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Why Should Your Small Business Use Email Marketing?
If you think email marketing is just for “Internet” businesses or the “big guys”, your small business could be missing out on one of the most powerful, cost effective marketing tools available. I’m not talking about SPAM emails; I mean a properly managed, fully compliant marketing campaign.
It’s Targeted – A good mailing list will consist of current customers and those who have expressed an interest in your particular goods or services. With a properly managed email campaigns you can target your marketing efforts. For instance, you can send one version to current customers and another to potential customers who have expressed an interest in your product or service.
It’s Flexible – Email campaigns can help your company build stronger relationships with current clients, attract new clients, increase visits to your web site, provide up to date company and product information and build brand awareness.
It’s Immediate – Your mailing list can be notified almost immediately when you launch a new product or service – no waiting days or weeks for printed newsletters or post cards to be printed and mailed.
It’s Trackable – With the right program you will be able to track if your message was received, if it was opened and if the recipient clicked on any links in your email.
It’s Cost Effective – In tough economic times, cost effectiveness is crucial. With email marketing you are instantly eliminating the expense associated with printing, postage and the time it takes to prepare mailings.
It Works – A well managed email campaign and mailing list will yield response rates much higher than other direct marketing methods. Although there are many variables in response rates, overall email marketing has a response rate 5 times higher than direct mail.
Factoring in the cost to have a knowledgeable Internet marketing assistant manage your email campaigns for you, chances are you will be spending less per month for an ongoing email marketing campaign than a weekly ad in the local newspaper. I’m not saying you should abandon all other marketing efforts, but consider adding email marketing to your marketing tool box.
QuickBooks 2009
I received my advance shipment of QuickBooks 2009 today! It has a lot of improvements that many bookkeepers and accountants have been waiting for. Some of my favorites are:
- Improved online banking
- Improved bank reconciliation (more sorting capabilities)
- Accountant edition allows reconciliations AFTER the dividing date and has a client data review.
- Multi-currency capability
Want 2009? Click here and you can get up to 20% off MSRP as well as discounts on supplies and other Intuit Products.
Grammar in Networking Posts
Earlier this week I blogged about professionalism in networking. Today my focus is on GRAMMAR in networking. Whether it’s a face-to-face networking event or on-line networking, poor grammar can be a HUGE turn-off to potential clients and colleagues – particularly in the Virtual Assistant industry where administrative skills are such a large part of what we do.
Most people are willing to overlook the occasional misplaced comma or transposed letter in a word in a networking setting, particularly when you frequent the networking site and people know your normal writing style. However, when the occasional misplaced comma turns into constantly misspelled words, poor grammar, improper capitalization and punctuation errors, your professional image can be seriously tarnished.
If you don’t care enough about your own professional image to take the time to turn on the spell check feature or proof read your own correspondence, how are you coming across to potential clients or people who could potentially refer clients?
Attitude in Networking Groups
Many of you frequent networking groups – both on-line and in person – for your chosen profession or just business networking in general. I’m sure I’m not the only one who gets annoyed by the “newcomer” who professes to be trying to move their business forward but only has negative thing to say about the group or has an “attitude” about the suggestions and comments given by the group members in good faith.
How serious can you be about moving your business forward and getting referrals if you immediately come in with both guns blazing with negativity and are unwilling to consider the feedback that is being given?
Here are a few of my personal tips for new group members (I think these will work for just about any group):
- When you join a networking group, take the time to get the feel for how members communicate with one another. Is it a laid back and casual group or is it very regimented?
- Be CLEAR, CONCISE and SPECIFIC when you ask a question. Don’t just say, “How can I get more clients?” or “What do I need to start my business?” Entire books have been written on that subject. Better questions would be, “Has direct mail marketing worked for you?”, “What local networking groups have you found beneficial to your business?”, “I’m trying to decide between <software x> and <software y>. Does anyone have experience with these? Why did you like or dislike them?”
- Be prepared for a WIDE variety of responses to whatever question you ask. Every business person has been formed by their own experiences and will each have a different answer.
- If you can’t take constructive criticism, don’t ask for opinions about how you did something.
- If you can contribute to a conversation, please do – fresh ideas are what keeps groups alive!
More about VAnetworking 5th Anniversary Bash
What happens when you are part of the largest on-line network for Virtual Assistants and that network celebrates its 5 year anniversary? You get the opportunity to party “virtually” every night for the next not 5, not 10, not 15 but 20 WEEKS! Talk about the network that never sleeps!
As an active member of VAnetworking.com, the largest on-line network for Virtual Assistants I was excited when Tawnya Sutherland, founder of VAnetworking.com announced a 20 week virtual bash to celebrate their fifth anniversary.
I got my family all set (i.e. something to keep the kids quiet) and off I went to join the festivities of the opening ceremony. 3 hours later I emerged with two, yes TWO door prizes. I guess I shouldn’t really call them door prizes because the competition for them was FIERCE (but friendly)! I came out with a one year classified ad at cwahm.com and a CD-Rom copy of the Virtual Assistants Guide to the Multi-VA business by Michelle Jamison. Other VAs won things like coaching sessions, VA courses, VAdalas (man, I wanted to win one of those), and several different ebooks.
Leave it to Tawnya and the volunteers at VAnetworking to put on one heck of a party! I can hardly wait to see what the rest of the 20 weeks has in store!
