Why Client Emails Still Work in Marketing
In a perfect world, every business owner would have a huge following of loyal customers who would refer all their friends to you. Then, of course, those friends would become loyal customers who refer their own friends, and you’d never need to spend another dollar on advertising, marketing, or those dreaded client emails.
Do you hear that? That’s the sound of your alarm clock, telling you to wake up and come back to the real world. And in this world, most businesses and non-profits can’t live off repeats and referrals alone. In order to get new customers and clients coming in, and then keep them coming back, you need to add client emails to your marketing mix.
Why use client emails in marketing?
Because marketing has changed. Big time. In fact, only 14% of people report that they trust advertising. Yikes! So what can we do to sell our stuff? Here’s a little secret for you: People normally don’t want to be sold to. They want to have a relationship with you and your business, to feel a connection. They want to feel part of a community and to have reliable resources to turn to for answers. You can’t do that with a sales ad. But client emails are designed to do exactly that.
Here’s how you can get more new customers and develop lasting relationships with your existing ones using email marketing:
Seven touches
There’s an old saying which states that it takes seven touches on average to turn a shopper into a buyer. That’s still true today. People need more than one or two touch-points or communications in order to feel confident buying from you.
But how do you reach out to your customers seven times without annoying them? All while building a relationship? Here’s a hint: it rhymes with client emails.
If a business were to call you seven times in the next two months, you probably wouldn’t put them on your list of favorite businesses. But if you were to receive seven interesting, relevant emails, suddenly that business becomes helpful and not annoying. Business owners can communicate more regularly with their customers via email marketing, because it’s just less invasive. Customers can view those client emails on their own time.
Loyal customers
How do you retain customers and turn them into loyal fans? What makes the difference between a customer who buys based on price or location, and a loyal raving fan who will not only keep coming back, but also tell all their friends about you?
Loyalty is not built by price, discounts and specials. It is built by experiences that stand out, by extraordinary customer service, by relationships with key members of the business, by serving As it turns out, repeat customers spend 67% more than new customers. So growing these relationships is one of the very best ways to use your marketing time and money. In one study, 81% of those surveyed say they are likely to make additional purchases – online or in-store – as a result of targeted client emails.
The inbox
Many business owners are simply afraid that they might send SPAM. No one wants another unsolicited email. Entrepreneurs are afraid that they will be seen as pushy or annoying if they send out client emails regularly.
Remember, if you’re sending them emails, it means that they actually gave you their email address at some point. They can always opt out if they want to. But here’s the big surprise: people actually like getting emails from companies they like. In fact 70% prefer getting emails from companies they love. And 70% prefer communication from businesses by email.
ROI of client emails
Every marketing campaign should be measured for response. If you are not measuring you are not really marketing—you’re just throwing money at something and hoping for the best. Email marketing is very carefully measured (and, good news – the email marketing software will do it all for you!). For the last 5 years, this statistic has held true: For every $1 spent on those client emails, there is a $44.25 average ROI.
Social Media
There is no doubt that social media has revolutionized the marketing industry. And although it is fun to talk about, the fact remains that email marketing has three times the conversion rate of social media. Essentially, social media is a good way to get people to like you. But sending client emails is how to get people to actually buy from you.
During an event that Facebook sponsored a few years ago, one of the speakers said this: “The number one reason for social media is to drive people to your email list!”
Even Facebook admits the power of email marketing! So be sure to use some of your social media efforts on getting people to sign up for your email list.
What separates your business from the big players? Your passion for what you do, your personal attention to your customers, and the quality of those relationships. When you use client emails, you’ll be able to nurture those relationships, spread the word about how wonderful your business is, and become an important part of your customer’s life in a way no one else can— every single time you hit ‘Send.’
So if you are not connecting with your customers regularly through professional, branded emails, it’s time to start!
-Lisa Smith