If you are looking for new and creative ways to market to your internet audience, then you should look into email marketing. Email marketing allows you to grow a list of potential customers who want to hear what you have to say. The article below discusses some great tips on growing and maintaining your list.

Do not continuously insist that your subscribers “Buy Now.” the way you go about it. This approach appears like spam and you will lose your customers this way. Your customers are well-aware that you are selling something, so it is more important to build a professional and ongoing relationship. Your customers will most definitely appreciate this and are more apt to make purchases from you because of it.

Be sure that your landing page lives up to the customer’s expectations. The subscriber is obviously interested in your product if they have clicked on the link in your email. You do not want them to be disappointed by clicking on the link, and finding the page to be other than what they thought it would be.

Make sure that your email subscribers know exactly what to expect from you. An excellent way to do this is to make your first email to every new subscriber a default informational message. You should lay out what sort of content you intend to send them, and also indicate the frequency of messages they can expect from you.

Creating brand recognition should be considered when developing your marketing emails. For this reason, try designing a template that incorporates your logo, special fonts, or colors that are on all of your business collateral. Doing so can help your readers to recognize your company instantly.

Not only should you provide your subscribers with an easy way to unsubscribe, but also you should ensure that it goes into effect immediately. Receiving emails from you after they have unsubscribed will give recipients a negative impression about you, harming any future relationships with them. Process requests to unsubscribe right away.

Your emails should be readable sans images. Many email providers disable images by default, and unless the user changes their settings, they will not be able to see any images you include. Because of this, any images you include in the emails that you send should also be followed by comprehensive text.

Diamonds may be forever, but permission is not. Even after you have subscriber permission, renew it somehow after around nine months, since that is the typical expiration date of permissions given. Not only will prospects feel respected by your polite behavior, you will rapidly identify who is really interested in your material.

You may find that it is a good idea to devote a small portion of every marketing email you send out to briefly reviewing what your subscribers can expect from you. By demonstrating that you have a plan for your emails and you are sticking to it, you can encourage your readers’ trust and make them less likely to grow tired of your messages.

Now that you’ve read the tips above, you should be better equipped to start your own email marketing campaign. Use what you’ve learned here and seek out new knowledge so that you can build the largest list possible. With a ready list of interested customers, your business will be booming in no time.

Email marketing is not a new concept by any means, but several businesses are still not embracing this marketing concept as well as they should be. There are several worries that come along with email marketing, such as:

– Won’t my emails be treated as spam?

– Is it a waste of time?

– In the end, is it going to help my business that much?

Some businesses are going to say that the time that is devoted to email marketing is not worth it for them, that the profits they may earn from this do not even start to pay for the time that they invest. The truth is that when it comes to marketing, most studies have shown that email marketing does better than other marketing methods, including the use of social media. This does not mean to dismiss the other marketing methods, as a healthy marketing plan is one that utilizes various marketing techniques to complete the marketing goals.

How Email Marketing Works

It is best to think of email marketing just as any other marketing method, minus the use of a printer, paper and ink. Emails can be sent that have what would normally be sent in the mail as postcards announcing a new sale upcoming, a new item or even giving coupons to valued customers. The route in which they do this is to collect email addresses from current customers and potential customers. The best route to do this is to have a collection area on your website. For example, a call to action box that allows customers or potential customers to sign up for email offers. This allows you to legally obtain the email address and use this to send email marketing material to.

There are companies out there that are providing bulk email lists. However, there are dangers to this that need to be discussed. You need to understand that you can only send emails to those whom you have permission to send this email to. Thus, buying email addresses is not always the best alternative. Keep in mind that the US has a CAN-SPAM Act, enacted in 2003, that spells out what a business can and cannot do in email marketing.

Understanding the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003

There are a few rules to keep in mind when sending email marketing materials:

A) Always ensure that your subject line relays what you are writing about and is in no way false or misleading. For example, a good subject line would be: Exclusive Sale for Loyal Customers Only 7/5! A misleading subject line would be: You have won $100!

B) Also ensure that the To and From are labeled accordingly, you need to ensure that your name or business name is represented so that readers can see who sent the message

C) At the end of the email there has to be an opt-out link. You must give readers the option to quit receiving your email marketing messages if they so choose.

D) All email communication that is sent as an advertisement has to include this information in the communication. In addition, there needs to be a physical address of the company listed in the email.

Businesses who are found to be guilty in abusing marketing strategies via email can be fined up to $11,000. Worse, they can lose the right to send email or even lose the right to have a website for the infraction.

Types of Email Marketing

Almost anything can be emailed to customers or potential customers. For the most part, businesses that utilize email marketing can be put into one of three categories:

1. Promotional Emails: These emails are meant to show any promotions that may be ongoing, and are meant to encourage a customer to buy a product or to keep buying products due to the sale/low price.

