You might have heard the term, Email Marketing, while browsing the Internet, attending conferences or maybe even during marketing research meetings. So what exactly is it? Email marketing occurs when a company sends a message to a group of people by use of electronic email. Most commonly they will send advertisements, requests for business, or sales or donation solicitation. Basically any email communication is considered email marketing if it helps to build customer loyalty, brand recognition, and trust in a product or a company. Email marketing is an efficient way to stay connected with your clients while also promoting your business. When over half of all Internet users check their email daily, this is a no brainer when it comes to marketing choices.

With email marketing you are able to email a large number of clients, or potential clients, without spending money on printed items. You can make flashy fliers, brochures, and pamphlets or even send video clips. It is a great way to get your information out to a wide range of people in a short amount of time.

A Welcome Letter is an excellent form of Email Marketing. It can give valuable information about your company to new contacts, as well as request key information from those new clients. This information is very valuable and can help you to classify those clients in correct categories for future marketing efforts.

Announcements are another great way to get information out into the public. You can announce when you have new products or services available. This allows individuals to be aware of things that have changed with your business. It can also help old customers to become reacquainted with your business, which has the potential to bring them back in as new loyal customers.

Coupons can be a very beneficial form of Email Marketing. I mean, who doesn’t love a good coupon? These can be very enticing to new customers AND loyal customers! I like to classify Coupons as a “gateway” marketing item. Most people will go to a store with a coupon, and end up purchasing more than they originally went in for. I know I’m guilty of that! And by having virtual coupons, your customers are never without their coupons.

You should remember that every email you send out should have your company information on the bottom, giving potential clients a chance to learn more about your company as well as ‘opt-in’ to get future emails. Incentive programs that give members a ‘promo code’ to collect discounts on purchases also allow you to monitor the effectiveness of your campaign as well as what your contacts are interested in. When it comes to links, not all links should be saved for the last sentence, pop them in early to grab that impulsive customer!

Timing of your emails is also very important. You don’t want to time your emails to be sent at night when no one is looking at their emails. Have your emails pop up during peek business hours when people are on their devices.

Email marketing is a dynamic component in many industries, especially for creating those important customer-firm relationships. Learn to use it well and it will definitely bump up your company’s success.

Written by Kim Ganir