Can't - Miss Marketing
Can't - Miss Marketing
Here are three simple strategies for using email to reach out to prospects and clients without resorting to (or being accused of) spam.
Strategy #1: Hang up, then follow up.
After an initial conversation with a prospect, whether you called her or she called you, start your follow-up right away, building on the momentum by sending an email in which you:
1. Thank her for her interest, for taking the time to speak with you, for visiting your Web site or anything else she went out of her way to do.
2. Express that you understand the challenge she's facing. Echo words she used in your conversation.
3. Refer to an experience or project in your background that supports your claim that you're the right resource to help her.
4. Provide a link to your Web site and, in particular, a portfolio piece or case study that's relevant to her business challenge. Here's sample text that you can tailor to a variety of situations:
Thanks so much for your time on the phone earlier. I understand your need to unify your brand, and this is an area in which we have a lot of experience, which is why I think working together would be a good fit. In fact, you can see some work we've done for (Client) in that area here: (link). I'll also send you some samples in the mail and will call you to continue the conversation.
Name, signature file
Do this literally as soon as you hang up. If too much time passes before you follow up, even a day or two, the conversation may slip into the recesses of the prospect's mind or blur with others, and your follow-up loses all its impact.
Strategy #2: Introduce yourself via email.
There's nothing wrong with using email to introduce yourself and your services to someone who's never heard of you, as long as you have something of value to offer. A personal, targeted email can be extremely effective in initiating a relationship with a company you aspire to work with. Here's how:
1. Call first. Start with an introductory phone call. If you don't get through, leave a message with your name, the reason for your call ("I'd like to introduce our firm." Or "I'm calling to find out whether you work with design firms.") and direct the prospect to your Web site where he can view your work. Then tell him you'll follow up by email. (You can usually get the email address by telling the receptionist that you've been playing phone tag and would like to send an email message, in case he prefers to respond that way.)
2. Send email next. Refer to your voice mail message and repeat your request. Offer something you know will be of value, such as a sample you did for a similar company. Here's a sample email message you can adapt for your needs:
Bob, on the heels of my voice mail message, I'm wondering if you would like to see samples of collateral materials for software companies? If so, just reply to this message with your mailing address and I'll send them along. Some of our clients are [drop names here] and you can see the samples here as well: [link to the page on your Web site].
Name, sig file
Some people are more comfortable responding to an email message than returning a phone call, in part because they can do it at their convenience, outside of business hours if necessary. Using email rather than (or in addition to) the phone increases the odds that you'll get a response.
Strategy #3: Keep in touch via email.
An email marketing campaign—sending regular email messages to everyone you know and everyone who knows youis the ideal way to market your services because it can consistently accomplish many things at once. It can showcase your creativity, increase your visibility and build credibility, while also distinguishing you from the competition. Plus, it's the best way to drive traffic to your Web site; it's much more reliable and targeted than search engines.
Most designers fear creating an email marketing campaign because of the effort they think it takes to compose original content for each mailing. But it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Once you find a template and a formula that works, treat your campaign like a client project and devote the necessary time. Here are five content ideas:
1. Case studies and real-life examples. People love to see what others like them have done, which means they'll take time to read a simple case study that describes a problem you solved for a client. This is a good springboard to offer more general advice. Showing how you've helped clients address specific challenges is good from a promotional perspective, too, because it gives concrete examples of your work, which may otherwise seem abstract to those who hire you.
2. Offer a list of your top three to five tips on a subject. There must be hints you can give your clients and prospects about how to make the process of working with you go smoothly. Turn these hints into tips, like "How to Hire a Designer" or "How to Get Great Work from a Designer."
3. Answer your clients' frequently asked questions. Keep track of their queries, whether via email and/or in person. Then answer each in a short article. If you can't think of any questions, send your current clients/customers a quick message asking for their questions.
4. Offer your opinion on a hot topic. Don't be afraid to tackle the key issues in your field. Offer your own expert opinion—your readers want to know.
5. You don't have to create all the content from scratch. You can simply pass along links to articles that would be of interest to your market or Web sites they might find useful.
