Today email is free. Several of my clients take advantage of this by sending email newsletters free. The most popular method of sending such newsletters by far with our point-of-sale system is with MailChimp.
It is one of the best solutions for small-business owners who are just starting email marketing campaigns, mainly because of its free service. For those starting (learning) you can send monthly 12,000 emails to 2,000 subscribers free. This isn’t a trial so you do not need to even put in your credit card details. So my advice try it first, if it does not work out as say you feel after a while that you want something better well at least you will have acquired the necessary experience and knowledge to move on.
Of course, this free service will not come with the necessary bells and whistles that many experienced marketers that knows more and needs more features then clearly for you this is not the best option.
Now the first step is to collect emails, lots of them. The first step is to get our existing client's email addresses into the system.
Please go to cash register reports.
Then go to customers.
Once there select
Customer List (Excel)
Now run the report and it will give you a listing of your customers and their email addresses. You can import that list into MailChimp. I would recommend doing this regularly. That way, your email marketing has all the latest email addresses.
Now run a contest in your shop, to build up your loyalty program. Some ideas my clients use, a free second change at lotto, a cake, a gift voucher, etc. To enter you need to fill out a form or deposit your business card. What you need is about 500 to get it going. We could supply you for your geographic area a list of email addresses for the local businesses too to help out.
Now what you need to do is write an email newsletter which is not much harder to are then writing an advertisement. Make sure you do it at least once a month.
The read rate is about 20+% so on 500 emails you will have 100 readers which is a good start to build on. If you need any help, let me know as I use it and feel I know it very well.
Try using your point-of-sale system to market your business.
Note about Spam.
There are strict laws in Australia about spamming, and check with your association first before sending any email newsletters.
My understanding of the law and I am not a solicitor nor expert in such matters is that if a person gives you, an email address say on a business card, then its okay to send them an email newsletter. If they are in a business that you supply goods that they require like a tap supplier, you can send an email newsletter to a plumber about taps but a solicitor even though they use taps too in their office, you cannot send without permission.
Above all make sure that your email newsletter has your name and address, and an unsubscribe note; you can get into big trouble if you do not.
