When you’re starting your online business, you’ll need to take the time to figure out who your target audience is, an essential tool in creating a successful business of any kind. From there, you’ll decide how to market your product or service to that particular group of people. If you choose to send emails, be patient! It takes time for businesses to build trust and be recognized as an authority, so continue sending out special offers and articles. In time, your response rate will increase and you’ll be glad you did!
Here are a few ways you can increase interested click-thrus, while boosting your product or service recognition.
eBooks
Serial eBooks are a great way to keep your audience hooked to your website or email. eBooks are mailed out or posted a chapter at a time, much like a soap opera. This appeals to more then one type of person, and it adds to the mystery and keeps them guessing with pieces of the story instead of the everything at once. Remember when Stephen King did this with great success a few years ago?
eBooks are convenient and increasing in popularity as tools to keep an opt-in list loyal, however, your eBook should tie in with your product or service to appeal to the visitors who come to your site. For example, if you’re selling bath and beauty products, you could post an ongoing saga about a woman who finally puts herself first, and begins treating herself like a queen! Of course she eventually discovers the bliss of soaking in your luxury bath salts! Use your imagination because the possibilities are as endless as your creativity permits.
Newsletters
A newsletter adds a personal touch to your business by showing clients behind the scenes of your business with photos of you and your staff, your office, even your family and pets. You can include data on how your product relates to the market, as well as updates on new products in the works along with special offers and discounts! You may decide to send out samples to people who subscribe, or have contests and giveaways that feature gift baskets full of your products. An important feature of a newsletter is testimonials. With permission, you can include photos with endorsements, something people love to see! All of this builds trust with your clients and will pay off with higher word of mouth recommendations, the very best form of free advertising available to you. So make sure you encourage your subscribers to pass your newsletter on to their friends.
Seasons Greetings
During holiday time your leads may be too busy to really think about your product. This is when the timing of your emails is especially important! Promote your product or service as the perfect gift. Create special holiday offers, or gifts with each purchase. People love that! Be sure to address the client individually with the correct spelling of their name. This adds a degree of warmth and a personal touch.
Seasonal Emails
Seasonal emails, unlike season’s greetings, are literally about the season at hand. For example … don’t miss our “Get out of the house and into the sunshine” welcome summer event! These are perfect opportunities to launch new products, as people are usually looking for something new with the change in the season. Time these “flyer” type emails with utmost care. They should arrive prior to the season beginning by about a month. You’d be surprised how people come to look forward to these special promos and, over time, may even write to scold you if you’re ever late!
Calendars And Schedules
These are excellent ways to keep your opt-in list interested! If you have a Lawn and Garden business, send out a calendar with specific days to begin digging, planting or starting seeds! You can include marked days of sales you plan to offer, and then send follow up emails about the same sale just before the actual date arrives. You could mark the dates of seminars you plan to hold either on site or online! How-to seminars are well received and can definitely increase traffic to your business.
So, you can see how important it is to invest time into keeping your clients and potential clients interested in your product or service. The more you do to promote them, the more people will become familiar with them and this will increase your reputation as a trusted authority. Personalizing your contact methods will have huge payoffs because people love feeling as if you’re speaking directly to them. Try some of these ideas on your own website and you’ll see how they’ll benefit you now, and in the future.