2. Regular communication: These emails are meant as a way to stay in touch with customers. It is basically a way to reach out and keep a customer as your customer, thus inspiring brand loyalty.

3. Advertisement emails: These are similar to promotional emails, though they can be sent as a postcard type of email that is colorful, has sparse information that simply says the advertisement. For example: 20% off online purchases: Today Only!

How This Will Help You

It is simple: email marketing is a way to reach current customers and find new customers! There are 5 important aspects that email marketing can help with:

1. Email Marketing can increase the sales that you are seeing.

2. Through email marketing you ensure that your business is always on consumers minds.

3. With the use of email you are helping to ensure that customers are repeat customers.

4. This can help to establish that you are the business to turn to for a certain product or service.

5. You are building and maintaining relationships with customers through sending emails.

Starting Email Marketing

There are several programs out there which are designed to help get your email marketing program off to a great start. But, first you need the email addresses. One of the best methods for this is to have a way for customers to sign up for emails from your business. A great way to do this is to have a sign up form on your website. Another method is to collect these email addresses when purchases or orders are made for this purpose.

There are several programs on the market that can be utilized as a way to send out mass emails to those contacts that you have. A few examples of these programs are:

– Constant Contact

– Campaigner

– iContact

– Mailigen

These programs can be time consuming when first starting, as you need to figure out when these emails go out, how often they go out, the message and all the information that is needed to make this email one that is successful. However, there are ways to get around doing this, as you can hire a professional to handle this for you. Which is great for those who may be managing their business on their own, or simply who have no clue as to what to do to make this venture successful.

Small business owners usually have no major marketing budget. And the money you have, should you put them on the seller who is calling, internet, print media or elsewhere? An error location can break any smaller company. But you, there are ways to market on which is completely free, or at the very least.

It takes an investment of time, but you’re not fully up today, so it can be a great way to get new customers. We will list some common ways and some less common, even some on the verge of crazy marketing methods.

1. Find collaborations (works equally well offline) with other companies where you have the same customer group and complement each other without competing. Then tell customers about each other or agree on a kickback to those who refer customers to you. Have a lunch together to see what you can find more to help each other.

2. Become a fan on different Facebook pages and introduce your company to the other fans. Here you have our Facebook page where you would like to add a link to your website.

3. Announce a contest and find sponsors who pay the prizes.

4. Comment articles and blogs. Write good comments and questions to articles and blogs where you can link to your website. Do it seriously and do not mind spamming.

5. Work with search engine optimization by providing links to your website.

6. Join a forum where you can link to your website from your signature. There you can participate in the discussions and each time you post a post, you automatically get an inlink. It gives both traffic and linkage.

7. Guest blog of someone who has visitors with potential customers. Few bloggers and website owners thank no to posts that are well written and give something to readers. It can be really effective marketing where you can also request a link back to your website with a well-chosen keyword.

Contact us for a call to write.

8. Email marketing and newsletters are a very cost effective marketing, where it is also easy to measure results. Begin collecting email addresses on your website already today. Offer a Pdf with free tips or something else to get more subscribers.

9. Do a market research (works just as well offline) where you find out what the market, your visitors, and even current customers really want. This is not direct marketing but you get a good basis for making direct marketing or DM. It may also be that sometimes we think we know what the customers want without actually having a black on white. There, a market research can save a lot of money and time.

10. Add your website address in your email signature so that it is clearly visible. Every little helps…

11. Write a debate article and get it published on websites and in newspapers.

Keep in mind that a lot of traffic to your website may not necessarily mean many new customers. Bet on the marketing channels where your target audience is. There are Facebook groups, forums and blogs within all industries. If it is not, maybe it’s time for you to start one?

Tips on marketing offline
12. Send an advertisement where your colleagues pay the cost. Get a flyer and call other companies in your city and ask if they want to be on the mailing. You take care of it all and can therefore add your advertisement on the mailing at no cost.

13. Join a business network or go to a breakfast meeting in your place. Breakfast meetings for the town’s business owners are quite common, so check if there are you close by. Business networks can cost money but you can always go there and try to see if there is anything for you. Keep in mind that there is only one new exciting contact for positive things for you and your business.

14. Spread your business cards. Sure, it costs a little to print business cards but it’s usually a good investment. Have the habit of distributing them, because you never know who at a later date needs your skills or want to recommend you to anyone.

15. Contact current customers, request references and mention that they are welcome to recommend your company. Virtually all people are looking forward to this with joy! Or, in any case, have you put a seed that might mean that they may later on your services.

Do not miss: 20 ways to get more paying customers
16. Set up as a speaker at a corporate event or other event where your potential customers are located.

17. Contact a newspaper and have it write about you. Journalists are constantly looking for new things to write about and you can certainly find something that can be exciting for the magazine’s readers. Learn more about how to succeed in PR here.

