Ron Evans is the President of
Great Big Noise,
LLC, a provider of Flash Email Marketing Campaigns.
Email marketing, like any other form of marketing, is
designed to lead to an actual sale. This article concentrates on how to
create 5 types of emails that result in an immediate sale. Please note
that all of these techniques require that some sort of relationship
already be established with the recipient, either a confirmed interested
prospect, or an established customer. In other articles we discuss ways
to introduce your company to new prospects.
The Conversion
At some point in the conversation that you have been
having with a prospective customer, there comes the time to ask for the
sale. We call this step "conversion", and it is the critical point in
the process of cultivating your prospects into actual paying customers.
You must have a specific "call to action" so that recipients will
realize what they are supposed to do. Having a single focus to the
email, so the call to action is more easily noticed, helps improve
conversion rates. Immediate incentives like discounts or extras can work
to improve the number of conversions. Regardless of what form this
incentive takes, remember that "what's in it for me" is usually in the
mind of the recipient; an immediate benefit should be offered to them to
get them off of the fence and onto your customer list.
The Follow-Up
Once a customer has made a purchase, they are an even better prospect to
make another purchase then they were before. This is where many
companies miss, by failing to realize the value of their existing
clientele. Sending a follow-up via email to see how they are doing with
their purchase in an excellent way to reinforce your relationship with
that customer. In addition, follow-up communications can be used to sell
additional accessories or service that is compatible with their initial
purchase. For example, "Get extra batteries for your new digital camera
at 10% off".
The Upgrade
At some point after the initial purchase, the product will need to be
upgraded or replaced, or the customer will require additional service.
It is very important to maintain "top of mind" with your current
customers, to keep their business. One of the best ways is to send them
an email allowing them to purchase the new version, or renew their
service, somewhat in advance of their need. For example, a car dealer
should send a notice several months in advance of a customer's lease
being up. Providing some extra incentive for doing so can increase sales
for new product introductions, or the number of steady customers for a
service business.
The Sale Notice
Offering a pre-sale, "private sale" or other special discount incentive
via email to existing customers is a powerful email marketing technique.
It should say something like "As a valued customer we want to offer
you..." or some other similar language to help reinforce the idea that
you value the patronage of your current customers. It is a great way to
maintain loyalty, as well as to boost sales. Response rates for your
current, proven customers are usually much higher, because your
credibility is already established with them. If the offer is good, they
are even more likely to purchase, as well as to refer others to
purchase.
The Partner Offer
Based on what you know about your customer, you can offer them something
else they need provided by a company that you are partnering with. For
example, you could send an email promotion to promote a new marketing
book off of Amazon that you just read and got a lot out of. Since your
own credibility is on the line when referring another business to a
client, it is very important that you check out the product or service
for yourself before you recommend it. On the positive side, turning a
customer on to good resources can reflect well on your own company's
credibility, as well as providing additional sources of income thru
affiliate fees or other revenue sharing mechanisms.
Conclusion
These email marketing techniques, either alone or better yet combined
together, can significantly increase your sales, at a very reasonable
cost. As always, the only way to determine what is the most effective
use of email marketing for your organization is to measure the results.
Concentrate on what works best, and you will be making optimal use of
your marketing resources, and boosting your bottom line too.
If you are are looking for a solution for your email marketing, newsletter marketing, mailing list management or email tracking, we recommend Nesox Email Marketer.
Click here to learn more about Nesox Email Marketer.
