| E-mail marketing is a form of direct marketing in which electronic mail is utilized to both communicate with and advertise to highly-targeted commercial prospects. E-mail marketing is popular among astute Internet marketers and this for several reasons. 1) It allows for the targeting of potential new customers; 2) It allows for the continuance of and further development of current business relationships (even after a single sale); and 3) It presents the marketer an opportunity to present offers to a highly-targeted group of individuals who have already chosen to do business with them.
It should be stated at the outset that any e-mail marketing campaign should be one that allows the consumer to “opt in,” i.e., the prospect should request to be contacted, sent special offers, receive newsletters, etc. by the marketer by means of a “sign up” mechanism of some sort, e.g., a web-based form. Preferably, a double opt-in system should be in place over a general opt-in. On the double opt-in system, the consumer would have at least two opportunities to opt-in or out on the offer, whatever the offer may in fact be—once at registration and then, subsequently, each contact with the customer and/or prospect should provide the option to “opt out.”
Great care should be taken (and the first step is to utilize an opt-in system) to avoid marketing media that could be viewed as SPAM (unsolicited bulk e-mail). If there is one thing that is certain with regard to e-mail marketing, it is the fact that consumers hate SPAM! NEVER SPAM your customers. Never.
With the above having been said, there are some distinct advantages to an e-mail marketing campaign over and above print direct marketing. First and foremost, the e-mail marketer, having built a list from his or her niche website, has access to manifold potential customers at the click of a mouse, all of which are already highly targeted and motivated prospects. E-mail marketing is cheap…dirt cheap. By means of e-mail marketing the marketer does not have to wait for consumers to visit his or her website but rather can contact them with offers at will. It can also be performed automatically by means of an autoresponder.
As well, it is much easier to generate repeat business with previous customers and clients. This particular form of marketing also provides for easy tracking of marketing effects and conversions. It is also environmentally friendly as it is paper-free. More importantly to the Internet marketer, however, is the fact that e-mail marketing, when done correctly, produces a very high return-to-investment ratio—it is results oriented and it produces conversions.
So realtors, you have a website and know the importance of Internet marketing in the success of your business. But if you aren’t utilizing e-mail marketing in your arsenal of marketing strategies, well, then you are missing out on profits beyond your wildest imagination. Don’t let the simplicity of the strategy fool you…the personal touch coupled with a highly-targeted audience will bring you the conversions you’ve been hoping for.
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