Emails...Are They Even Read?

               Let’s assume you have an email campaign in place. Some of you do…how do you know if it’s a valuable marketing tool or not? And let’s assume some of you have no email program in place…how do you know if it would be worthwhile? I’d like to clear up some of those murky waters.

               Let’s begin with answering one fundamental question. Do you have a personal email account? Yes, we all have email. As a matter of fact, 34% of all people worldwide do correspond via email. That’s a huge pool of readymade folks just waiting to hear from you. So why is email marketing so important?

               First of all, email is transactional by definition. We are all primed to read, click and respond. Yes, a lot of us delete all but one or two emails, but we’ve given each of them a cursory glance, right? To know whether or not to hit that delete button? That’s the opportunity each of you have to snag someone’s interest. It’s just a line, perhaps, but make it sing!

               Second, email is personal. Let’s throw out the whole spam thing…who eats Spam anyway? Let’s target our marketing to individuals, corresponding with personal notes. Yes, it takes a few minutes, but that’s how we woo our customers. Be transparent and vulnerable. Share victories and defeats. Touch a soul and win a customer. Even when you contract out your email service, it is still possible to be personal.

               Third, email is enduring. With 2.5 billion people sharing emails, it’s not going anywhere any time soon. Investing time and effort into building an email arm of your marketing just makes dollars and a whole lot of cents. Customer acquisition from email efforts are proven commodities. Drip email campaigns are the most impersonal form marketing, yet they still work. Even automated messages generate customers. I signed up for a new business email just over the weekend, and even though I thought I must have rocks in my head, I wanted their information. Knowing they offered percentage discounts from time to time was sufficient motivation to hook me, lock stock and barrel.

               Tip #1. Use Facebook to draw in the reluctant. A zinger on Facebook captures the imagination and draws the interested to your site. From there the goal is to sign them up to your email. Then you just need to communicate. You’re busy, right? So hire it done. As a freelance writer, blogger and VA, that’s what I do, and I work cheaply. I’m not the only one. Bring someone into your circle who can help you, but don’t leave money on the table. Make emails work for you.

               Tip #2. Create word pictures and stories stirring the imagination. Hire a wordsmith.

               Email is cost-effective. A regular email can turn $30+ for every dollar invested. Cost analysis suggests that even heavy investments are worthwhile, but start realistically. Go local and find local person to help you. Unless your business is geared to customers around the globe, you want a local feel to draw in clients. Think about it this way. A homogenized brand like Applebees may devote money to national advertising, but who owns the local franchise? Who is going to visit the local franchise? Does someone in Timbuktu know the people in Blue Springs? What you’re looking for is local business, and that’s where ties within the Chamber help you. Draw together. Hire local people. Attract local customers. When you participate in your Chamber and work with those within the Chamber, you are building a matrix of local success. Your success. Make email an integral part of your success.