The Elements of Engaging E-mail Marketing Campaigns!

Our prospects and clients will undoubtedly see the value of our Web solution's e-mail marketing tools, but they may not know how to maximize the potential of these unique features. We can help them get started - and establish even greater credibility in our Web site business - by discussing these e-mail marketing tips!

First, it's important to emphasize that e-mail marketing is a proactive method of promotion, as Michael Thompson explains on DMNews:
"With e-mail marketing, you can shift from a reactive posture to a proactive stance that lets you engage and control interactions with customers."
That significant distinction is a defining characteristic that sets e-mail apart from other advertising avenues!
Next, talk to the clients about their e-mail marketing goals. Advise them to sit down and determine exactly what they hope to accomplish with their e-mail marketing messages. What action will they urge e-mail recipients to take? Thompson offers the following three guiding questions to help establish these "business rules":

• "When and how often do you want to engage?"
• "What data do you need to execute that communication?"
• "What constitutes over-contacting the customer?"

After our prospects and clients determine that information, they'll be one step closer to implementing an outstanding, effective e-mail marketing campaign! At this point, it's just a matter of understanding how to accurately target their customer base. This is where our Web solution's site statistics section really comes in handy! Business owners can quickly consult this section to determine how to create relevant, targeted messages for their contacts.
According to Thompson, "Relevance is the most important aspect of e-mail marketing. Recipients are much more likely to act if what they receive is relevant to them."
This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's worth pointing out! The user-friendly features in our Web solution makes e-mail marketing completely effortless!

The right way to win referrals! Part 2

"Once your prospect has converted from prospect to client, you need to have a direct conversation about referrals with them," he writes.

But remember to capitalize on other opportunities to mention your need for referrals. McCord tells readers to "Consistently drop referral seeds," though he also cautions against beating prospects over the head about it.

"Simply, gently mention that you're referral-based when the opportunity arises. Prospects and clients aren't stupid and if they hear it enough, they'll put two and two together and figure you'll eventually be asking them for referrals," he writes.

Another clever tip offered by McCord is to set a "referral acquisition meeting." This can be a great part of your follow-up process! After your prospects have purchased your Web solution, follow up with them to ensure they're satisfied and that they've started to establish their online presence. Whether it's a brief phone call or a face-to-face conversation, it won't take much time or effort for you to remind your client about referrals, and mention what you're looking for in an ideal prospect. It's one final way for you to plant those seeds that McCord's talking about!

Finally, he advises readers to go above and beyond merely obtaining a name and number from clients.

"Get a direct introduction from your client to the referred prospect." Whether your client sends a letter or e-mail to the referral, or you take it a step further and schedule a lunch meeting or conference call, it's important for all parties involved to actually connect in a way that optimizes your credibility and helps your referral understand how much value the referring client places in your solution! As McCord puts it, "An introduction turns a name and phone number into a real referral."

The right way to win referrals! Part 1

This week, we've got referral tips from sales trainer Paul McCord! Use them to solidify your relationship with referred prospects.

It's about more than just asking for referrals. McCord explains that referral generation is "a proactive, disciplined process that begins the moment you meet a prospect and continues throughout your relationship with the person or company that generates a consistent flow of high quality referrals."

"Proactive" is the perfect way to describe the referral cultivation process! While you may get leads through word-of-mouth advertising, it's far better for you to actively seek referrals from your clients!

McCord's first tip is a no-brainer: "Let your prospect know you're referral-based!" Your prospects and clients may not realize how valuable referrals are when it comes to the success of your Web site business. That's why you need to have a direct and open conversation about potential referrals. McCord suggests doing this after your prospect has made a purchase from you:

Four Steps to SEO Success

You may have prospects or clients who are intimidated by site promotion and search engine optimization, but your Web solution makes it a completely painless process! With these tips inspired by SEO expert Patrick Gavin, and your prospects will be climbing the search rankings in no time!

1. Define your keywords. Focus on "key products, services or areas of expertise," advises Gavin. And remind your prospects not to forget about local-oriented keywords that will help nearby customers locate the business! "For example," Gavin writes, "an attorney may identify 'bankruptcy law' as a primary keyword, then add 'bankruptcy attorney' as a related term and 'Chicago bankruptcy attorney' to attract local visitors to the website." Gavin also tells readers to review the competition. This is a common strategy among larger companies, and it's a great way to see what successful businesses are doing to draw traffic!
2. Keep the content fresh and relevant! After deciding on some keywords, it's time start using those terms and phrases in Web site content. This way, according to Gavin, businesses can "improve their position on the search engine results page for relevant searches." (Pssst: Emphasize our new blogging tool to really pique your prospect's interest in your solution!)
3. Leverage social media! Do your prospects have Twitter, Facebook or Google Buzz accounts for their business? If so, they'll love our new social network widget! This exclusive feature allows them to integrate their social network accounts with their site...it's an effective way to create a comprehensive online presence that larger corporations spend tens of thousands of dollars to create! It's also a great way for businesses to optimize their site and expand their promotion efforts!
4. Measure, measure, measure! There's a reason why we packed so much information in the site statistics section of your Web solution. These metrics will help businesses evaluate the effectiveness of their online marketing, especially when it comes to search engine optimization! Gavin says that businesses should "continuously review their performance and adjust their strategy accordingly to actively improve their site and maintain an edge over the competition!" We've made it easy for small businesses to do just that!

Many Web hosting companies tack on extra charges to provide tools like these, but we've included everything in our solution!

Don't Lose Track of the WIIFM Factor!

As any experienced salesperson will tell you, potential buyers have on question on their minds: "What's in it for me?!" Successful sales hinge on anticipating that question and answering it effectively! Your partners' business is no different. That's why they need to understand the value of targeting and customizing their e-mails. They should be creating messages that are relevant to specific customers' preferences and they should include exclusive discounts that reward e-mail readers for their continued loyalty!

Targeted E-mails

E-mail marketing messages should be tailored to match the recipient's needs, too! To that end, experts recommend gathering information right away - as soon as a site visitor opts in to the e-mail list - so that messages can be targeted to their preferences! During the presentation, your prospects will see how to create and send e-mails that are targeted to specific groups within their contact list. This process only takes minutes with your Web solution, and the rewards are extraordinary!
"Any time you make another step toward tailoring your e-mail to your readers' interests, you're going to come out ahead, no matter who your readers are," according to Harmon and Madison.

Find A Form That Fits

Similar to the previous tip, Madison and Harmon say that both B2B and B2C businesses should hold on to their successful e-mail layouts and use them as forms or templates for future use. Along with the obvious convenience, this is beneficial because it allows businesses to keep their messages "consistent and recognizable." Again, this step is simple with the help of our Web solution! Not only will businesses be able to modify and save their winning forms; they can create a look that's tailored to their business, thus enhancing their business' credibility and boosting their customer retention rates!