Yes, you read that right... $45.65 for every $1.00 spent.  Now we're talking effective.

And email marketing outperforms all the other direct marketing channels examined, including print catalogs, and Internet marketing (pay-per-click and banner ads).  

In a March 2007 column, usability guru Jakob Nielsen listed an email newsletter as "probably the single-highest ROI action you can take to improve your Internet presence."  And respondents to the 2008 GlobalSpec Marketing Trends Survey stated one of the top two marketing channels in 2008 was email marketing using in-house lists.

Email Marketing works!  And it's time for you to get on board in a big way.

With email marketing, you can keep both prospects and customers informed of all the new products and services you offer - and do so extremely cost effectively.  This ongoing effort to keep your company in front of your prospects and customers will generate valuable incremental revenue and growth.

Building A Database
The first step is to build your database of email addresses.

Let's start with your current customers.  If you don't already have their email address, call them and ask for it.  That's as direct as I can put it.  

Now, let's discuss your prospects.  This area is a little more difficult because right now you may not know who your prospects are and when they come at you.

Do you know how many prospects qualified themselves by visiting your website yesterday?  Did you capture their contact information while they were at your site?  And what about those that telephoned you, did you ask for their email address?

When these prospects come within range of your business, you must reach out and grab them.  And it will have to be you to nurture and grow this budding relationship, even if it is one sided at first.  If you don't, they'll quickly wander off and find someone else.  You need to stay in touch - and you can do this with email marketing.

To build your database you must develop a process to capture contact information for any and all prospects that connect with you, your staff, or your website. 

Via The Phone
Whenever a prospect calls your company, capture their email address (and first & last name).  That's all you need.  Don't bother with the mailing address or a phone number; if they become a hot lead or a true customer, you'll get the rest of the contact information later.  At this point, you're going to keep it simple. 

It shouldn't be too difficult to get their email address.  Companies are sending out estimates, company literature, and other materials. to prospects all the time and an email address is usually provided.  If not, offer them your monthly or quarterly newsletter (that's another tactic we'll be discussing in a later email) as a "fair trade" for this email information.   Explain to them your email is short and sweet and, from time to time, provides special offers and great deals - besides good information.

Via The Website
If you are not capturing email addresses on your website, you need to do so right now. 

By the very fact these folks are visiting your site, they are pre-qualified as potential customers.  If you are already offering them a chance to be enlightened by your newsletter or other information in exchange for an email address, that's a good start.  But better to offer specific, targeted information that further segments these visitors based on the information they download from your site.   This information can be delivered in the form of a "White Paper."  You can have a number of these educational White Papers in the form of ".pdf " files discussing all sorts of things.  This article you are now reading comes from one of my White Papers currently available on my website.  In case a thoughtful friend forwarded this to you - go to "Articles Worth Reading" page of this website for additional "White Papers" or to sign up for my newsletter.  All you'll need to do is give me your email address.

Don't let another day go by without capturing email addresses.  It's time to get on board - and I guarantee you it's a ride you will certainly enjoy.

For assistance in developing an effective and profitable email-marketing program, give me a call at 760-845-1633.