E-newsletter for Beads Forever on Hawthorne Blvd.
An e-newsletter is delivered by e-mail to clients who've expressed an interest in it by signing up for it either in your place of business or via your website. A well-written, attractive e-newsletter can accomplish the following:
• Inform clients about your services;
• Remind customers of upcoming sales and new inventory;
• Keep your business in the forefront of your clients' minds;
• Drive traffic to your website;
• Establish you as an authority in your specialization;
• Convey information on trends in your business to stimulate more business;
• Update clients on your activities, events, and sales; and
• Reinforce a more personal, responsive relationship with clients.
That’s quite a few things, wouldn’t you agree? And, as you know, timing is everything. You can have the greatest website or retail space in the world, but if the people who see it aren't ready to buy from you yet, you won't close the sale. You need a means of continually selling yourself to an interested customer. That's why an e-newsletter is an ideal way to encourage people to re-visit you when they are ready (and build on your reputation in the meantime).
How do I acquire e-subscribers?
You can place an icon on your site encouraging them to sign up for your e-newsletter, and you've instantly increased the chance of transitioning a 'viewer' into a 'buyer.' If your business has a retail space or an office space in which you meet clients, you can also use an e-mail sign-up sheet to encourage people who visit your store or office to sign up for your e-newsletter.
Giving customers and prospects the opportunity to voluntarily sign up for e-newsletters is considered ideal practice. This protects the trust in the relationship between you and your client, which is of paramount importance in a competitive climate, not to mention just plain good manners.
How would I create an e-newsletter and what would I even write about?
I’m a big fan of Constant Contact, which starts at $15 per month if you have less than 500 subscribers and goes up from there. What’s nice about Constant Contact is that it will tell you who is opening your e-newsletter, what e-mail addresses are invalid and which subscribers are perceiving your e-newsletter as spam. It’s also easy to use and highly customizable, offering a range of templates that allow you impressive visual flexibility. Some others to try are RatePoint.com and MyEmma.com.
As for what you would write about, never underestimate your customers' interest in what you have to say. They're your customers because they defer to your knowledge of your industry. Let's say you sell humorous paraphernalia like "Barista Action Figures" or "Devil Ducks." You might think, what is there to say? I sell silly stuff that people give to each other to have a laugh. You may not think you have much to say, but believe it, your most avid customers want to hear what you have to say -- they think you're funny, they can't wait to see what new inventory you have, and they want to tell their friends all about your business (a.k.a. forward your e-newsletter to their friends).
Here's another example: you're a financial advisor. Even though it's what you do, you think most people think it's a snooze. Your challenge in selling your services is the same as it is in creating vibrant e-newsletter content: You need to prove to people that they need you. In short, show them the benefits and advantages you can bring to their lives. Update them on trends in the news that affect their retirement; tell them about the kinds of financial planning they should have at different stages of their lives; and tell them how expensive it can be for their children if they don't have long-term care insurance. The list goes on an on.
In an upcoming article, I'll write about how to plan out your first e-newsletter and offer tips on how to keep coming up with fresh ideas.
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