Issue 5iAugust 2004

ESA Marketing & Graphic Matter, Inc. sharing insights and methods.  

Cover

Marketing Matters:
Internet Marketing - A Fundamental Strategy

Design Matters:
Email Marketing - Building On Techniques You Know

MarketingMatters.biz archive
 

E-Newsletters That Work:
The Small Business Owner's Guide To Creating, Writing and Managing An Effective Electronic Newsletter

Michael J. Katz

Web Style Guide: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites.

Patrick J. Lynch

Marketing Matters:
Internet Marketing – A Fundamental Strategy

Like the Industrial Revolution in the 19^th century, the Internet has revolutionized business today. Word of Mouse has become as important today in promoting your business as Word of Mouth. “Everyday online marketing gets more helpful for marketers and consumers;” and so much of it is free. 

Free information is an incredible door opener to build credibility, recognition, and influence purchasing decisions. It can be a valuable asset for your business. Email marketing offers a unique ability to provide one-to-one communication faster, easier, and cheaper than calling, visiting, and mailing. Yesterday it was the wave of the future; today it may be what you need to stay afloat. Although the basic rules of marketing apply, there are new rules to follow. It is an on-going learning process.

In cyberspace you are available to the world; but invisible unless they know where you are. You must market your website actively, off line as well as on line. It is chancy to rely solely on the search engines to find you. Your email signature and email campaigns can direct your audience to your website and to sign up (or opt in) to receive your communications. 

Use your web site not only to provide visitors with accessible information, but to capture their email address. Offer registration incentive to encourage visitors to submit their email address to you. Create a communication plan and minimize the risk that they may never return to your site or contact you. Open dialog and build a relationship by sharing website updates, newsletters, announcements, accomplishments, special events, new products or services, sales etc.

Newsletters (ezines) are easily created and can be sent to huge lists at reasonable rates.  This newsletter is sent to hundreds of people at a cost of less then $30 a month. Feedback and traffic reports are available on-line and immediately. Recently over 200 people opened our newsletter within 10 hours of distribution. What other medium provides that type of measurable response rate?

Benefits of Email Marketing Campaigns

Speed: Quick access to information

Economy:  No delay in printing, no postage costs, and the message is delivered instantly.

Fast: Efficient way to build relationships with clients, prospects and suppliers.

Easy: Execute marketing campaigns, send announcements, invitations, newsletters to unlimited numbers of recipients, with a point and a click.

Interactive: Read click through tracking reports, feedback, and questions instantly.

TIP:  Consider using an Email Blasting service, like Constant Contact.  They manage all the technical functions (i.e. list management and anti-spam compliance) for you and provide user-friendly templates for easy design and distribution.

Caution:

• Beware the “techie experts” who know “everything” about computers but little or nothing about marketing and sales, much less your business.

• Be responsive and persistent without being a pest.

• Abide by anti-spam standards; a good Email Marketing campaign builds this into the plan.

• Provide the recipient with an “opt out” or “safe unsubscribe” choice.

Design Matters:
Email Marketing – Building On Techniques You Know

So many of us send and receive volumes of email each day; so few leverage it for its strengths. Every correspondence is a chance to market. Companies like Disney and Ben and Jerry’s are legendary for implementing their brand identity in every client-facing interaction. Are you leveraging your email?

Email as a Marketing Tool

1.       Digital Business Card - use your email signature to promote your company. Include all the information that appears on your business card. Remember your information may be forwarded to someone who needs your product/services.

2.       Format - All your messages should be professional, even the informal ones.  Email should never portray you or your company as careless, unprofessional, or error-prone. 

3.       Spell Check - Set your email to automatically run spell check. And watch out for “word-oes” these are the errors that get past your email because they are the wrong word. They get me all the time, be wary of the trigger finger when running spell check.

4.       Recognition - Use email to recognize, appreciate, promote and thank your customer and suppliers.

5.       Forward - When receiving interesting information, think of others who might benefit from it. Forward relevant information, articles et. al. to expand your network and keep in touch.

6.       Contact Management - Make it easy for someone to copy and paste information into their contact management system.

7.       Registration - Your email signature can direct your recipients to your website where they can opt in to receive your newsletter

Email Marketing Campaigns require a two-fold plan

Content - All of the same factors of a traditional direct mail campaign apply – objectives; target markets; message; call to action and measurements. (see issue 2 & 3 on advertising) 

Process - Then consider the technical implications involved with the new medium of designing for the internet.  Email campaigns offer new opportunities as well as new constraints.

Opportunities:

·         Email campaigns are cost effective; not restricted by typical print production nor postage cost.

·         The use of full-color images is encouraged and does not cost more.

·         Interactivity allows us to ask questions with a fast, easy way to respond.

·         Multi-media technologies permit the use of sound and animation.

Constraints: 

·         Viewers have a short attention span when downloading and reading information on-screen

·         Information needs to be broken down into “bite-sized chunks.”

·         Smart use of graphics and an attractive layout attract and keep the viewer interested

·         Memory, file size, download rates and compatibility with browsers are technical constraints that need to be addressed.  We strongly recommend a technical advisor or web style guide to identify these criteria.

Don’t reinvent the wheel.
Use an Email Blasting service - they are extremely affordable starting at $10 a month.  A good Email Blasting service will offer the following features:

§         Templates and a GUI interface that are user-friendly for the non-web designer

§         List management (import & export)

§         List sign up box for your web site

§         Auto-send for welcome and good-bye message

§         Auto subscribe and safe-unsubscribe

§         Email format based on receivers settings – HTML, plain text or AOL

§         Delivery/distribution services – bypassing your email server so you do not overload your mailbox.

§         Reliable technical support available via phone or email.

§         Anti-spam compliance.

§         Tracking Reports – These can be the most valuable element of the service. Get immediate feedback about the effectiveness of your campaigns.

Technophobe?

If this still seems too intimidating, hire someone to do the initial set up. A local web site designer will upload your list, configure your site, and customize your templates for a fee. By choosing an experienced supplier to set up and configure your site, you can significantly reduce your learning curve and time-to-market. The supplier can train you on the maintenance functions to reinforce your comfort level.

Once an email campaign system is set up, it is low maintenance and high reward.  The initial investment will quickly pay for itself. And you don’t need to have a web site to start an email campaign.

To find out more about the Email Marketing services offered by Graphic Matter offers click here.