Step #5: Email Overview

I was at the Michiana Leaders In Business Networking event today at Villa Marci Ristorante in Granger, Indiana's Toscana Park. Near the conclusion of the event one of the leaders of the group announced, "I know the social media thing is big, but, there are still a lot of people that I  know that don't engage with those tools. Please feel free to send me an email describing what you do and I'll forward it to my friends. You'll gain instead credibility because it is coming as a referral from me; someone they know and trust."

Ironically, step number 5 is about the power of e-mail when done properly. The purpose of email marketing is to stay connected and drive information to prospective customers. However, spam email can easily be blocked.

So, to make your email marketing effective you need several key components that allow you to connect with customers through the power of business reviews, customer communication and social media.

First, find an email marketing platform that allows you to begin collecting business reviews from your customers and promoting them across the web. Install testimonial seals on your website and "write a review" links on your emails, your receipts and invoices. Your online reviews can be displayed on your website, indexed by search engines, and shared on social media. As you collect and publish more reviews, you'll increase your visibility and be increase the level of comfort potential customers have in you.

Second, find an email marketing system that offers exceptional delivery. Anything with an industry deliverability rate of 98% or higher will do. Your goal is to make it right into the inbox. You do NOT want to risk being marked as spam or getting sent into a bulk mail folder?

Third, find an email marketing platform that provides you with a variety of newsletter and promotional tools, as well as, survey tools. A variety of survey question types, is important so you can collect survey responses in a way that is convenient for you. Choose from Yes/No, Single & Multiple Choice, Free-Form and Matrix-style. The survey needs to be easy to send and flexibility is important too. You want something that can be sent as a standalone, or as part of an email marketing campaign or newsletter.

Finally, understand that people are communicating with their outbox on computers and mobile devices.
People are learning about your business everywhere. Your customers are talking about it. On Email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and other forms of word of mouth. It's not just about forwarding to a friend anymore. It's about sharing with thousands in seconds. With the right tools you can help promote your business across the web with email easily and effectively.

Tools Needed
E-mail System with e-survey, e-newsletter, and Social Media integration capabilities (recommended Ratepoint)