| I hope by now you're persuaded that email | | | | the auto-responder. Here's how it works. |
| marketing is a tool that you absolutely want to add | | | | You write a series of emails that the people on your |
| to your marketing mix. When done correctly it will | | | | list will find interesting and helpful. Since you're a |
| become your goose that lays the golden egg and | | | | landscape architect, your messages might look like |
| you'll be able to generate business at the push of a | | | | this. |
| button. If you do it incorrectly however, you'll very | | | | |
| likely end up killing the goose and be thrown in | | | | 1. How to convert your backyard into a zoo for |
| spammers prison. You don't want to go there. | | | | children. |
| So, how does email marketing work and how can | | | | 2. Five trees that will shade your house in the |
| you make it work for you? The reality is, you can | | | | summer and sun it the winter. |
| use email marketing to accomplish lots of different | | | | 3. Three cool backyard projects you can complete in |
| things. You can use it to: | | | | a weekend. |
| - Sell a product or service | | | | 4. How to build a water feature for under $300. |
| - Generate leads | | | | 5. How to create a backyard scent for all seasons |
| - Brand yourself as the expert in your field | | | | using herbs. And so on and so forth. You want to |
| - Build celebrity status for yourself | | | | make sure that you let your prospects know that |
| - Inform, educate and inspire the people on your list | | | | you're available do these things if they don't have the |
| Email marketing can do all of these things and more. | | | | time or energy to do it themselves. And you can also |
| You can even build multiple lists with different goals | | | | direct them to an affiliate website where they can |
| and target different audiences with different needs. | | | | purchase the tools necessary to complete each |
| The most important thing is to determine what you | | | | project without your help. Either way, you earn |
| want to accomplish before you begin. | | | | money. After your messages are written, you set |
| Here's a simple example of how email marketing | | | | the auto-responder to schedule your first email to be |
| works. Let's assume that you're a professional | | | | sent within minutes of someone signing up on your |
| landscape architect and you want to use email to sell | | | | list. Then you schedule each additional email to be |
| your services to people who want a palatial | | | | delivered every three days or every week |
| backyard. Up until now, you've been sending emails to | | | | automatically until all of your messages have been |
| your prospects from your computer. Problem is, it's | | | | delivered. Studies show that it takes between 7 and |
| not only time consuming but it's not giving you the | | | | 11 positive contacts before a prospect feels |
| results you want. | | | | comfortable enough to buy from you. By the time |
| After talking to a friend, you decide to give email | | | | they've received and read all of your automated |
| marketing a try. | | | | emails, the people on your list are going to see you in |
| Step 1: Software or Service | | | | a different light. They're going to: |
| The very first thing you need to do is to decide if | | | | - See you as an expert in your field. |
| you want to purchase email marketing software and | | | | - See you as a celebrity. |
| run it from your server, or outsource it to an email | | | | - Trust you. |
| marketing service company that can maintain your list | | | | - Like you. |
| for you. There are pros and cons to both, but for | | | | - And most importantly, they're going to think about |
| this example let's assume that you decide to | | | | you when they're ready to landscape their backyard. |
| outsource this service. This is what 95% of the | | | | Step 4: Write and Send a Monthly or Quarterly |
| professional Internet marketers do. | | | | Newsletter |
| Step 2: Gather Contact Information | | | | You'll also want to send a monthly or quarterly |
| The next thing you'll need to do is gather the | | | | newsletter to your entire list so you can stay in |
| contact information of the people you want on your | | | | touch with the people who have completed your |
| email list. If you have a website or blog, you can | | | | auto-responder. The newsletter feature allows you |
| create a "Sign-up" box and encourage visitors to give | | | | to inform the people on your list about an up-coming |
| you their name and email address there. If you don't | | | | event or tell them about a limited time offer or send |
| have a website, you can acquire this information by | | | | them interesting industry news. |
| asking every potential customer you meet to give | | | | Think of it this way. The purpose of the |
| you their name and email address and manually add | | | | auto-responder is to build your credibility, celebrity, |
| that information to your software program. | | | | trust and reputation as the expert in your field; and |
| Step 3: Write An Auto-Responder Series | | | | the purpose of the newsletter to stay in touch with |
| Most email marketing programs allow you to send an | | | | your entire list so that you are front-of-mind when |
| email message to your list using either a newsletter | | | | they're ready to become a customer. This is how |
| feature or an auto-responder feature. Let's start with | | | | email marketing works. |