Many new business owners will find that a solid marketing plan can be integral to getting their business off the ground. The question then becomes how a marketing strategy can be formed that is both quick and easy. It is difficult to find a way to update potential customers and clients of new products or services as well as other company news in a manner that is efficient in terms of both time and money.
The answer is becoming increasingly clear as more and more businesses begin advertising through mass emails. This strategy is easy to use, making it accessible to those who may lack a formal understanding of marketing strategies in general. In addition, there are now entire businesses that will help entrepreneurs form the best email marketing strategy possible for their specific needs.
How It Works
This is not much different from the practice of mailing out fliers, pamphlets, coupons, or other literature regarding a company’s primary services or special offers. The main difference is that it is faster, more direct, and saves money on postage. In addition, it is easier to gauge whether or not this strategy is effective by monitoring precisely who has received emails from the business and whether or not they were hooked by what they saw.
There are a few different uses of email marketing. Not only is it possible to try and hook new clients and customers, but it is also possible to cater to those who have already used the business in question. Former customers and clients can be notified of new portfolio items as well as any special deals that the company is currently offering. It does not matter whether your company is appealing directly to customers or to other businesses. Either way, email marketing will get the message out within minutes.
Variations
Because there are so many uses for email marketing, online marketing strategies can be implemented in a number of ways. As previously mentioned, a number of these methods are specifically aimed at clients and customers who have already used the company’s services. These customers can be sent newsletters that inform them of any updates regarding the company’s operations and services. For major promotions and events, they can also be sent invitation emails. Entire promotional campaigns can also be launched that will notify such customers of impending sales offers.
Recent customers can be sent emails right after a transaction has been made, to let them know that their business is appreciated. Some companies may choose to send them surveys, allowing for feedback on the company. This lets business owners know what they are doing well, in addition to any improvements they might need to make.
Both recurring clients and prospective clients can be sent catalogue and portfolio updates, allowing them information on any new products or services that the company is offering. This can be used to boost the sales of a product that is not doing well, or to concentrate on a product that has received a great deal of positive feedback. Potential clients can also be sent basic emails to inform them of the company’s existence, on the off-chance that they are searching for new service providers.
Advantages and Disadvantages
There are numerous benefits to email marketing. Not only is it much cheaper than direct mail, but it is also easier to formulate a strategy based around email. The process of sending out emails is simply much faster than creating fliers and informational packets that have to be processed through the mail. It is also easier and cheaper to track how long it takes for emails to be received, and clients can respond much faster. Owners will receive notifications when an email address is invalid, and can choose an email marketing service that allows them to know when the emails have been read or deleted. Some services even allow owners to see when potential customers have clicked on their links.
There are, however, some disadvantages. The most obvious is that some potential clients may not appreciate unsolicited emails. This may sour their opinion of the company as a whole. They may even block future emails from the company’s address, making it impossible to inform them of any updates regarding the company’s services.
Software and Services
Email marketing sounds as simple as writing an email and adding a number of addresses, but it can be more complicated than that. For this reason, there is a large amount of software available to make it easier. There are even services that will handle your marketing campaign for you at a reasonable price.
The primary feature of most software is the number of templates that marketers can use to devise their campaign. These are usually fairly easy to use, which is vital since many entrepreneurs may lack experience in programming and web design. Templates can easily be filled out and designed in a minimal amount of time.
Services offer additional features as well. If marketers know that they are going to be sending repeat emails to the same recipients, they can keep track of these recipients in a single storage space. Since users are able to keep records of how many emails were opened and deleted, as well as the response to those that were read, it becomes simple to gauge the success of a campaign and design future campaigns based on this information. This is important when trying to appeal to a large clientele base, as it is important to devise marketing strategies that garner mass appeal.