Email marketing & mail shots Archives - Page 27 of 32

Get your marketing emails opened!

By Jim Connolly | March 18, 2010

This post is all about email marketing; specifically, how to get your email marketing opened!

The reason I am focusing on getting your marketing emails opened, is that no matter how great your marketing message or offer is, unless people actually open it and read it, it’s not going to generate the results you want.

How to get your emails opened

So, how do you quickly determine the best way to get your marketing emails opened? Simple: You keep copies of the marketing emails, which you have opened and you ask your contacts to do the same.

Then, you look at them and see what lessons you can apply to your own marketing!

Is this the best way to ensure your email’s get read? No! The best way is to hire a proven expert. Is this an effective way for a keen, small business owner to improve his or her email marketing results? Yep!

Email marketing clues

Once you have looked at the marketing emails that either you or your buddies have opened, you need to start looking for clues. By the way, it would be particularly useful, if you could get existing customers to let you know the kind of marketing emails THEY have opened, as they are the same profile of people that you want to target.

Here are just a few of the clues, which you may find when you examine those successful emails:

The email was sent to you, from someone you know and trust.
The email came from a person or company, which you remember subscribing to.
The subject line contained the correct spelling of your name.
The subject line contained the name of a person or business that you know personally or professionally.
The subject line contained a question that got you curious.
The subject line contained a bold statement, which grabbed your attention.

Many great marketing opportunities are missed by small businesses, simply because their emails never get opened or read. The sender often thinks the message or the offer was unattractive, when the reality is that too few people actually saw it. Don’t let this happen to you! Email marketing is one of the most effective and cost effective marketing tools on the planet – So long as you use it correctly.

If you have any email marketing tips you would like to share, please do so by leaving a comment below.

Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!

32 Questions to kick-start your business!

By Jim Connolly | March 14, 2010

Would you call yourself a creative person?

Creativity plays a big part in the development of any successful business. In fact, your ability to creatively solve problems and spot opportunities will to a large part, determine just how far you and your business will go.

In my experience, one of the best ways to kick-start our creativity, is to ask ourselves questions, which lead us to creatively search for answers and new ideas. So, here are 32 questions, designed to help you think creatively about the development of your business. Remember to share them with anyone in your network, who you think might find them useful, using the links below!

What additional, valuable products or services can I offer to my existing clients or customers (herein called clients)? This is the fastest way to generate a massively profitable boost to your revenue and profits.
Am I fully utilising technology in my business? Are there processes that I could streamline, which would give me more time to deal personally with my clients and prospective clients?
How can I improve the way I deliver my services?
Do I take time out, to thank people as often as I should?
What new markets could use my products or services?
How can I improve the quality of my products or services, so that they are of even more value to existing and prospective clients?
Am I associating with the right kind of people, for what I want to achieve?
What three things could I do, which would improve the visibility of my business?
How can I reach 500% more prospective clients with my marketing message?
How can I make my day-to-day work more fun? This is really important!
What’s the best way for me to encourage more people, to recommend me to their contacts?
Is my marketing focused enough?
How can I improve my time management?
Do I take action on the ideas I generate, so they have a chance to make a real difference?
Should I be thinking about doing some kind of joint venture with another, high quality company?
Am I limiting the development of my business, by not investing in professional help in the areas where I am weakest? If so, which area do I need to invest in first?
How often do I ask my clients for their feedback, regarding the service they receive from me and what additional services they would like me to offer?
When was the last time I sat down and studied my marketing goals? If you have not got any written, measurable, specific marketing goals, stop reading this and write some down right now!
Is it possible that my services look too similar to my competitors? Most service providers look way too alike, so the marketplace uses their fees as a way to judge their value.
If my services do look too similar to my competitors, how can I differentiate myself, so that I have something uniquely valuable to bring to the marketplace?
Do I get enough leads and enquiries via my website or blog? If not, how can I increase this, so my site becomes a lead generating machine for my business?
When was the last time a client sent me a “thank you” note? If this has not happened for a while, it might suggest that you have not exceeded their expectations lately!
Who would make a good endorsed relationship partner for me?
Do I attract enough word of mouth referrals? If not, what is this telling me?
How aware am I, of my client’s problems and challenges? You need to know what’s happening in your client’s world, if you want to be able to really help them.
Do I have a shallow a network, spread over a wide area – Or a deeper, more meaningful one?
How many other websites or blogs link to my website or blog? This is important, as inlinks account for the massive majority of your search engine optimization (SEO)
Am I working to a marketing strategy or am I simply doing tactical marketing?
Just how good is my customer service? Remember, you don’t compare yourself to what your competitors offer – But to the finest level of service you can possibly offer.
Do I still have the same passion for my business that I used to have? If the answer to this is yes, get passionate again!
How many of the people I network with on Twitter, have I actually spoken to or met?
Are my online marketing activities producing bankable results, or just a ton of meaningless, social media numbers? If you have the friends, followers and fans but not the bankable results, you might want to review your strategy.
Do I exceed people’s expectations?

