Email Marketing

Showing posts with label Internet marketing. Show all posts

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Making Money with Internet Marketing the smart way

How do you actually make money with Internet Marketing, what steps to you take to deliver the results?

It is easy to get confused with Internet Marketing with everybody saying one thing or another is the Golden key to riches. But how do you actually get started or improve your results?

First you need to take stock of where you are and stop reading your email for a minute.

Ask yourself how many of the great ideas that you have read about have you actually implemented? Then ask yourself how many of those have actually made you money?

For most people the answer is not pretty. But be easy on yourself because there is hope. So where are you now?

For the beginners:
Do you have a Domain Name?
Do you have a Website?
Do you have an auto responder?

Intermediate:
What size is your list?
How is your auto responder setup?
How many products do you have or promote?

Advanced:
How responsive is your list?
How is your SEO?
What results are you getting from your advertising dollars?
What money are you making each month?

Now there are many other things that could go on this list, but has it got you thinking?

To improve on these things you need to look at how well you are executing the basics and how much time are you devoting to improving the things that support your internet empire and how much time do you spend chasing your tail or the latest super hot technique.

By the way, most of those super hot techniques rely on the basic stuff already being in place first to execute them properly.

So if things are not exactly where you would like them to be then you need to decide exactly in detail what you want to do about it and set aside some time to do it.

So how do you prioritize your time? Do what the professionals do and keep a diary. Now this may not sound very cool but it works and has worked for a lot of people for a very long time.
Sounds simple right, but are you willing to just do it?

Set aside time each day (or as you choose) to work on setting something up, maybe a new longer series of auto responder messages that encourages the person to take another look at your products or affiliate links.

Improve the sales copy on your website, submit some more articles to the article directories, and be active in forums related to your niche products.

Now all of these basic things will make you money. And when your start making money with the basics then you can start adding things one at a time and see if they improve your sales. Ask yourself do these new techniques suit your style, your products, your mindset, then try them.

So set some goals in your diary and write down some activities that you will do to help achieve those goals and spend more time working on your internet empire than reading emails that are making other people money.

When you are making money these things become more enjoyable and you feel inspired to take it do the next level.

So be kind to yourself, decide exactly what you want to do, decide when you are going to do it and then do it.

Enjoy your Internet Empire, you are doing it for you after all!

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Internet Marketing: The Fine Line between Internet Marketing and Spam

Savvy business owners who take advantage of Internet marketing realize there is a fine line between marketing and spam and orchestrate their marketing campaigns to gain the maximum amount of exposure without running the risk of being viewed as spam. The definition of spam is open to interpretation but most people agree on the fact that spam is equivalent to junk mail you receive at your residence. In general spam is unsolicited emails which are part of an advertising campaign. The term spam can also apply to message board postings which are posted solely for advertising purposes. This article will examine the differences between effective Internet marketing and spam.

First we will consider the use of message boards for the purpose of Internet marketing. Message boards are essentially online meetings places for Internet users who share a particular interest to exchange idea, ask or answer questions or just socialize. These message boards allow users to register and post messages. Most message boards have asset of guidelines which the users must follow when making posts. These guidelines may vary widely with some being very strict about acceptable content and others not being nearly as strict. It is important to follow these guidelines because failure to do so may result in the moderators deleting your account and other members not paying much attention to your posts.

Message boards are ideal for Internet marketing because they can provide a business owner with access to a specialized target audience. If you are in the business for finding jobs for employees who wish to telecommute, you might join a message board dedicated to working from home to find members who may be interested in your products. Here you may learn a great deal about the concerns of your target audience. You can also take the opportunity to post links to your website when appropriate and in accordance with the message board guidelines. This is considered to be smart Internet marketing. However, if you opt to respond to each and every post with a link to your website even when it is not relevant and do not offer comments of value to other members, they are likely to view your posts as spam. This can be damaging because these members may opt to avoid your website even if they have a need for your services.

