space wisely and develop a
dynamic template. Place your logo in
a strong position such as at the top
of the upper left. Place the most important
information in the top 2 to 4 inches,
the prime reading space. Keep your message
short and to the point. Avoid too many
colors or fonts. Keep your message and
call to action clear and easy to discern.
- Offer customers the opportunity to
opt-in to receive more frequent e-mails
by offering specialty newsletters, updates,
special promotions, sales previews and
other targeted information that appeals
to specific segments of your general
audience.
- Consider segmenting e-mails by age,
gender, location or previous purchase
behavior. Target information or sales
offers to specific groups. Because different
groups respond to different marketing
triggers, consider modifying e-mail content,
text, graphics and sales offers to appeal
to each target group. For example, teens
and young adults are attracted by thematic
imagery, such as a series of photos,
an array of clips or video clips. Older
adults prefer multiple product photos
and detailed product information. Also,
teens respond best to offers for a specific
dollar amount off the purchase price,
like $10 off; whereas customers in their
30s and 40s perceive greater value in
percentage discounts, like 10% off.
- Involve the customer by providing a
call to action in your e-mail, such as
clicking through information pages or
providing information by responding to
a survey or entering a contest. Always
provide a highly visible link back to
your website.
- Build personal relationships with your
customers by offering opportunities to
interact with you or each other. Offer
discussion forums or monthly Q&A
sessions with staff experts. Sponsor
a chat room or get involved with social
networking sites.
- Provide an easy way for recipients to opt-out if they don't want to receive future e-mails. This builds good will and, most importantly, is an easy way to trim deadwood from your contact list. Allowing uninterested parties to opt-out ensures that you're reaching only interested potential customers.
Email marketing is valuable not only for e-commerce stores, but provides a regular way to contact clients and keep your services in the forefront of your customers mind. It is by far easier to develop additional relationships with existing customers than it is to garner new customers. If you are not using e-mail newsletters to reach customers and prospects alike, now's the time to consider adding these services to your marketing arsenal.
________________________________________
Pearls of Wisdom for the Month
"There are three kinds of people; those that make things happen,
those that watch things happen and those who don't know what's
happening."
Unknown Author, an American Proverb
"The cemeteries are filled with people who thought the
world couldn't get along without them."
Unknown Author, an American Proverb