Like many small business owners, I work with a small marketing budget.
Okay, truth be told, I hate to spend money on advertising. Especially
if I can get better exposure at a very low cost, sometimes even
FREE!
During the past three years online, I've learned some great
ways to do just that. Today I'd like to share them with you.
Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you to spend days and days
at free classified sites or newsgroups. The methods I'll be sharing
with you are much more powerful.
So how does the cost-conscious marketer get the best free and
low-cost exposure?
Simple. By utilizing various forms of the best free marketing
tool ever invented... Email!
There are many ways to utilize email marketing. For the most
part, email marketing can be broken down into two distinct categories...
Targeted and Untargeted.
First I'll touch on the untargeted, just to show you why it is
a waste of time.
UNTARGETED EMAIL MARKETING
Untargeted email marketing on the internet usually takes on the
form of "Unsolicited Bulk Email". Whether you are doing it yourself
or hiring one of the thousands of email blasting companies online,
it makes no difference. Bulk email is NOT a smart way to market.
Let me explain exactly why...
"Spamming", or sending mass email to "unqualified" email addresses
is considered bad "netiquette". If you send unsolicited email to
addresses that do not want commercial email, not only do you risk
the reputation of your business, you can get into more trouble than
you would expect.
What kind of trouble?
Well, since many ISP's do not allow this activity, they will
discontinue your account as soon as the inevitable complaints start
to trickle in.
If you want better results without the risk, consider the following
alternatives...
TARGETED EMAIL MARKETING
Targeted email marketing works. Truly targeted email means getting
your email to recipients that HAVE approved of it. Not only do your
get better results, you won't have to worry about ISP cancellation
and more importantly, the reputation of your business.
Here are the best targeted email marketing methods I've used.
(Listed from most expensive to least expensive.)
- "Opt In" email list rental.
- Ezine advertising.
- Ezine publishing.
- Email Discussion group participation.
Here are details on how I utilize each...
"Opt In" email list rental
Did you know that you can actually rent email lists of people
who have approved email about certain topics.
(Just about any topic imaginable!)
This method is not the cheapest form of targeted email marketing,
but it works! On average, you'll have to spend about ten to fifteen
cents per address. The companies that rent the addresses even do
the mailing for you. You just sit back and wait for the orders!
When I released my book, "Insider Internet Marketing", I used
this method and sold a few thousand dollars worth of books in a
two day span. The company I used is called Postmasterdirect .
Here are three more companies that offer direct "opt-in" email
marketing...
Bulletmail - http://www.bulletmail.com
Htmail - http://www.htmail.com/customer.html
Targ-It - http://www.targ-it.com
Ezine advertising
I'm a big fan of ezine advertising and regularly utilize this
low budget technique. I'm not just saying that to drum up advertisers
for my own newsletter, actually I have a waiting list of about a
month just to get an ad in here. Why? Quite simply, email advertising
works!
Take a look at the advertising section of your favorite email
ezine. The reason there are so many ads there is because the advertisers
get results. Not only do you reach your target audience, you reach
them by the thousands. Of all the online marketing methods available,
ezine advertising could be the most effective.
Many larger companies are just starting to realize this and are
entering into this exciting new advertising medium. Compared with
the high costs of web site banner advertising, ezine advertising
is a bargain.
Ezine publishing
One step better than "advertising" in ezines, is actually publishing
your own. If you are not already publishing your own e-newsletter,
I highly recommend you do so. It is much easier than you might imagine.
Your customers and prospects will constantly be "in touch" and
your ezine can keep them abreast of new products and services as
you make them available. You can also generate income offering classified
or sponsorship advertising if you wish.
Unlike traditional newsletters, there are no printing or postage
costs. Since your own cost is zero, you can offer free subscriptions,
thus insuring a steady flow of new prospects.
To get started publishing your own ezine, you use email list
management software such as
Email Marketer or you can manage and deliver your ezine yourself with a
good email program like Qualcomm's Eudora or Pegasus Mail by David
Harrris. These are the best email programs available on the internet
and they can be downloaded for free at the following URL's
http://www.eudora.com
http://www.pmail.com
Once you have your email program installed, practice mailing
to a few people at once by using the BCC (blind carbon copy) feature.
It's important to use the BCC field when mailing to a list. This
insures that everyone on the list does not see other email addresses
on the list. No one wants their email address publicized all over
the net.
After you've perfected your emailing skills, all you need is
some subscribers. That's easy, simply post a message announcing
your newsletter to the "NewList Announcement List". Full details
on posting can be found here.
Email discussion group participation.
An email discussion group is delivered via email like an email
newsletter. But a discussion list differs from an email newsletter
in one major way -- you are allowed to voice your opinion, usually
through a moderator.
Discussion lists also allow you to ask for help from others with
similar interests. What's more, you can assist people in need while
your sig file (the footer you include at the end of every email
message you send) invites readers to your site. Discussion group
marketing works because the posts are delivered directly TO a targeted
audience. Once again, push marketing at it's finest! In addition
to posting to discussion groups you should consider advertising
if the group you join offers it.
No matter what you are marketing online, participating in discussion
lists makes sense. Not only will you learn some valuable information,
it's is a great way to soft-sell some of your wares.
To find some discussion groups on your particular area of interest,
visit http://www.e-groups.com . While you're there you can even
start a group of your own!
Now that you are armed with the facts about email marketing,
go out and start your email marketing campaign today! And remember,
whatever email marketing method you choose, be sure that everything
single email you send out includes your URL and a brief description
of exactly how YOU can be of service to anyone who may be reading
that email!
