Email marketing can be one of the most effective marketing techniques. 54 percent of businesses view email as the most effective form of Internet marketing, according to a study from the marketing research firm Ascend2. And for B2B marketers, 88% cite email as the most effective lead generation tactic, as reported by Circle Research.
However, your email marketing campaign won’t work unless it has a clear, specific purpose/message and call to action and a target audience who has already demonstrated an interest in what you have to offer. The three most effective tactics when using email marketing are:
1. Special Offers – Special offers like coupons and discounts are classic direct marketing techniques that translate extremely well to email. In order for an offer to be effective, it must provide something of real value to the recipient. Lastly, having a time limit on these types of offers is extremely important, in order for the call to action to work.
2. Invitations – Invitations to webinars, seminars, conferences, and other special events are another type of highly effective email marketing. Repetition is extremely important; sending two invitations spaced apart before the event will increase the number of attendees.
Clicking thru from the email directly to a web page that permits online registration or RSVP can up to double the percentage of recipients that register. Sending an email reminder to people who have registered for the event is a good way to minimize “no-shows”.
3. Staying In Touch – Staying in touch with customers and prospects by providing useful information like white papers, E-books, newsletters, etc…is the third major email marketing technique. As opposed to offers or invitations, where you are trying to get an immediate response from the recipient, the purpose of sending a newsletter, for example, is to keep your company/product top of mind with your prospective customer or provide perceived on-going value to your current client base.
To explore how you can use email marketing to help grow your small business, send me an email or give me a call…I’m always happy to help!
Danielle Foley, President ~ Foley Marketing Advisors ~ dfoley@foleymarketingadvisors.com
www.foleymarketingadvisors.com ~ (973) 632-9170