| Permission-based email marketing is a tremendously | | | | sales messages? Well, usually you don't put it that |
| successful marketing tool. How can it not be when | | | | way of course. Instead concentrate on giving |
| you are sending your carefully crafted messages to | | | | something of value in return for their contact |
| an audience already interested in your topic? | | | | information. What can you give them? |
| Email marketing is just what it sounds like -- | | | | ~ Newsletter |
| marketing messages you send through email. It is | | | | ~ Tutorial |
| important to be clear up front that this is not spam | | | | ~ Special report |
| email messages sent to a huge list you bought, | | | | ~ Free tool |
| borrowed, or begged from another source. | | | | ~ Discount |
| Effective, targeted email marketing messages are | | | | ~ Contest prize |
| sent to a carefully controlled list that you gathered. | | | | Third, you will need to create your messages. This |
| Permission-based email marketing means that the | | | | can simply be an initial message that delivers as |
| people on your list requested that you send them | | | | promised with a few follow-ups and/or sporadic |
| information. If you are smart you will even ask them | | | | updates or you can follow up with regular messages. |
| to confirm before adding them to the list. | | | | If you intend to regularly mail your audience then you |
| I am sure you can see the tremendous benefits to | | | | need to carefully balance length, content and timing. |
| having such a list. Rather than waiting for potential | | | | If you abuse your list by sending sales messages |
| customers to come to you or notice your new | | | | every day people will soon unsubscribe however if |
| product then you can contact them directly. | | | | you continue to offer something of value in addition |
| However there are some hurdles you must cross | | | | to those sales messages then you will likely retain a |
| before you can begin your email marketing campaign. | | | | substantial number. |
| First you will need a system to manage your email | | | | Email marketing offers many benefits. First, it is |
| marketing subscribers and mailings. You are essentially | | | | low-cost. It can be free but often that will cost you |
| looking for an autoresponder or bulk email | | | | in time and effectiveness, however even paid |
| management program. You can find free tools, cheap | | | | services will cost you much less than most paid |
| tools, and expensive tools. You can buy a system | | | | advertising efforts. Second, it is a soft vs. hard sell. |
| and run it yourself or you can pay someone else to | | | | Third, you are prequalifying your audience for your |
| run it for you. I opted for a monthly service after | | | | message so they should be much more receptive to |
| running my own software for a while. I run a lot of | | | | your sales pitch. Finally, it can be as easy as you |
| lists and it is well worth it to me to pay someone | | | | want it to be. You can set up a special report from |
| else to handle maintenance. | | | | information you already have and plug in some sales |
| Second you will need to start gathering names. As I | | | | pitch follow up messages then sit back and watch |
| mentioned before, the only way to run an effective | | | | your sales grow. |
| email marketing campaign is to be permission-based. | | | | Email marketing can give you a great return for a |
| So how do you get people to ask you to send them | | | | small investment of time and money. |