One of the biggest challenges marketers face is creating an ongoing dialog with their customers. They get caught in the trap of only sending emails to their customers when they have something new to sell. The truth is, continuous email engagement with your customers is key to building relationships and keeping your company front of mind. How do you create that ongoing dialog? What can you say that will make it easier for you to engage your customers with email?
Pat Friesen, author of The Cross-Channel Handbook, offers 31 reasons to send email and direct mail. Here are our 14 favorites:
- Thank you. These are two of the most powerful words in the English language. Say thank you
for a recent purchase, product review or XX years of loyalty. - We goofed. Watching our politicians reminds us it’s better to admit you made a mistake than to hide in silence. People appreciate your honesty when you say, “We goofed.”
- Good news. The more relevant the news is to your reader, the more lasting the impact it will have. And make sure to give your advocates an easy way to share it.
- Do a friend a favor. Yes, it’s true, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Ask advocates for referrals.
- Happy, happy, happy! Send wishes for a Happy Valentine’s Day, Happy Easter, Happy 4th of July, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, Happy Halloween, etc.
- We want you back. Because it’s more cost-effective to reactivate an inactive customer/member/donor than to prospect for a new one, tell your inactives you’ve missed them and give them a good reason to return.
- Birthday. Traditional birthday cards still are seen as more personal than e-cards, but both are welcomed!
- Announcement. Tell your customers about new products, new people, new services, new store hours, new partners or new lower pricing.
- New and similar. Amazon is a master at cross-selling by keeping customers informed of new book releases that are similar in topic and/or author to customers’ past purchases.
- Celebrate Third Thursday …or First Friday or any other reoccurring day of the month. Turn it into your organization’s special event celebration to offer sale prices, focus on little known facts about your products or unique customer reviews.
- Welcome. A first-time buyer is a trier. Transform that trier into a multi-buyer with a special welcome note and offer.
- We value your opinion. Everyone has an opinion, and most of us enjoy sharing them. So give yourcustomers the opportunity to engage with you by sharing theirs.
- ‘Introducing …’ is a powerful word. It implies something’s new, sounds a bit social and sets up the start of a relationship.
- Success story. Share a success story, case history or series of customer reviews. People love to read stories.
Email Marketing Blog 