How to make massively more sales, using email marketing: Part 1
by Jim Connolly
Today, I want to share a powerful marketing idea with you. Imagine having the ability to click a button and get your marketing message in front of hundreds or thousands of interested people. Now, imagine being able to do this, without spending a dime on advertising.
Building a valuable email list
I'm referring to the value of building an email marketing list, from people who visit your store and / or website. Many business owners have found this to be the most effective forms of marketing they have ever used.
So, in this 2 part article, I'm going to share a few ideas, to help you get it right and avoid some common mistakes.
Permission is the key
If you want to get the most from your email marketing, you need to get permission to email the people on your list. Just because someone gives you their business card, doesn't mean they have given you permission to add their email address to your marketing list.
Instead of just adding people to your list, try this: Ask customers if they would like to receive occasional emails from you, with special offers and advance notice of new stock items. If they say yes, add them.
These people have just given you permission to contact them. They will welcome your emails and are massively more likely to read them. Professional marketers call email marketing lists a Permission Marketing Asset. The value is in the permission.
This leads on nicely to the next tip.
Build your list…don't buy it!
It may seem easier to just buy an email marketing list, rather than build one. However, there are 3 really good reasons not to buy your list:
- The people on the list have no relationship with you or your business. You can't even be sure they have a requirement for your products.
- Although these lists are sold as "opt in lists", none of the people on that list have given you permission to email them. Your email will be regarded as spam and you will be seen as a spammer. This is why permission is so important.
- The people on these lists have had their email address sold to thousands of other businesses. As a result, they get deluged with spam email. So, they either set up a strong junk mail filter, allowing only white-list emails through (emails from people they know) or they will have abandoned the email address completely. As a result, you may think your email marketing messages are reaching 10,000 people, when few if any people will actually see them.
So, build your email marketing list and shoot for quality not quantity. A marketing list, with 50 people who asked to be on the list, will be of more value to you, than a bought list, with 5000 strangers who have no idea why you're spamming them.
Make your marketing emails more than an advertisement
Whilst it may feel tempting to just email people a list of offers and deals, it's not the best way to get the most from your email marketing.
Humanize your emails, with news about your business, your industry or the area where your store is. This helps people connect with you and makes them feel like you're talking to them, rather than just selling to them.
Then, once you have covered the news part, you can tell them about the products, deals and offers you have.
How to grow a great list, as quickly as possible
Back in 2008, I had 45000 people reading my marketing newsletter. One of the things that helped me build that list, was something I added to the end of every newsletter. Here's what it said:
"If you found this newsletter useful, please share it with your friends. If you have had this newsletter sent to you by a friend, click here to receive your own, regular copy."
What that did was remind people to share the newsletter with their contacts. Then, it gave their contacts an easy way to get on my list. When they clicked the "click here" link, it took them to a page on my site, where they could add themselves to the list.
That simple addition to the bottom of every email, was pivotal to the growth of my list and the hundreds of thousands of dollars, which that list generated for my business.
I hope you found these email marketing ideas useful. More importantly, I hope you do something with them. Be sure not to miss part 2 of this article. Available exclusively from my friends at CTS Wholesale.
To find out how CTS Wholesale can help your retail business, simply click here.