OK – What would you add to this list?

What would you add to this list, as a question that might help get people thinking creatively about the development of their business? Please leave your suggestions below!

Let’s work together and grow your business. To find out more click here!

How focused are your marketing messages?

By Jim Connolly | March 13, 2010

That’s an important question for you to consider.

Why?

Because the more focused your marketing messages are, the more effective they will be and the more business they will generate for you.

Here’s what we know:

A focused marketing message speaks directly to the reader (viewer or listener), in a language they understand. It connects with them at a far deeper level than a poorly targeted message.
A focused marketing message makes the reader feel as if you knew exactly what they needed. This makes you relevant to them, which is extremely powerful.
A focused marketing message captures the reader’s attention. This is of huge value to you today, when people’s attention has never been so scattered.
A focused marketing messages has the power to motivate people to take action… to buy from you, call you, email you or visit you.
A focused marketing message has the power to inspire and compel the reader in a way that vague messages can’t.

Review your written marketing. Look for opportunities to make it more focused, so that it’s only relevant to your ideal profile of client. Be less inclusive. Talk directly to them.

Business is all about people and people really notice, when you’re speaking directly to them, in their language, about what matters to them!

10 ways to get massively more sales leads!

By Jim Connolly | March 1, 2010

Sales leads or enquiries are an essential part of the marketing process. After all, a steady flow of good quality sales leads, when acted upon correctly, can lead to a regular stream of lucrative business and allow business owners to plan ahead with confidence.

This brief post contains 10 powerful lead generation ideas, which you can add to your marketing arsenal. Why bother with so many lead generation options? Many small business owners make the mistake of relying too heavily on just 1 or 2 sources of leads. The problem with that approach, is that if one of those lead sources slows down or stops delivering, you are in BIG trouble! It’s far better to develop a wide spread of inbound, sales lead opportunities.

So, let’s get started!

Sales Leads via Word of mouth

If you want to get the marketplace talking about you to their friends, give them something to talk about!

The golden rule of generating leads via word of mouth, is that you need to be remarkable if you want people to remark on you!

Sales Leads via Email marketing

This is easily one of the most powerful forms of lead generation I have ever used. For very little cost, a professionally copy written email marketing campaign can generate a steady supply of high quality, targeted sales leads for your business. Don’t do like most small business owners and use amateur marketing copy, but it doesn’t work.

Sales leads via Twitter

I have personally generated well over £100,000 for my business, directly via leads I attracted via Twitter. Sadly, I have met just a tiny number of people, who use Twitter correctly as a form of lead / business generation.

Here’s a tip: Be selective and don’t just follow every person and every trend you see!

Sales Leads via Tele Marketing

Whilst I do not recommend you try this yourself, you might want to consider using a professional telemarketing company as a source of lead generation. This works better in some industries and countries than others, so look before you leap.

Tip: One thing telemarketing companies have in common is that they’re very good at selling what they do to their target market [you]. They’re not always so effective when it comes to generating leads for their clients. So, before you consider hiring a telemarketing company, check out their references. Talk to their clients if possible.

Sales Leads via Networking

I choose to do all my networking online these days. Whether you choose online or offline networking, the key is to network with the right kind of people.

Form associations with people who either have a need for your services or access to people, with a need for your services. Let them know what you do and the kind of people you work with, so they know who to recommend you to. This will greatly increase the volume and quality of leads you get.

Tip: Not all contacts are created equal. Yes, as human beings we are all of equal value. However, when it comes to business, some people are far more influential than others. Seek out the influential.

Sales Leads via Mail shots

Mail shots, (sometimes called direct marketing) has become an increasingly powerful way to generate leads. With more and more marketing moving online, a hand signed letter from a fellow businessperson these days REALLY catches the reader’s attention.

Sales Leads via your Website or blog

Your site should be a lead generating machine for your business. Jim’s Marketing Blog attracts over 100 emails a day, many of which come from prospective clients or customers. Your website should be doing the same.

Tip: Make it easy for people to contact you. Publish your phone number and email address. If you use a contact form, just ask for their name, email address and message. You don’t need anything else to begin with and every extra piece of info you ask for, massively lowers your conversion rates!

Sales Leads via Joint Ventures and Endorsed Relationships

To find out about Joint Ventures and Endorsed Relationships click the appropriate link!

Sales Leads via Newsletters

Newsletters are a great way to generate leads. I have found that a well written newsletter, which resonates with your audience, is a very effective way to position yourself as the person with the answers, to their problems. Then, when they decide to get professional help with their problem, you are already the natural choice.

