Small Business Email: A Formula To Increase Sales Every Month – Part II
Here’s Part II of our month-by-month playbook for your email marketing campaigns. See Part I…
July
No one likes to pay taxes, but it’s necessary for governments to provide services and maintain the infrastructure. You’ve got to pay your dues, too, when it comes to email marketing. Email remains an extremely cost-effective way to communicate with prospects and customers. So it makes sense to invest a little – and realize a greater return on your investment.
Consider hiring an email consultant. If you manage your email campaigns in-house, consider using an email service provider. Most providers charge by email volume, so a mom-and-pop business wouldn’t pay the same per month as a big-box retailer. If your email creative is done in-house, consider hiring an agency or design and copywriting professionals to take your campaigns to the next level.
August
In the wintertime, it’s a good idea to get a flu shot or take other precautions so you don’t get sick. The same goes for your email campaigns.
You’ve got to maintain a healthy email list. The best way to do this is to monitor opt-outs and complaints, keep an eye on your inactives, and deliver relevant content to your current subscribers.
September
The zodiac sign for September is Virgo, and Virgos are known for their loyalty. If you don’t already have a loyalty program, start one. If you do, promote it in your emails.
Ice.com makes its rewards program very ent-ICE-ing (sorry, we couldn’t resist) with a simple yet effective logo and eye-catching color, and a bold call to action. The copy emphasizes the fact that the reward program is free, membership entitles you to exclusive discounts, and lists other benefits.
Rewards programs help to increase your average order value and to create return business.
October
Halloween’s on its way, but don’t get spooked about the technical aspects of email. In order to increase sales, you need to implement automated emails, dynamic emails and segmented emails.
In your offline business, you always follow up with prospects and customers, don’t you? The same business logic applies online. Set up an email stream that responds to people who make an inquiry, open/click on an email, or purchase a product/service.
November
In the U.S., Cyber Monday falls on the Monday following the national Thanksgiving holiday (the fourth Thursday in November). Cyber Monday was created by Shop.org in 2005 to encourage people to shop online for the holidays.
The event has given birth to a slew of online sales in the U.S but, as New Zealand online baby store Belly Beyond notes, Cyber Monday in New Zealand is “still in its infancy.” However, this company gets it. Belly Beyond offers Cyber Monday discounts up to 80% and not just for the one day but for a full week.
If you don’t want to get lumped with everyone and their brother on Cyber Monday, think of a way to create your own special online event – and then promote the heck out of it.
December
In keeping with the spirit of the season, incorporate cause-related marketing into your emails this month. Your subscribers most likely will be in a giving frame of mind, and your philanthropic efforts will put you and your company in a favorable light.
Brooks Brothers does it right with this email promoting Make A Wish and the Golden Fleece Foundation. First, the photography draws in in the reader. The headline encourages the audience to be a part of this worthwhile effort. And the use of “a child’s wish” makes the project seem do-able, not as if you’re taking on the problems of the entire world.
Not sure where to begin? Enlist the help of a public relations consultant. If you’re a local or regional business, think about helping your own community in a meaningful way.
With email marketing, you can’t isolate one month at a time. You’ve got to look take the entire calendar into consideration. And your emails can’t exist in a silo; they must coordinate with other online and offline marketing efforts.
Tagged in: Belly Beyond, Brooks Brothers, Ice.com