Let us create a 3D eBook for you!
Let us create a 3d Digital eBook for you! DigyCat.com

 

Win More Sales with Customer Newsletters - More Small Business Power Tools


One of the most powerful ways for small businesses to increase sales and keep customers coming back for more is to mail them a newsletter periodically.

Why is this such a powerful tool? It's because if done right, a newsletter automatically separates you from the big box stores like Best Buy and Toys 'R Us, and can help you even compete successfully with the giant online retailers like Amazon.com and Overstock.com.

How does this work?

You might not be able to compete with these giants on price but you can beat them by offering great personal service. And one aspect of this service is a newsletter just chock full of helpful information geared to your customers' interests. For example, suppose you have a fishing tackle store. How about a monthly newsletter that includes information on the week's fishing "hot spots," and the lures that are just bringing lunkers in by the basketful? Do you suppose a Sports Authority or and Amazon.com could compete with that in terms of personal service?

A newsletter can be one page, printed on both sides or four, six or eight pages, depending on your customers and their interests. For example, that fishing tackle store might send out a four-page newsletter with lots of fishing tips, news about fishing hot spots and information on the newest and best lures. On the other hand, a jewelry store might mail just a single-page newsletter with pictures of interesting new necklaces and earrings, and tips for cleaning and storing jewelry.

One newsletter I get that I really like is from a store here that sells good wines. I get their newsletter quarterly and it always has information on new wines that have just arrived from France, etc., case prices and sometimes even wine country travel tips.

How do you do a newsletter? If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can use a program like Microsoft Publisher to create it. Publisher comes with a bunch of templates that totally eliminate the need for you to be any kind of a designer. Just pick a template and start filling in the blanks. You can go to the Microsoft web site and download free pictures and illustrations for your newsletter. The one downside of this is that your newsletter could end up looking just like a lot of other newsletters. If you want a truly unique newsletter that will stand out from the pack, you might try to find a high school or college student who would be willing to design your newsletters for $50 or $75 each.

What should be in your newsletter? Put yourself in the place of your customer. Who are they? What are their interests? What information would they find of value? What problems are they trying to solve? A carpet cleaning service might want to include information on do-it-yourself furniture cleaning or housekeeping hints. If most of the company's customers are women, it might want to include information on new, anti-aging medications or child care tips. By now, you should have the picture - write to your customers' needs, interests and problem.

What do you do if you're not much of a writer? Again, you should be able to hire a high school or college student to write the newsletter for you. Just make sure you provide good, tight direction so that your newsletter will reflect well on you and your business.

Also, don't bite off more than you can chew. Once you tell customers you will be sending them a monthly newsletter, you will have to send them a newsletter monthly. I know of many businesses that started out with monthly newsletters and then ran out of steam (and article ideas) after three or four months. If you have any doubts about the time you can spend on a newsletter or how much helpful information you can provide, it's better to either do it quarterly or whenever you have enough articles to warrant doing it. Just try to make sure you mail your newsletter often enough that customers don't forger who you are.

Finally, never and I do mean never, send out a newsletter without including an offer that will bring customers into your store or have them calling you for an appointment. Make the offer as powerful as you can and make sure your customers know it's only available to those who read your newsletter.

Creating and mailing a newsletter requires time and effort. But I promise you this: If you do provide good, helpful information in each newsletter, your customers will not only read it, they will start looking forward to receiving it each month or quarter.

For more information on building a mailing list for your newsletter, be sure to look for my article, "Small Business Power Tool: Direct Marketing."

Article by Douglas Hanna. Douglas is a retired advertising and marketing executive and long-time Denver resident. He is the webmaster of http://www.all-in-one-info.com, a free resource for information on a variety of subjects. Please visit his site to subscribe to his free newsletter, "Tips & Tricks to Save Money & Live Better."


MORE RESOURCES:

Ezine Marketing - Google News

Work At Home Via The Internet To Meet Monetary Goals - Brunei News, Brunei Headlines from Brunei fm


Work At Home Via The Internet To Meet Monetary Goals
Brunei News, Brunei Headlines from Brunei fm
These online business models are Google Adwords and Adsense, affiliate marketing, ebay, ebooks, resell rights, private label rights, article marketing, Ezine publishing and blog. By taking up any of the above suggested models, you could earn a lot of ...

Graham McGregor: How to get appointments with high value clients and customers - New Zealand Herald


Graham McGregor: How to get appointments with high value clients and customers
New Zealand Herald
(He also writes a free monthly marketing ezine called 'The Levison Letter' which I highly recommend.) In our interview Ivan shared some simple strategies on how to use direct mail to help you get appointments or meetings with high value clients.

Top 5 Lifestyle Feng Shui Tips for a Fantastic New Year - Caribbean Media Vision


Top 5 Lifestyle Feng Shui Tips for a Fantastic New Year
Caribbean Media Vision
Feng Shui Teacher, Designer and Entrepreneur Laurie Bornstein, is the author and creator of 'Feng Shui Lifestyle', her FREE monthly ezine filled with Feng Shui and Lifestyle tips and marketing articles empowering you live and work in beauty and balance ...

and more »

Creative Marketing Strategies – Out With the Old and In With the New! - Business 2 Community


Creative Marketing Strategies – Out With the Old and In With the New!
Business 2 Community
If a blog post is sitting in the archives and is not really attracting much traffic then use creative marketing strategies and repurpose this blog post as an article? The article could be placed on a host of different sites. Ezine articles being one of ...

Interview: Kudo Tsunoda talks Xbox 360 Kinect - Games Catalyst


Games Catalyst

Interview: Kudo Tsunoda talks Xbox 360 Kinect
Games Catalyst
How does that effect your marketing plans going forward, to lose such a big name going into Christmas? KT: Obviously it has some impact on the holiday line-up because it's not coming out at Holiday anymore. I do think that the most important thing, ...

and more »

THE ZONA by Nathan L. Yocum Scheduled for a Mid-February Debut by Curiosity ... - PR Web (press release)


THE ZONA by Nathan L. Yocum Scheduled for a Mid-February Debut by Curiosity ...
PR Web (press release)
"We're all stoked to be partnering with the likes of Mr. Yocum, whose literary talent we expect to be well received by casual readers and reviewers alike," shares Marketing Director Lisa Gus. "With THE ZONA now available for advance reading, ...

and more »

3 Steps to Crafting Your 2012 Marketing Plan - ZeroMillion News


3 Steps to Crafting Your 2012 Marketing Plan
ZeroMillion News
(And if you're wondering what I mean by marketing activities that create and build relationships, I'm talking about doing things like an ezine or answering people's question on Facebook -- content-rich activities that don't obviously lead to a ...

Click here for Best Buy In-Store Pickup

StreetSideAuto.com

Looking For Royalty Free Photos for your Website, Business or Advertising?

My Life Through The Lens

DigyCat Domain Is For Sale - $105,000 For Enquiries eMail Us

© www.DigyCat.com 2011

home | site map | links

eXTReMe Tracker