How many free e-zines have you subscribed to? There are tons of them on the net today. Have you ever wondered why almost every web business offers free e-zines?
Ad Campaign Madness
When you start a business, you need to advertise it. Otherwise hardly anyone will come to you. An advertisement has 2 functions. One is, of course, to tell the world you exist. The second is to familiarize prospects with your business.
People tend to buy products or services from the business most familiar to them. Have you ever been told there was a store in town where you could buy that special thing you're looking for but you'd completely forgotten about that store. Chances are it's because you hadn't seen an ad for that store since its "Grand Opening". When people see your ads more often than your competitors', your business will come to mind when they need something. Unfortunately, pouring money into ad campaigns is expensive and is how most dot coms go bankrupt. Only the big names with deep pockets survive this madness.
Keep Prospects Aware With Your E-zine
An e-zine helps to keep you in touch with your potential customers. You offer some valuable information to them, and they give you permission to send e-mails to them (they opt to receive, hence the name "opt-in" mailing list). Now you have a chance to repeatedly embed your business into their brains.
Once they remember you well, they will most likely do business with you when they are ready, and because you use e-mail, this sweet exchange can be made at no extra cost! You still have to pay for new visitors, but now you are also growing your list of potential customers as opt-in subscribers to your "in-house, essentially free, name-recognition advertising campaign".
If you don't have an e-zine, surfers come to your site and leave. Maybe they will "bookmark" your site, but as bookmarks become unmanageable, they're likely to forget who you were and delete you. You have to buy ad after ad to bring them back, otherwise your URL could be forgotten forever. This is what the dot "bombs" did. They paid to get new visitors and re-paid to bring them back.
More Exposure With Your Own Articles
You can do more with your own articles. E-zine directories (web sites listing e-zines and articles) are always looking for quality e-zines to pass along to surfers, and some e-zine publishers use other writers' articles. You can submit your articles to them. Just including your "micro" biography (bio) and link to your web site, you can gain exposure to others' lists at no extra cost.
It can be hard to write articles periodically, but can you ignore the benefits your e-zine can deliver? You don't want to become a dot bomb yourself, do you? Publish your own e-zine and be competitive.
Showing posts with label E-mail Marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label E-mail Marketing. Show all posts
Friday, April 20, 2007
Communicate More and Sell More
It's a well-known fact that most people will not buy until the 5th or later contact. If you are relying on one-time impression selling, you are missing a big chunk of sales.
Make Your Prospects Feel Special
As you make more contacts with the same persons, you will be able to make more sales from them; but it doesn't mean you should bombard their in-box with advertising e-mails. You will just irritate your potential customers, and that kind of e-mailing will most likely be considered as spam. To sell more, you have to make recipients feel they are specially treated when they read your e-mails. It sounds tricky, but it's easy. Sending follow-up e-mails does the job, yet it is overlooked by many Web masters.
Follow Up with Prospects
You can send follow-ups to anyone who asks you a question or sends you any kind of inquiry. In my case, anyone who sends me an inquiry gets 4 follow-ups -- 3, 7, 14, and 25 days after I replied to the inquiry. (I send my subscribers only 2 follow-ups, on the 3rd and 7th days, because I think 4 follow-ups AND a newsletter is a little too much.) In those follow-up e-mails, I simply ask if there is anything more I can help with.
Closing Sales Is the New Start
Don't forget to follow up with customers who have bought your products or services. Many businesses have a "got-money-good-bye" attitude. But remember: Anyone who bought from you before will most likely buy from you again if you treat her or him right. Say "thank you" to your customers. Also, you can ask how they like your products or, on later follow-ups, if they have any trouble using your products. Don't think that closing sales is the end; think of it as the beginning of the next sales process.
Automate this Sweet Deal
If sending follow-ups sounds like too much work, you can automate the entire follow-up process just by getting one of the autoresponding services, such as the ones from http://www.webmarketingmagic.com or by buying software like Group Mail .