Focus on providing useful information, not sales pitches. Too many newsletters are glorified ads, with little genuinely valuable information, which is the exact opposite of what you should be doing. The most successful newsletters are focused on the needs of the reader. Be useful and let them know you’re there to help them if they have a problem.

Sales Leads via Advertising

The right message, placed in the correct advertising vehicle, can produce fast, measurable results. The reason so many small business owners claim advertising doesn’t work, is that they use amateur copy and put it in the wrong place. Advertising works! It works extremely well. However, an uninspiring message sent to the wrong people, at the wrong time, doesn’t work (how could it?) If you are thinking of advertising and you have tried before and found it didn’t work, either get a professional in… or leave it! You can waste a lot of money with ineffective advertising.

Obviously, there are far, far more proven ways to generate leads, than can be covered in a blog post. However, I hope those above have got you thinking about investing in some new lead generating activities.

What are Joint Ventures and how do they work?

By Jim Connolly | February 25, 2010

Joint Ventures, often known simply as JV’s, can be an extremely effective way to generate new business. This is probably why so many of you asked me for information on Joint Ventures, when I asked you for your marketing questions recently.

The following is a brief explanation of what JV’s are and how they work.

Joint Ventures explained

I’m sure there are a few different definitions of the term Joint Venture, but it’s actually pretty straight forward. It’s simply a way for 2 or more parties to market their services more effectively. This usually means reducing the cost of one’s marketing, increasing the reach of one’s marketing or both. Here’s a common example:

2 or more companies can put a mail shot together, where a piece of marketing from each company is included in the envelope. The cost of the mailing is usually shared between both companies. This is most effective, when YOUR marketing piece is being sent to THEIR mailing list. You should then reciprocate, by offering THEM the same opportunity with YOUR mailing list. This form of cross marketing can be extremely powerful, if you pick the right JV partner.

Joint Ventures and potential hazards

There are a few things you need to consider, before investing in a Joint Venture. These include:

Never do a JV with someone you don’t know or have not thoroughly researched. This week alone, I have seen someone on Twitter, openly recommending a well-known con artist to her clients and friends! Whilst this was not a JV, it is an example of how easy it is to align one’s reputation, with someone that can seriously damage their own good name.
Find a Joint Venture partner, who is in a complimentary but non-conflicting industry to your own. For instance, an accountant could offer my marketing services to her contacts and I could offer the accountant’s services to my contacts. That’s because neither of us offer a service, which might take business from the other.
The most successful JV’s are mutually beneficial. As with any deal, it’s really important that both parties benefit equally. If you find that you’re the one getting all the new business and not the other person, there’s no incentive for them to continue.If this happens, consider offering the other person a commission or reward for anything you generate. Keep it balanced and everyone benefits!

Joint Ventures can be a useful way to reduce your marketing costs and get your message in front of a stack of new, prospective clients or customers.

However, in my next post, I am going to show you something that’s more powerful than a JV and which can help you generate amazing results very, very quickly!

Email marketing and blog marketing – A quick tip!

By Jim Connolly | February 1, 2010

If you use email or blogging to market your services, I believe you will find the following information really useful.

It’s all about the importance of avoiding certain words or phrases in your emails and blog posts, which could get them blocked from reaching your readers.

Whilst there are many different things that can lead to an email getting trapped in someone’s junk mail or spam filters, I’m going to focus on just one of them; the words you use in your blog titles and your email subject lines.

What does blog marketing have to do with email filters?

Many people subscribe to blogs via email. For instance, around 40% of this blog’s RSS subscribers read it via email. So, if the title of one of my posts contains words or phrases that email filters are looking out for, there’s a good chance the post will get trapped in either the readers junk mail folder or it may never reach them at all.

I wrote a post last Friday, which had a title that was essentially a “toxic” phrase. The title was “REVEALED: The fast rack to wealth.” You can see the post here. It also had the opening word written in caps, which is another, lesser, junk mail trigger.

I was curious to see how many people opened it, compared to an average post. There was a drop of around 25%, pretty much what I had expected.

So, whilst it’s a great idea to use blog titles that will capture people’s attention – you need to also ensure that your titles are email friendly (if you offer the option for people to subscribe via email, which I believe you should.)

Email marketing and filters

Titles are also a key element in getting your marketing emails and newsletters past filters and in front of your readers. On my marketing newsletter, I opt for a very simple title: The Jim Connolly Newsletter. Keeping this very basic title format does 2 clever things.

Because it’s familiar, it immediately alerts my readers that the newsletter has arrived. If I used different titles every time, it would be harder for my newsletter to get noticed for what it is.
It contains nothing that’s likely to get trapped in a junk mail filter.

As I said earlier, there are a number of things, which can lead to your marketing email’s getting trapped in filters. Here’s a simple email marketing tip, from one of my first blog posts.