Uses of Email
Email is a communication tool of choice in the connected age. Email is an ideal marketing tool for
Ongoing Communication
You can use email as a cost-effective means to create and send out e-zines. Online newsletters are a fantastic tool to build relationships with your customers. Use email as a tool to maintain relationships with customers and improve your brand awareness. Other types of customer communications include new product announcements, upgrades, sales, news that impacts customers, follow-ups on enquiries and orders.
Service Information
Use email to send a confirmation after a person has purchased your product or service online. Autoresponders can be used to effectively automate the process. You could even send an email to highlight how to get the best out of your product or service.
Customer Service and Follow Up
Use email to handle a range of customer service queries related to your product or service. The secret to success is to answer the incoming emails in a timely fashion. As a rough rule of thumb, replies within 24 hours are acceptable. To achieve this you have to ensure you have the procedures in place to have the query routed to the person who can best answer it.
Direct Marketing
The cost of creating and delivering email marketing is significantly cheaper than off line direct mail. Many marketers quote a much higher response rate with email than off line direct mail. A significant advantage of email marketing is that your reader who finds your offer to be of interest can easily forward your email to friends and associates who might also be interested. This recipient would be more responsive to your offer because it has not come directly from you but rather a friend who is recommending you and your product.
Research
A great way to gain understanding about your customers in order to better meet their needs is to use online surveys. Surveys allow you to access the power of email as a two-way channel of communication to drive improvements in your business.
Speed of Information
Direct marketing is about effectiveness and measurability. However, off line there is a longer time delay in getting results. Email is a very fast response medium. Some estimates suggest more than 75% of responses (to email) are received within three days of being sent. Email allows you to move forward with your learning of customers more quickly than off line direct mail.