Service or software? Each has pros and cons. You have to pay a monthly fee to service providers, but they maintain the system. It's hands-free on your side. You pay only once for the software, but YOU have to make sure the software and PC are running properly all the time. If it isn't working right (or just turning your PC off), no autoresponding message is sent.
Just simple follow-up helps to build relationships, and relationship helps to sell. Don't be shy. Talk to your customers more and double, or even triple, your sales.
Make Your Prospects Feel Special
As you make more contacts with the same persons, you will be able to make more sales from them; but it doesn't mean you should bombard their in-box with advertising e-mails. You will just irritate your potential customers, and that kind of e-mailing will most likely be considered as spam. To sell more, you have to make recipients feel they are specially treated when they read your e-mails. It sounds tricky, but it's easy. Sending follow-up e-mails does the job, yet it is overlooked by many Web masters.
Follow Up with Prospects
You can send follow-ups to anyone who asks you a question or sends you any kind of inquiry. In my case, anyone who sends me an inquiry gets 4 follow-ups -- 3, 7, 14, and 25 days after I replied to the inquiry. (I send my subscribers only 2 follow-ups, on the 3rd and 7th days, because I think 4 follow-ups AND a newsletter is a little too much.) In those follow-up e-mails, I simply ask if there is anything more I can help with.
Closing Sales Is the New Start
Don't forget to follow up with customers who have bought your products or services. Many businesses have a "got-money-good-bye" attitude. But remember: Anyone who bought from you before will most likely buy from you again if you treat her or him right. Say "thank you" to your customers. Also, you can ask how they like your products or, on later follow-ups, if they have any trouble using your products. Don't think that closing sales is the end; think of it as the beginning of the next sales process.
Automate this Sweet Deal
If sending follow-ups sounds like too much work, you can automate the entire follow-up process just by getting one of the autoresponding services, such as the ones from http://www.webmarketingmagic.com or by buying software like Group Mail .
Service or software? Each has pros and cons. You have to pay a monthly fee to service providers, but they maintain the system. It's hands-free on your side. You pay only once for the software, but YOU have to make sure the software and PC are running properly all the time. If it isn't working right (or just turning your PC off), no autoresponding message is sent.
Just simple follow-up helps to build relationships, and relationship helps to sell. Don't be shy. Talk to your customers more and double, or even triple, your sales.
Communicate More and Sell More
It's a well-known fact that most people will not buy until the 5th or later contact. If you are relying on one-time impression selling, you are missing a big chunk of sales.
Make Your Prospects Feel Special
As you make more contacts with the same persons, you will be able to make more sales from them; but it doesn't mean you should bombard their in-box with advertising e-mails. You will just irritate your potential customers, and that kind of e-mailing will most likely be considered as spam. To sell more, you have to make recipients feel they are specially treated when they read your e-mails. It sounds tricky, but it's easy. Sending follow-up e-mails does the job, yet it is overlooked by many Web masters.
Follow Up with Prospects
You can send follow-ups to anyone who asks you a question or sends you any kind of inquiry. In my case, anyone who sends me an inquiry gets 4 follow-ups -- 3, 7, 14, and 25 days after I replied to the inquiry. (I send my subscribers only 2 follow-ups, on the 3rd and 7th days, because I think 4 follow-ups AND a newsletter is a little too much.) In those follow-up e-mails, I simply ask if there is anything more I can help with.
Closing Sales Is the New Start
Don't forget to follow up with customers who have bought your products or services. Many businesses have a "got-money-good-bye" attitude. But remember: Anyone who bought from you before will most likely buy from you again if you treat her or him right. Say "thank you" to your customers. Also, you can ask how they like your products or, on later follow-ups, if they have any trouble using your products. Don't think that closing sales is the end; think of it as the beginning of the next sales process.
Automate this Sweet Deal
If sending follow-ups sounds like too much work, you can automate the entire follow-up process just by getting one of the autoresponding services, such as the ones from http://www.webmarketingmagic.com or by buying software like Group Mail .
Service or software? Each has pros and cons. You have to pay a monthly fee to service providers, but they maintain the system. It's hands-free on your side. You pay only once for the software, but YOU have to make sure the software and PC are running properly all the time. If it isn't working right (or just turning your PC off), no autoresponding message is sent.