E-newsletters and email advertising are one area of Internet marketing which is most likely to be viewed as spam if not done properly. Most Internet users to not appreciate unsolicited emails especially when these emails do not pertain to a subject that interests them. This is often the case when business owners buy email lists and send their advertisements to everyone on the list. This is not effective because you are not likely to reach a large population of your target audience. Additionally, recipients of the email may block your email address so future communications are automatically sent to a spam folder. Some recipients may even report you to their Internet service provider who may investigate the claim that you are a spammer. A better way to approach the concept of email marketing is to only send e-newsletters and advertisements to past customers who have specifically asked to receive such emails and potential customers who have requested additional information.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

How I Use Email Automatic Responders

An email automatic responder or autoresponder is the second most important marketing tool I have to make money online. The first would be my hosting company. Without these 2 tools my internet marketing business is dead in the water.

In the world of internet marketing, millions of sites are fiercely competing with each other to gain new clients. For any ecommerce site to succeed, it must capture the interest and the trust of its visitors. It is not enough that your site is perfectly designed or has the latest in animation of content.

You should focus your efforts not only in attracting visitors but also in leading them to make a purchase. There are dozens of marketing strategies you can use to attract more buyers and pump up your sales. One of them is by establishing an excellent and professional reputation for prompt and efficient response.

As more potential customers visit your site, you should expect a flood of inquiries and requests for information. This is an excellent opportunity for you to capture more clients and lead them to buying from your site. Thus, it is important that you carry out an efficient and prompt response to every email you receive. The fastest and most effective way to do this is by utilizing an email automatic responder.

Autoresponder services use a computer program that automatically return a prewritten message to anyone who sends an email to your site. It is widely used for responding to consumer inquiries and visitor comments and suggestions.

Follow up automatic responders are also used by e-zines in responding to people who subscribe or unsubscribe to their online magazines. Companies, who send out their e-newsletter regularly, also use utoresponders.

How can effective autoresponder services help boost your business? The answer lies in its ability to return a prompt response to any e-mail the site receives. By responding rapidly and efficiently, you create a very good impression on your potential customer. Good emai l autorespondrs help you get important information back to these customers immediately. An effective autoresponder service helps you communicate your message promptly, creating a sense of professionalism and efficiency that your clients will definitely appreciate.

Another very important advantage of email automatic responders is that it saves time with multiple marketing tasks. Certainly, you do not have enough time to personally make and send all correspondence. Autoresponder services allows you to send thank you letters, newsletters, product information, brochures, orders etc. to hundreds of clients almost immediately and simultaneously. Autoresponder services are also indispensable in any email marketing campaign.

Choosing the right autoresponder is very important. What makes the best automatic responder? First, you should pick an autoresponder that is reliable and can give you 24/7 service. You cannot afford to lose a customer because your autoresponder failed to answer his query or request for information. The ability to respond promptly is the first thing you must look for in any automatic responder.

Another key factor you should consider when choosing Autoresponder servcies is flexibility. Good autoresponders allow you to customize unique responses that will have maximum effect on the customer. You should avoid creating an impression that the customer is communicating with a machine instead of a real human being.

An excellent email automatic responder lets you provide the information that is specifically targeted for what the potential customers are looking for. Because any email from potential customers essentially represent the customer's intent on getting more information about your product, which can ultimately lead to direct sales, all emails are important. Thus, a top Autoresponder servcie must fulfill all these duties to help you boost your business.

For all of our autoresponder needs we prefer Aweber. They are very reasonably priced and have proved to be reliable and easy to use.

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

10 Best Tips to Write Effective Emails

Hello Reader,

Nowadays, we communicate more and more through email. We use Email communication to write something to friends, relatives, colleagues or clients. Whoever the recipient of your email, it is becoming very important that you write email effectively. As you know, by writing effective email, you can save your time, other person’s time and you can win more trust & confidence from the other end.

