Imagine that you are having a one-on-one conversation with an existing or potential customer. You’ve told them all about your company or service. You have their attention and they are considering doing business with you. They give you their number or email address and then, you stop talking to them. They become frustrated and move on. This happens more often than one would think in the world of email marketing.
There are several avenues in marketing, and each one has benefits over the other. I see social media as shouting in a crowd, ads as an announcement in a room, and email marketing as a one-on-one conversation. When someone joins your email list, they are giving you permission to talk to them. They have expressed interest in you or something you do. When you email them, you are starting a conversation and hopefully a relationship with that person. However, if you only send 1 or 2 emails a year, you are not taking full advantage of that opportunity.
The companies I connect most with email me on a regular basis. Whether they are telling me about their sales, giving me advice, or just sharing something that went on in their office, they remain in the front of my mind because they continue to provide conversation. If you’d like to keep the conversation going with your audience or potential customers, try sending these types of emails:
- Newsletters – these may seem like a boring piece of content, but informing your audience about what’s going on in your business could remind them of why they want to do business with you
- Sales – Nothing says “shop here” more than a “20% OFF” email. Personally, I am more likely to shop somewhere if they sent me a coupon or told me about a sale.
- Events – Does your business host or participate in events? Events allow potential customers to see how you react in real time to real situations. It also gives them an opportunity to communicate with you outside of email.
- Follow-up – Did you recently teach a class, give a presentation, or participate in an event? Follow up with an email. Thank them for attending and invite them to do business with you.
Don’t pass up the opportunity to start a conversation and build a relationship. Continue the conversation and watch your business grow.