Just simple follow-up helps to build relationships, and relationship helps to sell. Don't be shy. Talk to your customers more and double, or even triple, your sales.
Make Your Prospects Feel Special
As you make more contacts with the same persons, you will be able to make more sales from them; but it doesn't mean you should bombard their in-box with advertising e-mails. You will just irritate your potential customers, and that kind of e-mailing will most likely be considered as spam. To sell more, you have to make recipients feel they are specially treated when they read your e-mails. It sounds tricky, but it's easy. Sending follow-up e-mails does the job, yet it is overlooked by many Web masters.
Follow Up with Prospects
You can send follow-ups to anyone who asks you a question or sends you any kind of inquiry. In my case, anyone who sends me an inquiry gets 4 follow-ups -- 3, 7, 14, and 25 days after I replied to the inquiry. (I send my subscribers only 2 follow-ups, on the 3rd and 7th days, because I think 4 follow-ups AND a newsletter is a little too much.) In those follow-up e-mails, I simply ask if there is anything more I can help with.
Closing Sales Is the New Start
Don't forget to follow up with customers who have bought your products or services. Many businesses have a "got-money-good-bye" attitude. But remember: Anyone who bought from you before will most likely buy from you again if you treat her or him right. Say "thank you" to your customers. Also, you can ask how they like your products or, on later follow-ups, if they have any trouble using your products. Don't think that closing sales is the end; think of it as the beginning of the next sales process.
Automate this Sweet Deal
If sending follow-ups sounds like too much work, you can automate the entire follow-up process just by getting one of the autoresponding services, such as the ones from http://www.webmarketingmagic.com or by buying software like Group Mail .
Service or software? Each has pros and cons. You have to pay a monthly fee to service providers, but they maintain the system. It's hands-free on your side. You pay only once for the software, but YOU have to make sure the software and PC are running properly all the time. If it isn't working right (or just turning your PC off), no autoresponding message is sent.
Just simple follow-up helps to build relationships, and relationship helps to sell. Don't be shy. Talk to your customers more and double, or even triple, your sales.
Play It Safe with E-mail
Using e-mail is probably the most effective marketing technique online. However, if you use it wrong, your business can be shut down.
Spam
Let me start with the story of someone who had trouble with his host from sending too many e-mail messages. He bought software that collects e-mail addresses from the Web and sends e-mail to those addresses. According to the software vendor, using the program wouldn't cause trouble with his host. However, a few days after he started using the software, his Web site was shut down without notice. Despite what the software vendor had said, this process is how unsolicited bulk e-mail (spam) is sent. Most hosting companies have a zero-tolerance policy against spam. Once they receive enough complaints from your e-mail recipients, your site will be shut down in a matter of minutes. Then you'll have trouble getting a new host. So, don't spam. It's not worth the trouble.
Safe List
There are companies who make their own opt-in e-mail lists and rent them to you. Because people opted in to receive third parties' advertisements, using these lists isn't supposed to put you in trouble. (Hence the name "safe list.") If the recipients are not being paid to read the messages, renting safe lists is worth trying. But, "safe" doesn't mean "profitable." You have to calculate the profits and find the lists that work for YOUR business. Unfortunately, some people sell spammers' lists as safe lists. Even if you aren't aware of it, using phony safe lists is still spamming. Your host will shut your site down. Be careful when you use somebody else's mailing lists, especially when you see advertisements for safe lists in spam e-mail messages.
Abusing Your Opt-in List
The safest and most profitable mailing list is your own opt-in list. Depending on the size of your list, you will generate a lot of income every time you use it. But don't abuse your list. Bombing subscribers with advertisements triggers lots of "unsubscribe" requests. You can send special promotions (advertisement-only newsletter) or include advertisements in every issue, but you should limit the amount of ads, such as not sending special promotion e-mail more often than you send your regular newsletter. Remember, your subscribers opted-in for information, not ads.
