In the simplest terms, email marketing is a marketing message delivered from an individual or business to consumers via email.

Since most people have smart phones these days, they get their email on the go.  That means you’re never out of contact with your customers and prospects.

Email marketing is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to market your products and services, because there are only 3 requirements:

  1. A List of People Who Want to Hear From You
    This is THE KEY to successful email marketing!  If you have a list of people who WANT to hear from you, they open, read, and ACT on the emails you send.  Think about it…if you have a random list of email addresses for people who don’t know who you are, these people will not open, read, or act on your emails.  Which list do you think is more valuable?  In this case, it’s the quality — not the size — of the list that’s important.As you get more sophisticated in your email marketing you can begin to segment your list into prospects and buyers, and even repeat buyers!  Why is that important?  Because that means you can “speak” directly to that person and you’ll know how to better market to them.
  2. An Email Platform to Send Emails to Your List
    Right now you may have a small list of people to send emails to…or even NO list!  But, with time, that will change.  It’s best to prepare for the future NOW, while you’re growing.  Hello, technology!  You need an email platform or “client” to manage the process for you.  This platform will keep track of your database, help you segment your list, and make it easy to send personalized emails to your list.  You want to find a platform that is easy to use and has lots of features to help you grow your business.  Here’s the service I use and recommend highly.
  3. Great Content to Send in Your Emails
    Content for email marketing can take a variety of forms, including tips, articles, resources…anything your audience will find educational, entertaining, or helpful in some way.  But you can — and should — add your personality to the emails so you build a relationship with your readers.Sometimes there will be a sales message, which should be a natural extension of the relationship you’ve built.  You become a trusted resource and advisor to your readers, so ALWAYS promote products and services that you provide or that you have used yourself.Or perhaps you create a newsletter with multiple elements in each issue.

When you develop an effective email marketing plan, your emails can position you as an expert in your field, build customer loyalty, and even generate sales.

Your turn!  Comment below with how you’re using email marketing for your business.

P.S.  For a more in-depth look at email marketing, here’s a great resource for building relationships with persuasive emails.