steal-this-idea

5 Great Ways to Boost Your Email List

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 14:23:25 +0100

Email marketing happens to be one of my favorite marketing tools. We all know that having an email list of your customers is a very important and low cost way of reaching your customers. It's like having friends in a private club that all want to hear the latest club news. The really nice thing is they "opted" to receive that information and you now have a group that wants to hear from you and has given you permission to contact them.

You might have a plan or some idea of what you want to send your customers each week or each month, but how do you get them on the list in the first place? How do you get started, or build your list to a size you would like? How do you keep adding new customers to your list when some opt-out and fall off of the list?

You will want to put a system in place that helps you get your list going and keep it with fresh new customers. Here are 5 great "old school" ways of asking folks to join the list.

If you have a storefront, or brick and mortar business, you can put a pad of email sign-up forms at your register. Or you can have a clipboard with a sign-up sheet. Put a little sign or message that says "Join Our Email List". If you would like to design your own pads, they are very easy to do. Call me or send me an email for the detailed instructions.
Restaurants, cafes, and coffee shops have a special advantage with a captive audience. Print a small "comments card" that will fit on the tip trays that say, "Please give us your feedback or comments, and we'll put you in our monthly drawing for a free lunch/dinner." Ask for their email to notify them.
Most customers that I know, including myself, read their purchase receipt either right away, or after they get home. It's really easy to print the following on the bottom of your receipt or invoice a statement such as "Please join our email list for preferred customer discounts & specials on www.abc.com". The customer that signs up is one that knows you, and bought your products or services. You've already sold them and they want more info from you. This will be your premium, dream customer list!
If you have a business that ships out products, or sends an invoice after service is completed, make sure you include a comments card that they can easily mail back to you. You could offer them a coupon incentive for doing that. This card can also ask for their email address to be added to your list. If you don't want to pay for return postage, you can use a free survey service such as Survey Monkey. Just print the website of your survey on the card - they can type their email into the survey online so it's automatic and you save money at the same time.
My last idea is the one I use the most because I'm always out and about meeting with clients and talking to people. On all of my business cards I write on the back, "Sign up for our Free Classes and Preferred Customer Discounts by joining our email list at www.yellowrosemarketing.com. After I've handed someone my card and explained my business, I show them this item on the back and tell them to be sure to sign up.

On all of your marketing materials, make sure you write somewhere on them "Yes, please sign me up for your email newsletter/list". It needs something like that indicates that you are getting their permission. It will go along way with gaining their trust, but also it will save you from any legal headaches down the road when it comes to spam.

Coupons for Business Cards

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 21:03:18 +0100

If you are just starting out in your business, or you need a separate business card to promote something, you can get coupons for all kinds of printing. Online printing shops are really easy to use. You can upload your own design, or use one of the templates they provide.

Whenever I use an online print shop, I always google "coupons *online store*". For example, the last time I used a popular site called Vistaprint.com, I googled "coupons Vistaprint" and tons of sites came up with recent online coupon codes with information on how recently they worked for someone. Everything from business cards, to postcards and greeting cards have special offer coupons.

Last month I needed a quick card for a trade show I was going to, and I wanted to make a special offer on the card. I used a coupon code and got 100 cards for $3.99 plus shipping. It worked great!

You don't have to spend hours and hours on how your cards should look. Just make sure they are colorful and have all of your contact information on them. I also add some info on the back about my training classes or any special offers I'm doing at the moment.

Business cards are the cheapest way you can go for printed advertising and usually you combine them with the personal touch of introducing yourself with them. You can also have various cards for various activities that you are doing. When they are this cheap, why not?

Too Much Talk About Social Media?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:20:56 +0100

There is always a lot written on the topic of social media, but I like to highlight things that make sense and are easy and cheap to implement. Social media happens to be one of the least expensive tools you have, and easy enough to test different ideas.

One of the groups that I am a member of on LinkedIn.com is called "Small Biz Nation" and they sent out a question to the group. "What is your small business doing with social media?"

There were quite a few answers, but one company posted a really great idea and I think it is a good one to try. It basically costs nothing except the man-power to keep track of it. Here is their posting so I can give them credit for the idea:

"We run a career management and resume development consultation firm. We have found that social media is a great way to locate and retain customers. We just got started on Twitter, but our Facebook page does well. I offer a 10% discount off of initial services to anyone signing up for my tweets or “liking” my Facebook page. If we can get on their like/friend list we are more likely to stay connected with them throughout their careers. Also, we post to online blogs and forums. We are starting to use LinkedIn to find customers too. (By joining relevant groups and seeking individuals who may need our services.) Our website, www.ompcg.com, has a direct link to our twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. The links appear right on the first page so our customers cannot miss them!" posted by Victoria Kidd

How are you using social media? Have you figured out the best plan for your business? Leave me a comment, I like learning about new ways to use it.

You can also contact us and we can give you a free evaluation of how best to get started, or how to keep up with your social media promotions.

Everyone Drinks Water

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:02:34 +0100

Here's an idea that works well for this particular company. It may work for your own with some modifications. Feel free to use this idea.

A garden center in Navasota, TX, called Martha's Bloomers worked out a promotion with the City of Navasota to promote visitors and tourism. The garden center is located along a major highway that is the primary route for Houstonians to visit Texas A&M, and has a large marquis sign as well as smaller signs along the highway. On game day weekends, the signs say "Stop by and get your free Game Day Water - Go Aggies!".

The cost for the water bottles and the bottle labels was split with the city. They also hand out flyers and brochures about the garden center and Navasota. People consider this garden center a destination and will make a day trip of it to shop for home and garden items, and eat a bite in the cafe while they are there.

This is a great way to create a joint partnership, and get people to visit the store. Even if they only have enough time to take a look around, they may make time on the next trip out before the next game. They might even sign up for the newsletter while they are in the store.

They are one of my good clients, although they came up with this idea before I came on-board.

Now you may need to get special permits for the signs along the highway, and if it is not an option, you can hand out flyers that mention it a few weeks before it starts.

Let me know if you have tried anything like this and how it worked for you. Just comment below or write me an email.

Steal This Idea

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 03:01:35 +0100

I love watching other businesses and talking to owners about how they market their businesses. There are all kinds of new, fun, eye-catching ways of promotion. Everything from a large blown-up mosquito balloon to handing out duct tape at a trade show.

In this blog, I will highlight all kinds of ideas, and if you like one - go ahead and Steal It! If you have an idea that you don't mind sharing, let me know and I'll post it with your website and you will get all of the credit.

Marketing can be fun, especially if it works!