Learn how to use email to promote your business

If you’re not currently using email to reach out to current and even potential clients, then you’re really missing out on a great resource.

Originally reported by our sister brand Business Review Canada, with the right email marketing campaign, you can connect with your customers like never before.

Take a look at the different ways in which your company can successfully build an effective marketing campaign:

Target and segment

Depending on the type of business you run, chances are you cater to a variety of different customers.

Instead of creating an email mailing list based on one type of customer, segment your list and target a variety of specific customers.

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For example, if you're an online clothing retailer, you can segment your mailing lists based on gender, age, active wear/casual wear, and even clothing size.

By segmenting your mailing lists ahead of time, you can more accurately target customers, which will help increase opt-in rates.

Don't neglect the content

Increasing opt-ins is one thing, but actually keeping your customer's engaged so they don't opt-out is something else entirely.

This is where quality content comes into play.

By offering quality, informative, pertinent information in your email mailers, you'll keep recipients asking for more.

As the following article looks at, along with the need to join up your email and SMS marketing for effective communication, make sure you take the time to come up with a content plan.

What message will you use to attract new recipients? How will you keep current recipients interested in your mailer?

It's all in the content plan.

For the outreach stage, you'll want to include content that describes the benefits of subscribing, whether it's daily promotions or business news your mailer will provide.

Once customers sign up, you can get more in-depth with your content.

Put your email signup opportunities front and center

Customers won't know your business has an email mailing list unless you make them aware of the opportunity to sign up.

There are a number of ways to do this, but the most popular is to prompt customers to sign up after they complete other actions on your website.

For instance, you can include an email mailing prompt before, during, or right after the checkout process through your online store.

Or, when a visitor requests a quote or more information about your business through your website, you can send a signup opportunity then as well.

Keep it straightforward and simple

Nobody likes explaining their life story to a business, especially if it's only to sign-up for an email mailing list.

With that said, it's important to cut to the chase during the signup process. This means asking for only the necessary information your business needs to send an email.

That's right; an email address is really all you need to build your email mailing list.

However, if you're using a formal mailer system, you may want to ask for a first name and, depending on how formal you want to be, a last name too.

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This way, you can personalize each email greeting with your customers' names as opposed to "Dear Customer".

From content to customer segmentation, it's plain to see that mailing lists are an important part of any business.

When it comes to marketing, you need to get creative! Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box; use the resources that surround you. Specifically, be open to promoting your business via email.

About the Author: Adam Groff is a freelance writer and creator of content. He writes on a variety of topics including customer outreach and online marketing.

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