E-mail marketing is one of the
most effective ways to keep in touch with customers. It is generally
cost-effective, and if done properly, can help build brand awareness
and loyalty. At a typical cost of only a few cents per message,
it's a bargain compared to traditional direct mail at $1 or more
per piece. In addition, response rates on e-mail marketing are strong,
ranging from five to 35% depending on the industry and format. Response
rates for traditional mail averages in the 1-3% range.
One of the benefits of email marketing is the demographic information
that customers provide when signing up for your email newsletter.
Discovering who your customers really are – age, gender, income
and special interests, for example – can help you target your
products and services to their needs. Points to consider when creating
your email newsletter:
- HTML vs. Plain Text: Response rates for HTML
newsletters are generally far higher than plain text, and graphics
and colors tend to make the publications look far more professional.
The downside is that HTML email is slower to download, and some
email providers may screen out HTML email.
- Provide incentive to subscribe: Advertise the
benefits of receiving your newsletter to get customers to sign
up for your newsletter, such as helpful tips, informative content
or early notification of special offers or campaigns.
- Don't just sell: Many studies suggest that
email newsletters are read far more carefully when they offer
information that is useful to the customers' lives rather than
merely selling products and services. Helpful tips, engaging content
and humor are often expected to accompany email newsletters.
- Limit questions: As each demographic question
you ask may reduce the number of customers signing up, it's best
to limit the amount of information you solicit or give customers
the option of skipping the questionnaire.
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Even if you choose not to sell your
goods or services online, a business web site can be a virtual marketing
brochure that you can update on demand with little or no cost. Your
presence on the Internet can be a useful marketing tool by providing
richer pre-sale information or post-sale support and service. This
might temporarily differentiate your product or service from your
competitors'. E-marketing has lessened the disadvantage that small
businesses have faced for years when competing with larger businesses.
E-Commerce has redefined the marketplace, altered business strategies,
and allowed global competition between local businesses. The term
“electronic commerce” has evolved from meaning simply
electronic shopping to representing all aspects of business and
market processes enabled by the Internet and other digital technologies.
SBA is preparing to help this new generation of Internet-enabled
or eSmall Businesses.
Today's business emphasis is on e-commerce - rapid electronic interactions
enabled by the Internet and other connected computer and telephone
networks. Rapidly business transactions and unparallelled access
to information is changing consumer behavior and expectations. The
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) is reshaping its programs
to better serve small businesses that taking advantage of the Internet
and other emerging technologies.
Many small businesses assume that the Internet has little value
to them because they feel that their product or service cannot be
easily sold online. But inexpensive information processing and electronic
media can help most small businesses provide better, faster customer
service and communication.
To learn more about the benefits of e-commerce as a marketing tool
download the SBA/Cisco Systems E-Commerce Online Video Course:
The
E-Commerce Economy
Internet
Basics
E-Commerce
Basics
E-Business
Basics
Web
Marketing
About.coms'
E-Commerce 101
SBDC
Net's E-Commerce Guide |