Other business professionals have doubted
the staying power of email marketing, but not you. While new channels threatened to shake its dominance, you remained convinced of the viability and effectiveness of email outreach efforts.
Now you want to capitalize on this momentum by transferring trust in your judgment to the recipients of your business emails. You can do just that when you personalize your emails in four simple steps:
- Establish a friendly rapport with an engaging welcome email. As you know, emails don't have to be lengthy to be effective, but they must be purposeful. Ensure you are welcoming new subscribers to your business community with an explanation of how you intend to help them – both through your business and email communications. Take advantage of the opportunity for a little self-promotion, especially with regard to your mission. But don't overdo it. (That would be like welcoming someone to dinner and then boasting at length about your culinary skills.) Give subscribers a voice in how often they hear from you so that they – not you – dictate the frequency of your contact. With this strong start, you will have set a strong foundation to build trust.
- Tailor emails based on preferences, otherwise known as segmenting. Dispense with hollow greetings; nothing says you care, and you're listening, more than forwarding only those emails that your subscribers really want from you. Of course, first you have to ask. Watch your open rates soar when you tailor content to what people want – not just what you wish to provide.
- Flatter subscribers with offers of exclusivity. With this step, it helps to remember your subscribers essentially flattered you by inviting you into their in-box; now you should return their generosity of spirit with discounts, coupons, special invitations and the opportunity to order, products or services before anyone else. Making subscribers feel special is crucial to engendering their trust -- and their loyalty.
- Take the “pulse” of your subscribers periodically and request feedback. Once you have a captive audience, you want to ensure you retain it (as in any healthy relationship). Encourage comments and suggestions and send occasional surveys – sprinkled with open-ended questions – to keep the lines of communication open. Remember, even if you don't get a response to every overture, your efforts won't go unnoticed.
If you're able to see the beginning of an email marketing effort taking shape, you've already made a huge stride toward gaining the trust of the people you seek most.
To finesse your efforts, reach out to the digital marketing experts at ADTACK. In addition to your email efforts, they can help you conceptualize, develop and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy – and show you the wise, steadfast way to unparalleled business success.
