| To effectively build a small business email marketing | | | | The company then sends out nicely printed invitations |
| program, having a good and growing email list of | | | | to the party, including the fact that each attendee will |
| prospects and of customers is a critical component. | | | | get a nice kitchen gift (usually a small cutting board |
| Many businesses find the building of a good email list | | | | branded with the remodeler's name & phone). |
| of their customers and prospect to be a daunting task. | | | | Response to these invitations is by RSVP and it |
| There are many ways, if you just think about them a | | | | usually draws a good response rate as human nature |
| little bit, that you can use plain old traditional marketing | | | | causes most people to want to see what the Smith's |
| methods to help build a good email marketing list. | | | | new kitchen is like. |
| A friend of mine owns and operates a kitchen | | | | At the "New Kitchen Celebration" event, the designer |
| remodeling company. He sells in the higher end of the | | | | of the kitchen presents each of the features of the |
| market where his remodeling projects will cost the | | | | new kitchen and how it will benefit the homeowner. |
| buyer more than $50,000 by the time the project is | | | | Attendees are, of course, invited to tour all of the |
| complete. Experience has shown that he gets the vast | | | | aspects of the kitchen on their own and there will be |
| majority of his business from existing client referrals | | | | several remodeler's representatives there to answer |
| and the reputation that his company has earned over | | | | questions. Each attendee is provided with a nice gift |
| the years. He has come up with a wonderful way of | | | | and asked to provide their email address. Discussion |
| continuously adding new prospect names to his | | | | ensues about the many options that people have in |
| company's email list. | | | | deciding what to include in their custom kitchen. |
| After they contract with the client and while the | | | | The email addresses collected are added to the |
| project is ongoing, they ask the client to host a "New | | | | remodeler's email list on AWeber and a double opt-in |
| Kitchen Celebration" party after completion of the | | | | confirmation is sent out. When the email is verified the |
| project. The remodeling company agrees to provide | | | | email address is placed on the company's prospect |
| wine and cheese, hors de oeuvres, as well as small | | | | email list and they will be getting periodic marketing |
| gift for each attendee. Also, while the work is | | | | messages about specific kitchen remodeling issues. |
| progressing, the workers go to neighboring homes and | | | | This educates the prospect about the various issues |
| place a door hanger advising the owner that "Counter | | | | and options, eliminates lower price competition by |
| Dimensions is doing a remodeling project for their | | | | building the value of the workmanship of a custom |
| neighbor, the Smiths, and if they are making too much | | | | remodeling project, and generally endears the prospect |
| noise, creating a mess or otherwise inconveniencing | | | | to the remodeling company. This is small business |
| the neighbor, will they please notify the company at | | | | marketing at its finest! |
| 333-222-5555". | | | | Why not think it through and jot down a diagram of |
| These door hangers tend to perk the curiosity of the | | | | your company's interface with its clients and identify |
| neighbors and they cause neighborhood discussions to | | | | ways that you can invest in good email marketing |
| turn to the Smith's new kitchen. As progress continues | | | | campaigns? You will need to identify ways to collect |
| on the project, the remodeler asks the owner for a list | | | | email addresses proactively. Even if this costs you a |
| of people to invite to the "New Kitchen Celebration" | | | | few dollars (as in providing wine & cheese for a party, |
| and they specifically ask that their friendly neighbors be | | | | sending out invitations, small gifts, etc) you will likely find |
| invited. Of course, people in the same neighborhood as | | | | this considerably less expensive and better targeted |
| the project house will likely be of similar income and | | | | than almost any other way of attracting customers. |
| demographics. This is a great target market! | | | | Nothing sells like a happy customer! |