Direct Email Marketing: What 90% Of Small Business Owners Screw Up
Direct email marketing is fast, very cost-effective and can reach thousands of prospects with the click of a button
. Despite these inbuilt advantages the vast majority of business owners make the same critical mistake that destroys their chances of success.They believe that the primary goal of email marketing is to make the sale. This is fundamentally wrong. Your focus should be on building long-term relationships. Achieve this successfully and sales will follow automatically.
I think the main reason for this error, even in highly targeted email marketing, is the technology. We forget we are talking to real people. All we see is the autoresponder software in front of us. We would never attempt to talk to a prospect or customer in person as we do with email.
How do we correct this fundamental error? It is quite straightforward. Remember that each name on your list is a real person. Speak to them as if they are people you've just met and want to form a friendship with. Don't try to be too friendly straight away... it will come across as inappropriate and false.
These are the elements you must include when forging relationships with direct email:
1. Focus on helping your email list Make a list of their problems and wants. Concentrate on talking about these [rather than what you want] and you will be more interesting. Answer their problems. Give them free information...information that will help them achieve their goals.
2. Create interaction This must be a two-way conversation. Ask questions, ask for comments, opinions and feedback. Get them involved. Make sure to show your appreciation when they do.
3. Be genuinely interested in them You must put their interests first. If you only pretend to be interested whilst trying to sell to them, it will be obvious. You will make less sales and have more unsubscribes.
4. Tell stories We are all conditioned to listen to stories. They entertain us as well as teach us. Think of the point you want to make and then decide how you can illustrate that with a story that has happened to you... whether personally or in business.
5. Be honest You are going to be making long-term relationships with the people on your list. If you start to be dishonest in your email marketing, you will get caught out sometime in the future and you will lose their trust.
6. Give gifts Everyone likes to risk receive free gifts. Give something of genuine value. Something which you could sell.
7. Add personalization to your direct email messages Talk in a conversational tone. Reveal something personal about yourself. Tell them what you've being doing that week. Something you've gotten up to with family or friends. Reveal a small weakness.
As your email list gets to know you they will start to think of you more as a friend and less so as someone who is trying to sell to them.
This brings down the natural cynical barriers that we all have towards advertising. This is critical to your success in direct email marketing.
8. Continue the conversation going on in their head When you're writing emails look at what's happening in the news
recent film releases sport events the entertainment industry Use it in your e-mail. This will get your list agreeing with you.
Start today. Change your mindset about the way you approach your direct email marketing. Make it your goal to build long term relationships with your email list...and put their needs first. The result will be a loyal list of hungry buyers. People who will trust you and respect your offers and recommendations.
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