E-mail marketing is very effective if you do it right. When you use it wrong, it will backfire. Think twice before clicking the "Send" button.
Spam
Let me start with the story of someone who had trouble with his host from sending too many e-mail messages. He bought software that collects e-mail addresses from the Web and sends e-mail to those addresses. According to the software vendor, using the program wouldn't cause trouble with his host. However, a few days after he started using the software, his Web site was shut down without notice. Despite what the software vendor had said, this process is how unsolicited bulk e-mail (spam) is sent. Most hosting companies have a zero-tolerance policy against spam. Once they receive enough complaints from your e-mail recipients, your site will be shut down in a matter of minutes. Then you'll have trouble getting a new host. So, don't spam. It's not worth the trouble.
Safe List
There are companies who make their own opt-in e-mail lists and rent them to you. Because people opted in to receive third parties' advertisements, using these lists isn't supposed to put you in trouble. (Hence the name "safe list.") If the recipients are not being paid to read the messages, renting safe lists is worth trying. But, "safe" doesn't mean "profitable." You have to calculate the profits and find the lists that work for YOUR business. Unfortunately, some people sell spammers' lists as safe lists. Even if you aren't aware of it, using phony safe lists is still spamming. Your host will shut your site down. Be careful when you use somebody else's mailing lists, especially when you see advertisements for safe lists in spam e-mail messages.
Abusing Your Opt-in List
The safest and most profitable mailing list is your own opt-in list. Depending on the size of your list, you will generate a lot of income every time you use it. But don't abuse your list. Bombing subscribers with advertisements triggers lots of "unsubscribe" requests. You can send special promotions (advertisement-only newsletter) or include advertisements in every issue, but you should limit the amount of ads, such as not sending special promotion e-mail more often than you send your regular newsletter. Remember, your subscribers opted-in for information, not ads.
E-mail marketing is very effective if you do it right. When you use it wrong, it will backfire. Think twice before clicking the "Send" button.
Get More Subscribers
Publishing your own newsletter is good only if you have lots of subscribers. Here is how to increase your subscribers base.
Privacy
People subscribe to your newsletter because you protect their privacy, not because it is free. You have to state: "We will never sell or share your personal information" or similar promises right at every "subscribe" button. Or make a link to your "Privacy Policy" page. You can make your privacy policy as you wish, but no-sell-no-share is a minimum requirement to get people's e-mail addresses. Otherwise, these days, visitors won't subscribe to your newsletter. Of course, once you SAY you won't share, don't share.
Simplicity
Simple subscribing processes lead to more subscribers. As business owners, we want lots of information from potential customers. But making extra fields to fill out will discourage visitors from subscribing to your newsletter. Remember you only need e-mail addresses to send the newsletter. You could ask for their first name in order to personalize the newsletter, but that is still an extra. Asking for first AND last name is too much. You will never need last names to send a newsletter. The more you ask; the fewer subscribers you get. Also, you don't need a double opt-in process unless your host requests. With either single or double opt-in, you will still get complaints from forgetful subscribers, and people might change their minds when you ask for the second opt-in.
Show Your Newsletter
Showing previous issues of your newsletter will describe your newsletter best. Doing so gives visitors enough information to make a decision. The decision might be "yes," or it might be "no." But not giving enough information always returns one answer: "no." Also, archiving lots of interesting articles is the best way to promote your newsletter. With all that valuable information at their disposal, people cannot resist subscribing to your newsletter for more.
Because Web surfers have already subscribed to a numbers of e-zines, it can be hard to get new subscribers. Use these tips and turn more visitors into subscribers.
Privacy
People subscribe to your newsletter because you protect their privacy, not because it is free. You have to state: "We will never sell or share your personal information" or similar promises right at every "subscribe" button. Or make a link to your "Privacy Policy" page. You can make your privacy policy as you wish, but no-sell-no-share is a minimum requirement to get people's e-mail addresses. Otherwise, these days, visitors won't subscribe to your newsletter. Of course, once you SAY you won't share, don't share.
