Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Key words

So you've decided on your email campaign. You have everything put together and ready to go. Take another look at your subject line.

What persuades you to open an email? What are the key ingredients that make an email irresistible to open? How do you increase your open rate to a figure better than 20%?

Offering your customer what they want in clear and concise verbiage can insure that your emails are not automatically headed toward the delete pile. Make sure your customers know who you are, what your business is, and what this particular email has to offer them.

What need does your customer have that this email can help them with? What information can help the customer with a future or current project? Why is this an event that your customer would like to attend?

Customers love the words free, gift, exclusive, event, party....but don't get into the habit of stating something that your email doesn't deliver or future emails will be ignored---deleted, unopened and you will lose opportunities to enthrall, assist, and interact with your current and future customers.     

Monday, December 26, 2011

New Year Media

With the Christmas over, the time to step up your media campaign is now. Keeping up your contact with those new and old customers, adding supplementary products and services to compliment their recent purchases, helping and assisting with future sales, these are the things that being on top of your social media at this time can do for your business.

Try an email campaign outlining a class and event schedule, tips through your blog, and top it all with a show stopping Facebook and Twitter Page. No time is better than this winter lull to get your business moving into the new year with new customers, new sales through online media marketing.    

Monday, December 19, 2011

Current Customers and your Website

Your website, email and newsletter lists, and social media are ways to be in constant contact with your customers. It's out of sight out of mind when your customer is not in your physical location. And these days people are so busy they are not going to be thinking of your business much on their own.

Encouraging use of your website and social media allows customers to discover immediately when you bring out a new product line. If that customer takes the new product home and has a question regarding the use, information on the website can provide a timely solution that produces more satisfaction with the product.

And, of course, more satisfaction can translate into more sales. Keeping customers satisfied and excited about your offerings is also easier online. Your business is not only vying for business from competitors but also the customer's time and interest in your very products.

Does your customer spend time with a video game or a more creative product like a sewing machine? Does the sewing machine go into the closet in lieu of a big screen television? Only you and your marketing can keep your product out in front of your customer. Making it easy, immensely more interesting, and exciting to visit your business over and over again.

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Social Media

There's been a lot of talk in the media about Facebook' going public. And a recent report indicates that there are some people who stay away from Facebook for various reasons.

And even though Facebook may not be the media of choice for some folks---some of those same people that choose not to use Facebook use other social media like Twitter, which could be viewed as less invasive to personal lives and somewhat safer to use.

Twitter is actually a really great way for customers to share information that you post to the internet either on your Facebook page, blog, or website. Let's say that you have 100 widgets you obtained at a bargain price that you can sell at a win-win deal to your customers; post the bargain to your website, tweet it, customers receive the tweet, re-tweet to their friends, and soon all 100 widgets are sold---creating customers, relationships, and a name for your business.

And, fortunately, there is a way to connect your Facebook page to your Twitter account; making it easy and simply efficient to post once to your Facebook page which will automatically create a Tweet. A Simple and easy way to keep on top of your social media.      

Monday, December 12, 2011

How will you Inspire your Customers?

The best kind of marketing is the kind that gives at the same time it wants to get something. The Bing Search engine has an ingenious marketing idea; each day for the month of December a visitor can obtain a gift per day. Some gifts are ads for products, but sprinkled among the products are freebies---patterns for holiday decorations, holiday music and video, special deals from vendors.

And these are the types of things that bring customers back to you over and over again. I may not have frequented Bing's search engine much over the previous month, but just about every day since I got my December email I've been going back to the site to see what's next.

It's fun. It's inspirational.             

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Coupon

Coupons are a great way to interest new customers or help out current customers in these tough economic times.

Here is a coupon from us to you:

Monday, December 5, 2011

Why Small Business is Best

What makes small businesses worth extra attention this holiday season and through out the year? Consider:


  • Small businesses are more responsive to customer needs. Need something special that the local small business doesn't normally carry? Most of the time all you need to do is ask and you shall receive.
  • Small businesses know their customers. Frequent a local shop and you'll soon be greeted by name---no longer a nameless stranger deserving the same treatment as the nameless behind you in line. You'll be a valued customer.
  • Personal service; many small businesses offer instructions, home set up of goods, and help with any issues you may have. Unique, personalized products are available from small businesses. And those small business owners are experts about the products they sell.
  • Small businesses will stand by you if there is a problem, help work through it with you, and deal with the manufacturer if necessary.       
  • Small businesses and their owners are part of the community. They're more likely to contribute to that local cause, contribute to that community Christmas light, build that community rapport. 
Services and products at small businesses can be more expensive but not always. And if you consider that you are getting more service for the dollar and that the jobs offered at small, local businesses are often better than that obtainable in the alternatives----small businesses deserve additional consideration this holiday season and the whole year through.