In my last article I began a look at how email marketing is changing. You can take a look at it here: http://www.All-In-One-Business.com/imm/20031114/feature.html
In that article I covered how email marketing is becoming more and more complex and how 90% of the way people are responding to it is dead wrong.
This article will deal with how we can properly respond to the changes facing email marketing in the coming months.
Focus on READERS, not just subscribers
If you publish a newsletter, you need to consider very carefully this question: Do you have subscribers or readers?
I have seen newsletters with subscriber counts in the tens of thousands who could not generate a sale, while I have seen small lists generate sales every month.
The reason is obvious to me but often eludes the owners of the “large” lists: Any list that is not generating revenue despite its size has many subscribers but very few readers.
People want to get their newsletters. At least, they do when they sign up for them. Once they have received them for a while, however, they can pile up like unread newspapers. Over a relatively short period of time a newsletter can easily see its readers dwindle down to just 10% of its total subscriber base.
Given even more time, that number can be even smaller.
If you offer solid reasons for people to read your newsletter, then you will have a much higher response when you recommend products and services.
Follow the Rules
Email rules might be frustrating, but they are an unfortunate fact of life in today’s internet business. Keep your cool, keep good records and keep up with changes and you will be just fine. Just make sure in an effort to have “just a few more sales” you don’t violate the rules. It can cost you much more than you will ever gain.
Keep Your Eye on the Goal
Never forget: the goal of any business is to make a profit. One problem I often see-especially with home-based business people-is they spend most of their time with people who will never make them any money.
You should do things you enjoy as part of your business. You should do things that serve others as part of your business. But keep in mind that when you are chatting with your friend, cruising the forums, talking to your buddy on the phone, you aren’t making any money. Giving away your time for free-ditto.
If your website becomes popular and your house list grows to any significant number, you will be covered up with people who want to waste your time. Choose carefully and learn to say no.
Is email marketing still going to be effective? Sure. Just keep focused on growing numbers of readers, keeping up with the rules and making a profit and you will be just fine.
I’ve put together a report on the exact results of email marketing industry wide. You can get your copy here:
http://www.All-In-One-Business.com/clickreport
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Kevin Bidwell is owner of
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