How to Use Email to Market Your Business
That means that more people use the Internet to send email than to do anything else. It’s helping families keep in touch. It’s allowing businesses communicate faster and more efficiently. More and more people rely on email for their basic communication.
It’s no wonder that email has been called the Internet’s “killer app.” I’m guessing that you use email just about every day.
Now, stop for a moment and think about how many email messages you send out each day. You probably send email to your friends and family. (Don’t tell me that you don’t forward at least one or two of those emails from that joke list!) You may respond to customer emails. You probably even send email to people you don’t even know.
Every one of these people you reach through email is a potential source of business. Even if they are not a customer, they may know someone who may be.
Why not include a small advertisement for your business at the bottom of each email you send out? Let people know about your business.
This marketing technique is know as a signature file (sometimes it’s called a “.sig”) and it’s simply information about you and your business stored as a plain text file someone on your computer. Every time you send an email, your email program copies all of the information from this text file into the bottom of your outgoing email message.
Think of your signature file as a small advertisement that’s included in every email message you send.
You should include your signature file in every piece of outgoing email, whether to friends, family, business acquaintances, or people you never heard of. If you have to send an email, include your signature file.
You could set up your email program so that sends an automatic response every time you receive an email. That message would read, “I have received your email. I usually respond personally to all email within 24 hours.” Of course, your signature file is included at the bottom of all outgoing mail.
When you couple your signature file with other marketing techniques or even just good customer service skills, you will be using the one-two punch. Let your customers know you got their email and will respond back AND send them your advertisement in the form of your signature file for the double wallop.
By changing your signature file periodically, you can include information about specials, sales, and new products. Your signature is a great way to let your existing customers know about what’s new at your business.
You should also include your signature file in any newsletters, customer updates, or e-zines you publish. Even if you are sending out a routine announcement, take the opportunity to let people know about your latest offers.
Consider replying to all of the junk email offers you get in your inbox. Reply with a brief, canned response letter that says something like, “Thanks for the information. I’ll be reviewing your email shortly and if I find your information useful, I will be in touch.” Of course, at the bottom of your email is your signature file.
With so much email being sent today, you need to take advantage of this subtle, yet powerful, way to promote your business.