Here are some bonus tips:

18. Take a high pressure wash and flush the asphalt or a suitable wall so that your company name or website is visible. It’s environmentally friendly, fun and eye-catching guild marketing.

19. Contact flight training and ask if you can hang such a pennant behind the plane. Get things better and more people. Keep in mind not to make the text too small

20. Get a durable, slightly bigger balloon and print your company name on it. Attach it to a rope and pour it into the air to make it look good. This is not free but it’s marketing that people definitely remember.

Now you’ve got some ways you can test. As usual, there are no shortcuts, nor in terms of marketing. Test yourself, measure your results and try new ways.

Know your industry; in each segments there are subtle differences, which areas are growing. Forecast and build your lists to take advantage of these changes.Rental sales lists should be avoided. Your lists should become part of your ongoing activities. A prospect may not close the first 3 mailers, they may not even receive the first 2 however, if you rent a list, you only get one shot. When you own your list, you not only get mail data but should also receive phone contacts as well as fax numbers where available.Quickly growing market segments should be receiving an influx of new data and consumers, if you are trending your industry you’ll know when to purchase your data. When the trend line of sales goes up, it’s time to make list purchases.Your direct mail should be as targeted as you can make it. Have your data consultant building your direct mail lists segment lists into groupings with specific characteristics, or ensure you’re list can be filtered to isolate segments. Your mail piece should be written to your prospect. You’re research into your target market should help you to address their specific wants needs and concerns.Test, Test, Test, and Test some more! Did I get your attention with Test? Think about your testing, how will you create list segments? Gender, Age groupings, geographically. Be sure your testing does not isolate or squeeze out niche markets, the purpose of testing is to find what groups are most responsive and what specific approach appeals to each. Be sure you get this VALUABLE information from your tests doing so will increase your total ROI and prove more valuable over time. You’ll be stocked with a highly tested supply of marketing materials that you know work.When you’ve isolated your best approach for each group ensure you take that approach back to previously mailed but not converted targets. This is why we don’t RENT lists, the list consumer receives the best ROI and advantage from owning the list!When you finalize your mail piece ensure it has NO errors. If you have page breaks, don’t end an ideal on a page, carry the sentence on the next. Ensure your prospect knows how to get a-hold of you. Tell them what to do next, Pay, Call, etc… Get the readers attention, drop cap (large first letter of a paragraph) heavily indented first few paragraphs, etc, you want people to read what you have to say.

The power of viral networking is undeniable, but without a strong email marketing list you can’t really take advantage of the opportunities presented through the use of a mailing list. Gathering together that list is the hardest part of the process, particularly for “newbies” just starting out. How, then, can they take advantage of the potential offered by the net from day one?Through the use of a lead generator. A lead generator will quickly put you together with a list of hundreds or even thousands of like-minded individuals who are going to be interested in what you have to offer, and therefore are going to be able to help you build your business in no time. Through the multitude of lead generator resources available online you can expand your e-mail marketing program in the time it takes you to click a button.Advantages of Lead GeneratorsThe hardest part of e-mail marketing is building a mailing list. Why? Because thanks to the geniuses who invented SPAM many consumers are hesitant to give out their contact information for the purposes of receiving promotional e-mail from a business. They’re terrified that you’re going to sell their information to another competitor (a lucrative business, but one that doesn’t do much for the respectability of your business) and they’re going to find their inboxes full of junk mail that they didn’t want, didn’t ask for and can’t get rid of every morning.Since you can’t gather contact information without the consumers permission, and consumers are increasingly more hesitant to give out that information, the process of building a strong mailing list that will bring you definite results can take months or even years. You don’t want to have to wait that long!Enter the lead generator. Lead generators such as ListJoe.com are companies which have gathered together lists of hundreds of users who are interested in what you have to offer and have agreed to allow their e-mail addresses to be given out. These people are expecting to receive your promotions, so they’re not going to go running down the street yelling, “SPAM” in your general direction.What’s better, because these lead generators are going to contain lots and lots of e-mail addresses you’re going to be able to capitalize on the results of your e-mail marketing campaign almost instantly. Instead of building your mailing list one by one you’re going to be building it by the hundreds. Hundreds more possible leads almost always equates to more sales, which is going to leave your profit margin dancing with joy.Disadvantages of Lead GeneratorsBear in mind that when you use a lead generator to build your mailing list there’s always the risk that nothing is going to come of it. Why? Because these are people that have expressed an interest in an industry that is somehow related to yours. These aren’t the customers that have walked into your store or shopped on your site and already know (and like) how you do business and what you have to offer. They don’t know you, and because of that there’s no guarantee that they are going to make use of the e-mail marketing materials you send their way.Risks aside, however, lead generators offer a tremendous chance to build your business with very little expense on your part. If you’re having trouble getting your mailing list where you want it to go and you’re serious about getting some serious results from your e-mail marketing campaign you should definitely consider giving a lead generator a try.