Relationships are built upon the back-and-forth of communication, including email. It makes you visible, keeps you connected to your market and literally motivates people to respond. If you do your email marketing right, your recipients will actually look forward to receiving your messages. They may even thank you.
Cant Miss Marketing - To learn more about this author, visit Ilise Benun's Website.
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Whether you call it marketing or not, every single contact you have with a client or prospect is a marketing opportunity, as is every email message you send. So whether you're researching a prospect, following up after a meeting or delivering a proposal via email, treat this correspondence as a marketing tool and it'll have a stronger impact.
Here are three simple strategies for using email to reach out to prospects and clients without resorting to (or being accused of) spam.
Strategy #1: Hang up, then follow up.
After an initial conversation with a prospect, whether you called her or she called you, start your follow-up right away, building on the momentum by sending an email in which you:
1. Thank her for her interest, for taking the time to speak with you, for visiting your Web site or anything else she went out of her way to do.
2. Express that you understand the challenge she's facing. Echo words she used in your conversation.
3. Refer to an experience or project in your background that supports your claim that you're the right resource to help her.
4. Provide a link to your Web site and, in particular, a portfolio piece or case study that's relevant to her business challenge. Here's sample text that you can tailor to a variety of situations:
Thanks so much for your time on the phone earlier. I understand your need to unify your brand, and this is an area in which we have a lot of experience, which is why I think working together would be a good fit. In fact, you can see some work we've done for (Client) in that area here: (link). I'll also send you some samples in the mail and will call you to continue the conversation.
Name, signature file
Do this literally as soon as you hang up. If too much time passes before you follow up, even a day or two, the conversation may slip into the recesses of the prospect's mind or blur with others, and your follow-up loses all its impact.
Strategy #2: Introduce yourself via email.
There's nothing wrong with using email to introduce yourself and your services to someone who's never heard of you, as long as you have something of value to offer. A personal, targeted email can be extremely effective in initiating a relationship with a company you aspire to work with. Here's how:
1. Call first. Start with an introductory phone call. If you don't get through, leave a message with your name, the reason for your call ("I'd like to introduce our firm." Or "I'm calling to find out whether you work with design firms.") and direct the prospect to your Web site where he can view your work. Then tell him you'll follow up by email. (You can usually get the email address by telling the receptionist that you've been playing phone tag and would like to send an email message, in case he prefers to respond that way.)
2. Send email next. Refer to your voice mail message and repeat your request. Offer something you know will be of value, such as a sample you did for a similar company. Here's a sample email message you can adapt for your needs:
Bob, on the heels of my voice mail message, I'm wondering if you would like to see samples of collateral materials for software companies? If so, just reply to this message with your mailing address and I'll send them along. Some of our clients are [drop names here] and you can see the samples here as well: [link to the page on your Web site].
Name, sig file
Some people are more comfortable responding to an email message than returning a phone call, in part because they can do it at their convenience, outside of business hours if necessary. Using email rather than (or in addition to) the phone increases the odds that you'll get a response.
Strategy #3: Keep in touch via email.
An email marketing campaign—sending regular email messages to everyone you know and everyone who knows youis the ideal way to market your services because it can consistently accomplish many things at once. It can showcase your creativity, increase your visibility and build credibility, while also distinguishing you from the competition. Plus, it's the best way to drive traffic to your Web site; it's much more reliable and targeted than search engines.
Most designers fear creating an email marketing campaign because of the effort they think it takes to compose original content for each mailing. But it doesn't have to be overwhelming. Once you find a template and a formula that works, treat your campaign like a client project and devote the necessary time. Here are five content ideas:
1. Case studies and real-life examples. People love to see what others like them have done, which means they'll take time to read a simple case study that describes a problem you solved for a client. This is a good springboard to offer more general advice. Showing how you've helped clients address specific challenges is good from a promotional perspective, too, because it gives concrete examples of your work, which may otherwise seem abstract to those who hire you.
2. Offer a list of your top three to five tips on a subject. There must be hints you can give your clients and prospects about how to make the process of working with you go smoothly. Turn these hints into tips, like "How to Hire a Designer" or "How to Get Great Work from a Designer."
3. Answer your clients' frequently asked questions. Keep track of their queries, whether via email and/or in person. Then answer each in a short article. If you can't think of any questions, send your current clients/customers a quick message asking for their questions.
