Just because small businesses tend to have severe budgetary constraints that prevent them from engaging in costly advertising campaigns in print or outdoors, it does not mean that they cannot publicize their businesses in any way. Email marketing can be extremely effective as an advertising tool for small businesses as the process is relatively inexpensive and easy to manage.
The Pros and Cons of Email Marketing
Marketing through email is infinitely more cost-effective that conventional mail that involves stationery and postage. Sending email, especially in bulk, can be a far faster affair too. Using a number of tools, small business owners can get a better appreciation of how the email is being received and disposed of. For example, they can immediately know which of the email addresses are incorrect, as the mail will bounce. Also, they can generate reports that reveal how many of the recipients opened the mail, and how many went further and actually clicked on a link to go to the website, a social media platform, blog, etc. Out of the targeted consumers who used such email links, it is also very easy to track people who actually went on to make purchases or ask for additional information or even the time they spent on browsing the contents of the link.
Many Methods to Keep Recipients Engaged
Email marketing does not necessarily have to force recipients to buy. You can keep customers engaged by sending them a periodic update on the latest that is happening in the sector and in your own company in the form of a newsletter. If there is a sale coming up, you can shoot off the email promoting the sale, and even encourage the customer to make use of additional discounts with a coupon contained in the email. Many of the professional bulk email marketing services in Mumbai can help you out with a lot of advice too.
Make the Sign-up Simple
One of the main reasons why small businesses find it difficult to get customers to opt-in for email marketing is often the process is extremely cumbersome, thus, frightening off everybody except the most determined. The best way is to have a form that is short and simple and collects only the essential details like visitor’s name and location as well as the area of interest. The rest of the details that you want such as birthdays and anniversaries can be collected subsequently using various devices and incentives. When you are askingthe email recipients to sign up you should make it a point to explain what sort of communication they will be getting and how frequently, as well as the subject of the communication. The more specific you are, the more it will help the recipients to decide if they want to be on your mailing list.
Choose the Right Software
As a small business owner, you may wish to conduct the email marketing campaign personally or even take the help of professional agencies. If you are going to do it by yourself then you need to pick the right software. What you ultimately select and how well it functions depends a lot on the extent you are able to define your requirements.
Make the Communication Compelling
Make sure that the communication contained in the email is not formal and distant but instead warm and friendly. Try and include the first names dynamically so that the communication will seem to be more personal. Make the subject line precise and brief so that customers know what’s inside even if they can’t immediately read your mail. The contents should be easy and interesting to read with the right mix of text and images. Do not make the text too long and ensure that the mail can be easily read on mobile devices too. Include all your social media links so that the customers find it easy to share your mail on their pages.
Conclusion
The keys to a successful email marketing campaign are keeping the audience-engagement high, the contents compelling, and making the sign-up process simple.
Guest article written by: Mike Sears is an online communication strategist focusing on the requirements of small businesses. He has had more than a decade of experience in a number of digital marketing companies, including Gingerdomain.com