Simplicity
Simple subscribing processes lead to more subscribers. As business owners, we want lots of information from potential customers. But making extra fields to fill out will discourage visitors from subscribing to your newsletter. Remember you only need e-mail addresses to send the newsletter. You could ask for their first name in order to personalize the newsletter, but that is still an extra. Asking for first AND last name is too much. You will never need last names to send a newsletter. The more you ask; the fewer subscribers you get. Also, you don't need a double opt-in process unless your host requests. With either single or double opt-in, you will still get complaints from forgetful subscribers, and people might change their minds when you ask for the second opt-in.
Show Your Newsletter
Showing previous issues of your newsletter will describe your newsletter best. Doing so gives visitors enough information to make a decision. The decision might be "yes," or it might be "no." But not giving enough information always returns one answer: "no." Also, archiving lots of interesting articles is the best way to promote your newsletter. With all that valuable information at their disposal, people cannot resist subscribing to your newsletter for more.
Because Web surfers have already subscribed to a numbers of e-zines, it can be hard to get new subscribers. Use these tips and turn more visitors into subscribers.
E-mail MarketingOutsmart Spam Filters
More and more people have started using spam filters. Unfortunately, those filters sometimes block innocent e-mail. I am against spam, but legitimate newsletters like the one you publish shouldn't be blocked. Know how the spam filters analyze e-mail, and outsmart them.
Ways to Get Blocked
Spam filters give e-mails demerits based on rules. When e-mail gets enough demerits, the spam filter thinks it is spam. Following are common rules adopted by many spam filters.
Being listed on black lists.
If your e-mail server's IP address is on black lists, your e-mail gets big demerits or immediately gets blocked. You can view some black lists at:
http://www.spews.org/
http://www.spamhaus.org/sbl/index.lasso
http://www.abuse.net/lookup.phtml
http://www.njabl.org/lookup.html
If yours is listed, ask your host and get a new one, now!
Please note that the e-mail server's IP address may be different from your Web site's IP address. Also, if you use one of the list hosting services, see if that service's IP address is listed.
Mentioning spam laws.
Only spammers do this, so don't do it.
Including a disclaimer.
You don't have to tell your "opt-in" subscribers why they receive your newsletter.
Using e-mail software listed on a black list.
Such as: jpfree, VC_IPA, StormPost, JiXing, MMailer, EVAMAIL, IMktg, and Outlook Express.
Using words or phrases often seen in spam e-mail.
I made a list of common spam phrases. You can see it here . Avoid using them as much as you can.
Using ALL CAPS words and too many punctuation marks (??, !!, **)
Having more than 50% of HTML tags and using certain Java Script.
Including unsubscribing information.
You'll get demerits, but don't omit unsubscribing information. It should be in every issue. Try not to use the words "unsubscribe" or "remove." For example, say "to stop receiving" instead of "to unsubscribe."
Test Your E-mail
It's impractical to familiarize yourself with all the latest filtering rules. It will take tremendous time. Instead, send your e-mail message to spamcheck-thatswise@sitesell.net by the same way you would send to your subscribers. You will get the free report back in a few minutes. The only requirement (very important) is you must put the word "TEST" (in all caps) at the beginning of the subject. If the subject is "Weather Report," change it to "TESTWeather Report" (without quotations). Otherwise you won't get report back.
Ways to Get Blocked
Spam filters give e-mails demerits based on rules. When e-mail gets enough demerits, the spam filter thinks it is spam. Following are common rules adopted by many spam filters.
Being listed on black lists.
If your e-mail server's IP address is on black lists, your e-mail gets big demerits or immediately gets blocked. You can view some black lists at:
http://www.spews.org/
http://www.spamhaus.org/sbl/index.lasso
http://www.abuse.net/lookup.phtml
http://www.njabl.org/lookup.html
If yours is listed, ask your host and get a new one, now!
Please note that the e-mail server's IP address may be different from your Web site's IP address. Also, if you use one of the list hosting services, see if that service's IP address is listed.
Mentioning spam laws.
Only spammers do this, so don't do it.
Including a disclaimer.
You don't have to tell your "opt-in" subscribers why they receive your newsletter.
