What is the real objective of your internet marketing efforts? So many small businesses develop websites and blogs “web hub” in an effort to sell their products, services or share information. They fail to understand that to develop an effective web hub they need to develop a marketing vortex that will generate the link energy that will grow their site. One critical component of that marketing vortex is communication. You can generate tons of traffic by developing content, search and social strategies, but if you do not identify and capture your target follower/customer, you efforts will end in failure.
When I say capture a customer, I mean that you:
-Identify and capture their name and contact information.
-Get their double opt-in permission to communicate with them.
If you do not identify and capture the contact information of your visitor and get their permission to communication with them, then chances are they will never be a consistent follower or customer that you can develop in the future. Building a list of followers/customers has got to be a priority.
It does not matter if you are a web based business or a brick and mortar business, to be successful in any competitive market you have to know who your customer is and establish a relationship with them based on communication. If I own a restaurant, bakery or dry cleaners and have hundreds customers who come into my store each week, but I do not know who they are or have the ability to communicate with them, then I am at risk of losing them in a heart beat if a competitor opens up next door becuase I have not established a communication relationship with them. “Hi how are you today”, does not cut it!
Six Simple Steps To Success “The Net”
I discuss in other posts and in my Velocity of Success Training the other critical components that make up your marketing vortex. So assume we get them to our web hub, so now what do we do to keep them coming? We need to capture them.
Most businesses fail at getting people on their mailing list because they fail to offer value in return for permission to communicate. I see cards all over retail stores and restaurants for people to fill out to get on their mailing list. Why should they?
You need to follow seven simple steps to create a loyal follower
- Make sure your people (staff) are 100% committed to capturing every customer.
- Offer something of value in exchange for their name and contact information.
- Only give out the value (coupon, give-a-way or what ever) after you have emailed them and they have opted onto your list.
- Develop a regular newsletter or email campaign that keeps you in their thoughts. Be consistent!
- Include something of value on a regular basis that makes reading your email worth while. Could be a coupon, special or information.
- Don’t smother them! Sending out daily emails is to much work and you will lose them…”The Pest Effect”. Develop a schedule that works for you, your business and your customer.
- Track and test your communication and see what works best and what does not. Learn and refine. do not stick with a bad plan, let it evolve.
Using Opt-In Email Automation
You do not want to spend all of your time trying to create and send emails to your follows on your own. There are a variety of web based tools that will enable you to get your followers registered, double opted-in, send out pre-planned emails and create a regular newsletter or special email promotions.
The one that I use and the one I recommend to my clients is AWeber. It will literally save you time and money while increasing your productivity and effectiveness. Of all of the web based email tools I have tried, this product won me over and I use it for all of my list correspondence.
To get more information on AWeber and watch their tutorials on setting up email capture and automation click on this link www.aweber.com. To learn more about Bssential Small Business Solutions and the soon to be released Velocity of Success Training Program visit www.bssentials.com.
Please send me your feedback and questions regarding capturing your customer and email automation.
Bill Sifflard - With over thirty years experience as an entrepreneur, an executive, an author and as a business consultant, Bill Sifflard has a long history of experience bringing innovation, efficiency and success to large and small businesses adapting to evolving markets.
As a premiere Sales and Marketing Innovator, Bill is changing how business integrates traditional marketing strategy with the power and potential of the internet utilizing his "Velocity for Success" matrix.
To learn more about Bill and Bssential Small Business Solutions you can visit http://www.bssentials.com and register for his Free eNewsletter or follow all of his blog posts by clicking on the RSS feed button above. 
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