E-marketing
The Money Is In Your Message  Some business people are thinking anyone can do their own e-marketing. It's true that modern mass emailing systems are plentiful, cheap, and technically easy to use. However, don't let the glitter of the package blind you to the requirement for great content -- a message that really sells. Unless you'd be willing to walk a tight wire without a net or training, don't try this at home. A badly staged e-marketing attempt can do more harm than good to your brand image. In reality, electronic publishing requires special capabilities. It's work for professionals. Assuming you have something desirable to sell and there's a demand for it, three things make e-marketing a success -- great copy writing, well designed layouts, and stellar aesthetic and technical execution. Green Mountain Coffee is doing a good job with their campaigns. So I chose a couple of their e-ads as illustrations. Your message and presentation are what matter, not just getting something out there. The challenge is to truly engage your audience by writing brilliant, enticing copy, but without going over the top to turn into a turn-off. You must also achieve attractive, uncluttered, well-balanced graphic layouts. It takes time and effort to become an expert -- assuming you have that kind of aptitude. The good stuff comes from teams comprising professionals in several disciplines. At minimum, there's a writer, a graphic designer, and a creative director on every effective e-marketing team. It's pretty easy to see the difference between professional work and the do-it-yourself materials that reach your email in box. The first challenge is to get recipients to just open your emails. There's a gauntlet your message must run before readers see it. Most email users open only a fraction of the legitimate email that gets through the spam filters. Apparent subtleties like 'from name' can make a huge difference. It helps to make the 'from name' someone trusted and familiar and the 'subject line' something to trigger curiosity. | Basic
deliverability is also a major issue. Would you be able to check
your message to see if it will trigger spam filters? Such concerns go on and on. If you have a business to run, the profitable course is to call in the experts, turn it over, and assume the role of guide. Inform your professional e-newsletter producer all about your business so they have a reasonable chance to do that almost impossible thing -- to forge a lasting connection with your customers that's strong enough to keep them eagerly anticipating each and every issue -- and responding. The object is to motivate a particular response. What do you want them to do when they have read your materials? What's the best way to make that happen? Many ads just say to your customer "I'm here. I have stuff I want to sell you. Buy something." That's a turn off that will shrink your open rates rapidly. However, e-marketing can be wildly successful. Once you truly connect with your audience, they're yours. Most forms of direct marketing (like snail mail) yield no better than a couple percent returns. Successful e-marketing campaigns enjoy from 5% to 35% returns, according to the US Small Business Administration. After all, your readers subscribed just so they could be in contact with you. Their group usually comprises a large portion of people who have already bought from you. These are the people most likely to buy from you. Enthusiast groups (like coffee lovers) are elite and desirable niches. Give them what they want and they'll give right back, in ever-repeating sales.  KJRA does e-marketing professionally -- with creativity, style, and a flair for impact. And meticulous attention to the details that make a difference. We have the professional team you can use without hiring employees. To get your e-marketing going, contact Kim or Joseph using the info on our Contact Page. ### |