Give Reply of Email As soon as Possible

More and more people contact each other through email. Even if they mention directly or not, they expect prompt responses. One of the study by Jupiter Research indicates that 35% of customers expect a reply within six hours, an additional 55% expect a response within 24 hours. Though many people focus on response time, content is just as important. The same study indicated that lack of a thorough response (45%) will cause on-line customers to view a company negatively when considering future purchases.

Learn the art of writing Email

Poorly crafted emails will generate additional emails back & forth, which potentially eating up more of your time. Worse, they can drive unnecessary calls to your most costly channel – your phone. And at that point, customers are bound to be angry and frustrated.

Here are some tips for writing email responses that are both thorough and appropriate:

1. Format your response so that it’s easy to read on a screen. Do not write email using very long sentences, which are lengthy horizontally. Each line must be short. Ideally, write 5-6 words in each line only and not more than that.

2. Make sure the subject line is concise and meaningful to the recipient…not just a generic
“Response from Marketing Team” But also be careful that it doesn’t look like spam.

3. Have one subject per paragraph. Mention this separately by blank lines, so that its easy to read and understand.

4. Be brief. Use as few words as possible to convey your message. More is not better when
it comes to email. An email is not perceived as an electronic letter.

5. Use simple, declarative sentences. Write for a third or fourth grade audience,
particularly if you’re creating templates that are sent automatically. You do not know the
education level of your sender or the sender’s level of comfort with the English language.

6. Be sensitive to the tone of the original email. If the sender is upset because of an error on
your part, acknowledge the error. Clearly state what you are doing to correct the situation.

7. Make sure you answer all the questions posed in the original inquiry. A partial answer
frustrates the sender and results in additional contacts. It also makes the company sending
the response look inept.

8. Make it clear what actions you will be taking next and when the writer can expect the
next contact from you.

9. Don’t ask for an order number/case number or any old information which you remember out of your mind only when one is included in the original email…sounds pretty basic, but sometimes people miss very obvious info in email.

10. Don’t just tell the sender to go to your web site. In many cases, they have already been to
the web site and couldn’t find the answers they were looking for. If you want them to go
back to the web site, provide a direct link to the exact information the reader needs.
For more information visit on: http://www.infotrex.com

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Email-The Indispensable And Powerful Tool Of Successful Internet Marketers

Electronic mail, abbreviated e-mail or email is a method of composing, sending and receiving messages over the Electronic Communication System.

The enormous development of the Internet has enabled emails conveying useful information, to be transmitted simultaneously to several recipients worldwide in a matter of seconds. The Power, Reach and Sophistication of Emails are such that it has become the most inexpensive and effective way to promote your Internet Marketing Business.

Building opt-in lists has become part and parcel of the ritual of Internet Marketing today. Let's see what exactly the emails do to help the Internet Marketer?

1. I am right here.
Emails remind people that you exist, that you are right here and that you are a living entity. It further helps to project your image and personality. It is nothing but natural that people tend to forget you after some time and reminding them by email without harassing them is a way of ensuring that they remeber you, your product or website.

2. Traffic to your Website,
Email is acknowledged as the most effective way to drive traffic to you site. It is the email that keeps your clients and prospects returning to your site. This traffic without question is the very life blood of your Internet Marketing Business.

3. Building Awareness.
One wonderful aspect of the email and used all too often by the Internet Marketers is to Alert Customers, clients, users and friends of products, articles and events. In addition the email alerts, play a prominent role in the promotion of new products and technologies.

4. Building Trust and Confidence.
Sending emails is not a one off action. In addition to reaching out to customers, it is also used to follow up customers. Confirmation emails have become the norm today, especially after orders or subscriptions are placed. Over a period of time these email messages build trust and credibility between the parties concerned.

5. Building a feeling of Togetherness.
Receiving regular emails from organizations and groups makes you feel wanted and creates a bond or feeling of togetherness with that organization or group. Even if reciprocal action is not seen immediately it will ultimately create a bond if your emails are handled properly.