4. Offer your opinion on a hot topic. Don't be afraid to tackle the key issues in your field. Offer your own expert opinion—your readers want to know.
5. You don't have to create all the content from scratch. You can simply pass along links to articles that would be of interest to your market or Web sites they might find useful.
Relationships are built upon the back-and-forth of communication, including email. It makes you visible, keeps you connected to your market and literally motivates people to respond. If you do your email marketing right, your recipients will actually look forward to receiving your messages. They may even thank you.
Cant Miss Marketing - To learn more about this author, visit Ilise Benun's Website.
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John PowerJohn Power, founder of Biltmore Franchise Consulting, has extensive experience developing and marketing franchises and business opportunities. He has been in and around franchising for over twenty years. From 1980 through 1990 he conceptualized, organized, and developed the American Video Association. He grew AVA to 2,000 national members, before selling the company it 1990. It was later merged into another home video marketing company. From 2000 to 2005 he worked as a contract marketing and human resources consultant to several local and national companies. In 2005 Mr. Power began working as a franchise development consultant on a full-time basis. Since that time he has helped more than three dozen companies initiate and develop their franchising program. He notes that there are many companies interested in developing a franchise program, and who need his specialized assistance. Mr. Power is a “hands-on” franchise consultant. He said, “I am the ‘nuts and bolts’ person who tends to the details for my clients.” Mr. Power holds a B.S. degree with a major in Marketing. See: www.biltmorefranchise.com You may contact Mr. Power at: jpower@biltmorefranchise.co - Visit John Power's Website |
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Dave KurlanDave Kurlan is the founder and CEO of Objective Management Group, Inc., the industry leader in sales assessments and sales force evaluations, and the CEO of David Kurlan & Associates, Inc., a consulting firm specializing in sales force development. Dave has been a top rated speaker at Inc. Magazine's Conference on Growing the Company, the Sales & Marketing Management Conference and the Gazelles Sales & Marketing Summit. He has been featured on radio and TV, including World Business Review with General Norman Schwarzkopf, in Inc. Magazine, Selling Power Magazine, Sales & Marketing Management Magazine and Incentive Magazine. He is the author of Mindless Selling and Baseline Selling – How to Become a Sales Superstar by Using What You Already Know about the Game of Baseball. He created and wrote STAR, a proprietary recruiting process for hiring great salespeople, and he writes Understanding the Sales Force, a popular business Blog and is a contributing author to The Death of 20th Century Selling and 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life, Volume 2. - Visit Dave Kurlan's Website |
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Jeff FosterWebBizIdeas.com is a Minneapolis website design company founded to help people start an internet business by providing them with website, business, and internet resources that help foster the growth of successful online businesses and develop innovative Internet business ideas. We specialize in internet consulting & internet marketing. - Visit Jeff Foster's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Jay Kubassek(Jay's Full Bio: EvanCarmichael.com/jaykubassek) In five years, Canadian-born entrepreneur Jay Kubassek went from selling mufflers at a Midas franchise to revolutionizing Internet marketing with the 2004 launch of CarbonCopyPRO, a online marketing education company, now worth over $20 million with customers in over 160 countries.
As an independent film producer, his upstart film fund Aliquot Films is currently producing a films with Spike Lee and Abel Fererra (starring Ethan Hawke and Dennis Hopper.)
Jay's entrepreneurial spirit is irrepressible. He’s the owner of five companies, a professional speaker and trainer, international real estate developer/investor, extreme sport enthusiast and emerging philanthropist. Jay resides in NYC with his wife Jamie, son Milo and dog Cooper. Visit Jay's official website: www.JayKubassek.com - Visit Jay Kubassek's Website |
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John AlexanderJohn has taught keyword research and SEO skills to small groups of business owners and Webmasters from over 80 different countries world wide since 2002. John is also the Director of Search Engine Academy ; Co-director of Training at Search Engine Workshops offering live, SEO Workshops with his partner SEO educator Robin Nobles, author of the very first comprehensive online search engine marketing courses at SEO Training Online and the SEO Workshop Resource Center. I look forward to hearing from you! - Visit John Alexander's Website |
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