Thoughts on the Real Nuts and Bolts of Running a Business, for Owners and Entrepreneurs
Business is Soft and I Want to Do an Email Blast
One of my small business clients is in a very profitable niche. He recently mentioned to me that business was turning a little soft and he wanted to do an email blast to generate some more leads. Acchh! Initially, that made the hair on the back of my neck almost stand on end. Realizing, of course, that his comment was all well-intentioned, I backed off my teeth grinding… Why did I have such a visceral reaction?
It’s true that the purpose of marketing (and an email blast campaign is certainly a decent marketing tactic) is to generate qualified leads. But think about it – one single email blast, devoid of a plan or a process won’t get you very far. My guess is that initial results would be dismal and that my client would come away thinking that “email doesn’t work for me”. Nothing could be further from the truth! But when you approach the project with this “Ready! Fire! Aim!?” mentality, you get what you plan for…
So, here are some questions any owner should ask himself (or herself) before doing an email blast:
1) What is my marketing plan for this business and how does email fit in?
2) What is my email strategy and how can I optimize it for best results?
3) Who is my target market? How can I best reach them through email?
4) How frequently should I send an email? What should my message be in each?
5) What is my company’s process for collecting and recording responses and acting on them?
6) What tools should I be using to create my emails, track open and click-thru rates, and manage my lists?
7) What is my budget and what are my expectations for results? How will I know if this has worked for me?
These questions are not necessarily complicated, but they do take some thought. I encourage owners to work with a small business or marketing professional to sort all through of these answers. Owners know their businesses inside and out; they often are experts in their fields. When embarking on a marketing initiative, call in an expert to assist.
Wednesday 28 July 2010 - 20:18:16 by Sharon Joseph
Posted in Marketing | Comments: 0 |
