Which comes first: Creating a Website or Email Marketing?
We’re always intrigued when some clients tell us they can’t get started in email marketing without having a website first.
That’s why we’ve always told clients that they need both, but they can get started in email marketing without a website.
“Really? How so?” They ask.
Well, here’s how it works.
Most of our clients run a business with a store, a specific location, or a personal service they offer to others. They meet their customers face to face. If that’s the case, you can start an email list by simply asking a few simple questions:
Your Email Marketing Plan for 2009
With all the talk about a global recession looming, we’re very optimistic to get even more businesses to start email marketing this year.
Why? The reason is simple. Those who are advertising in print media and broadcast media will be spending less there. With the marketing dollars saved, they must invest in some form of lead management and relationship building tool to keep their new and current customers up to date on what’s happening.
They need a tool that takes care of current and new customers, they need to find some cost savings in time, effort and man hours. It must be simple enough to be done in house with some external help. It must be able to yield a positive ROI and build up the brand of the company is well. Oh yeah, ideally it can cost less than a dollar per customer reached.
What better tool than email marketing?
In terms of cost and getting a Return on Investment, Email Marketing is the most cost friendly, effective, measurable and instant marketing mechanism to reach hundreds and thousands of contacts at once.
Getting Started with Email Marketing
There is really no trick to getting started quickly with Email Marketing.
You need to have a database of prospects and clients you want to contact. Make sure you have all the relevant information from them, such as their First Name, Last Name, Email Address and maybe a Mobile Contact Number.
Next, you need to decide how you want to present your communication to them. Of course, we believe that email is the most cost effective, easy to integrate and most flexible platform for any small business or non profit organisation.
Email Marketing: Integrating Offline, Online and Web Marketing Activities
This is perhaps a most interesting topic for traditional business owners. I see this as web technology meets small business and how we can use Email Marketing as the integrating platform and technology to bring all your marketing efforts into one single channel.
When we meet small business owners, we often ask them what marketing activities they already have committed their budgets to.
Many of them cite the following activities as part of their marketing mix.
- Hire sales people
- Send a flyer
- Share a corporate brochure
- Create a product catalog or a product newsletter
- Printed newsletter (most of the time in black & white photocopy)
- Send a greeting card or email at major festive holidays
- SMS marketing - costs a lot, got some responses, but limited texting capability
- Advertising in monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly magazine (in related industry)
- Advertising in other printed magazines, commemoratives, trade journals.
- Maintaining a database on Excel spreadsheet or within Outlook address book
Here’s how to get all your marketing activities in order:
Top 10 Singapore Small Business Marketing Strategies
We work with small businesses most often. The question we get most often is how to effectively promote a small business without blowing a budget.
Our first tongue in cheek response: “Start with Email Marketing!”
It’s true. Many of our clients basically learn as they work with us the things they need to do to market themselves more effectively as a Singapore small business.
Email marketing as a small business marketing solution is not for everyone, do not be mistaken. But for most of the small businesses that already use email as a means of communication with their clients and customers, it is a viable solution.
Here’s a quick list of things to consider when marketing your small business in Singapore:
- Email Marketing
Can Be As Easy as
Sign up for our 5 Day Email Course and Learn More About How Email Marketing Can Benefit You Today! Find out more.
We value your privacy and will never share,
rent or sell your email address. -
-
-
Join us for EarthHour 28 Mar 8.30pm
-