6. Sharing of Emails.
Another great advantage of emails is that it can be shared. Special promotions or informative content in Newsletters or emails are quite often circulated among friends and the end result is more traffic. Tell a friend images in websites too induce visitors to web sites to send email messages to friends informing them of their newly discovered product or information.

These are some of the main benefits enjoyed by the Internet Marketers but unfortunately the usefulness of emails is today being threatened by Spamming i.e. sending of unsolicited emails.It is hoped that technology will catch up with them before long. Nevertheless Internet Marketers continue to send millions of emails everyday with even more added sophistication such as embedded pictures and music.

Today the email has become such an inexpensive powerful medium of communication that it has become a reliable friend and an excellent indispensable tool of Successful Internet Marketers.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

The Power of Local Email Marketing

Image by websuccessdiva via Flickr

As a local business owner you realize the opportunities available on the Web, but you probably do not have the time or money to invest into a full blown web presence. The obstacles and costs in building a web site keep many local businesses on the sideline.

But as a local business there is an opportunity to exploit the marketing power of the Internet at little or no cost, and it does not require a web presence.

Through email marketing you can have a direct conduit to both your customers and prospects. You may think email marketing is complicated, but that is a misconception. If you are already using email to correspond, then you are quite capable of advertising through virtual mail. In fact, if you are communicating to your customers through email, in a sense you are already marketing online. You are probably aware that a small amount of customer communication can be very profitable, and email can generate considerable income.

All you need to do is start collecting customer emails, and send them occasional promotions or sale updates. The email advertisements do not need to be coded in html, plain text messages are quite acceptable.

So how do you start down the road to Internet marketing success? You begin by simply collecting customer email addresses, with their permission. Permission email marketing is a requirement. It is referred to as opt-in marketing. At all stages of email marketing you MUST respect your customers and their privacy. Only when they have accepted your request to send information, should you forward email promotions.

How do You Collect Customer Emails?

You simply ask! As a local business owner you are constantly in touch with customers and prospects, either in person or on the phone. As a retail business you could have a clipboard by your register or pre-printed index cards that your customers can fill-out. As a service business you just ask for their email address when you make contact.

What's in it for Your Customers?

The opportunity to save money or be notified of special offers. People are always looking for a bargain, and through email you can keep them informed on the latest deals, in addition you can alert them to new services or products. This is very appealing. And customers will perceive this as a value added service, that makes doing business with you more appealing.

How Difficult is Email Marketing?

It is quite simple. If you email friends or family, you are quite capable of marketing through email. Initially your list will be small so you can manage it through the use of your current email client like MicroSoft Outlook. You place your customer emails in a "group," compose a message, and hit the send button. Not exactly rocket science. (Note: Make sure you use the "blind box" feature.)

But from the start, you may want to consider using a professional email management service like ConstantContact.com. They have a service that is free for lists that are under 50. Their next level handles up to 500, and cost only $15 per month. A service like Constant Contact simplifies the management of your list. These types of services offer features like tracking, reporting, templates and customer support. In addition, they automate the process of people opting out of your list. An important factor with permission email marketing.

What Results Can You Expect?

Think about the potential profit from simply keeping your customers informed. This is not invasive advertising, but permission marketing, where your customers have willingly given their consent to receive your advertisements. It is like they are saying, "Please allow me to spend more money with your business."

If you already have a web site then you will also want to add an opt-in box. Give your site visitors an opportunity to join your promotional list. Many will.

From a marketing perspective it doesn't get anymore targeted then this. And your advertising costs are insignificant. A perfect example is a local wine store owner who works her list twice a week with special promotions. She makes a killing, and often sells out her promotional inventory through email alone.

As a local business owner there are opportunities and there are golden opportunities. This one is solid 24 karat. It's simple, direct and very profitable. And yet few local businesses are taking advantage of email marketing. Why not lead the pack.

Email Marketing

Thursday, October 15, 2009

Making Money with Internet Marketing the smart way

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Internet Marketing: The Fine Line between Internet Marketing and Spam