Email marketing can be a useful way to draw business from existing and potential clients. It can be used to connect with an audience to promote your brand. A lot can be done with emails, such as sell products and services, share news or tell a story. There is no denying that a well-crafted message can have a positive impact on customers, but in a world where we are all inundated with emails, spam is often a problem. That’s why it important to have a solid plan about how best to utilize this marketing tool.
It is important to know your audience. There is a famous quote from Meredith Hill: “When you speak to everyone, you speak to no one.” If your message is so watered down that it applies to every audience, an opportunity has been missed for creating specific, relevant content that speaks directly to the recipient. With this in mind, it’s a good idea to address the emails personally, whenever possible. Here are some ideas and advice about how to use email marketing to inspire loyalty, encourage repeat customers and make sales.
• Create special offers. Provide a month’s free cleaning or discounted equipment for referrals. Give discounts for new customers.
• Use the holiday season or special occasions as a way to sell your services to family and friends as gifts. You can target last-minute panic gift-buyers with emails two weeks and again two days before Christmas with your special solution.
• Send emails on customer birthdays as a way to show them you care, with some special gift or service.
• Tell customers about new products and services you are offering and how they might be beneficial.
• Let customers know about rebates from utility companies. For example, gas companies frequently offer rebates on heaters, and when they do, you could be the person who makes that sale. Make sure they understand that the offer is time sensitive.
• Send educational emails. Sell variable-speed pumps with explanations about why they are more efficient. Customers may also respond favorably to useful tips and tricks on how to care for their pools and spas in the days between service visits with the chemicals you have sold them.
• Don’t always be selling, but don’t send an email with no purpose. For example, invite customers to get involved in a drowning awareness campaign, toys for tots or wounded warrior events. This can help to establish yourself as a community minded, caring individual – in other words, a real person. You could also promote community events, such as blood drives, picking up litter or gardening days.
• Use emails to allow customers to get to know you. People love stories because they tap into our emotions resulting in increased engagement and more trust. So, tell your customers about your special team. You could even use emails to build your team.
When it comes to email marketing, it is important to be intentional about what you are trying to accomplish with the email, and let the customer know up front with clear subject lines. Be engaging and succinct.
Also, don’t bombard your customers with emails. Set up an email schedule. Once a day emails are too much.
Make sure to include clickable links to your website.
Encourage existing customers to forward your emails to friends and family.
Finally, be sure to make emails mobile-friendly. The first thing many of us do when we wake up in the morning is reach for our phones to check texts, voicemail and emails. If the emails aren’t optimized for viewing on these devices, an obvious opportunity has been missed.