Using e-mail software listed on a black list.
Such as: jpfree, VC_IPA, StormPost, JiXing, MMailer, EVAMAIL, IMktg, and Outlook Express.
Using words or phrases often seen in spam e-mail.
I made a list of common spam phrases. You can see it here . Avoid using them as much as you can.
Using ALL CAPS words and too many punctuation marks (??, !!, **)
Having more than 50% of HTML tags and using certain Java Script.
Including unsubscribing information.
You'll get demerits, but don't omit unsubscribing information. It should be in every issue. Try not to use the words "unsubscribe" or "remove." For example, say "to stop receiving" instead of "to unsubscribe."
Test Your E-mail
It's impractical to familiarize yourself with all the latest filtering rules. It will take tremendous time. Instead, send your e-mail message to spamcheck-thatswise@sitesell.net by the same way you would send to your subscribers. You will get the free report back in a few minutes. The only requirement (very important) is you must put the word "TEST" (in all caps) at the beginning of the subject. If the subject is "Weather Report," change it to "TESTWeather Report" (without quotations). Otherwise you won't get report back.
Get Your Newsletter Read
People don't read every e-mail they receive. Learn what e-mail people read, and get your newsletter read by more subscribers.
Facts
A newsletter study conducted by Jacob Nielsen of useit.com shows that:
11% were read thoroughly
57% were skimmed
22% were never read
10% were saved for later reading (and most likely not opened again)
It sounds like it would be hard to be one of the 11%. Fortunately, a few simple things make the difference.
Keep It Simple
Jacob's study shows that shorter newsletters are more likely read. People don't want to spend all day reading e-mail. Therefore, they read newsletters only if it won't take long. So, make your newsletter brief and get to the point right away, or at least make it easy to skim. Many Internet marketing gurus tell you to write about your personal things, like vacations and family anniversalies, in order to get intiminate with readers. That technique worked five years ago, but today you should tell readers only what they need to know.
Don't Send them Too Offten
Jacob Nilsen also found out that readers most frequent complaint was about newsletters that arrived too often. I'd think "too offten" in term of "taking too much readres' time." According to Jakob's study, Dictionary.com's "Word of the Day" is the most read newsletter. It is sent every day, but it's still read. That's because the newsletter is short. It's only definition of a word and a few usage examples. It doesn't take too much readers' time, so people read it every day. For a-few-hundred-word newsletter, don't send it more offten than once a week.
Additionally, some e-zine publishers send 2 e-mail messages for each issue, actual article AND new-issue-is-online anouncement. Publishers are trying to reach subscribers behind the spam filters. But, this process irritates subscribers. Just send one of them.
Facts
A newsletter study conducted by Jacob Nielsen of useit.com shows that:
11% were read thoroughly
57% were skimmed
22% were never read
10% were saved for later reading (and most likely not opened again)
It sounds like it would be hard to be one of the 11%. Fortunately, a few simple things make the difference.
Keep It Simple
Jacob's study shows that shorter newsletters are more likely read. People don't want to spend all day reading e-mail. Therefore, they read newsletters only if it won't take long. So, make your newsletter brief and get to the point right away, or at least make it easy to skim. Many Internet marketing gurus tell you to write about your personal things, like vacations and family anniversalies, in order to get intiminate with readers. That technique worked five years ago, but today you should tell readers only what they need to know.
Don't Send them Too Offten
Jacob Nilsen also found out that readers most frequent complaint was about newsletters that arrived too often. I'd think "too offten" in term of "taking too much readres' time." According to Jakob's study, Dictionary.com's "Word of the Day" is the most read newsletter. It is sent every day, but it's still read. That's because the newsletter is short. It's only definition of a word and a few usage examples. It doesn't take too much readers' time, so people read it every day. For a-few-hundred-word newsletter, don't send it more offten than once a week.
Additionally, some e-zine publishers send 2 e-mail messages for each issue, actual article AND new-issue-is-online anouncement. Publishers are trying to reach subscribers behind the spam filters. But, this process irritates subscribers. Just send one of them.
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