Tool Box
Issue No. 50 - December/ /
What e-newsletters can and can’t do
by Craig Stubing
Well-crafted electronic newsletters can be a valuable sales development tool, especially for those engaged in B2B sales.
Needless to say, there is more to this idea than buying a list of email addresses, sending hundreds of emails and waiting for the orders or enquiries to pour in.
Here are some tips based on things I’ve learnt through trial, error and the observation of others.
Don’t Spam
Not only is it illegal, it’s poor business practice because your e-newsletter will probably be resented as an intrusion.
It’s easy to develop a list of target prospects. It’s also easy to contact these prospects by phone and seek permission to ‘enrol’ them. In my experience 90% will take up the offer; 10% won’t and that’s OK.
The net result is that while you will have a shorter list (at least in the beginning), that list will be made up of willing recipients who have at least some interest in what you’re offering.
Target your marketing
When looking to invite prospects on to your emailing list, be very selective.
You should have a very clear mental picture of your Target Market. Make sure you focus your invitations on your Target Market; the more focused you are the better will be your results.
Watch the file size
Keep the files you are sending to a reasonable size. Many business people use wireless broadband because they are out and about. Wireless broadband connections can sometimes be slow. This in turn can make
accessing emails slow. If your large file creates an email logjam you will surely ‘brown off’ your prospect. Expect an opt-out request.
Use your e-newsletter to add value for your prospects
Don’t use it simply to toot your own horn and push your product or service. Often a subtle ‘sell’ works better.
This means getting creative. It means making sure your e-newsletter contains information that can be of real use.
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