Empower Your Employees to Win with Social MediaJanuary 20th, 2010 by Kyle Lacy Posted in bloggingkylelacy.com, Kyle Lacy, Social Media – Indianapolis, Jan 2010

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10 Steps to Encouraging Your Customers to Become EvangelistsJanuary 12th, 2010 by Kyle Lacy Posted in social media | 1729 1 Comment » http://kylelacy.com/10-steps-to-encouraging-your-customers-to-become-evangelists/ 10+Steps+to+Encouraging+Your+Customers+to+Become+Evangelists 2010-01-12+12%3A59%3A30 Kyle+Lacykylelacy.com, Kyle Lacy, Social Media – Indianapolis, Jan 2010

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1) Have a clear identity

Clearly communicating your identity is the number one way to avoid spam complaints. According to a survey by the Email Sender and Provider Coalition, 79 percent of consumers clicked the spam button when they didn’t know who the sender was. Here are two easy ways to make your identity apparent.

·    Use a familiar name in your “from” line. Use the same words your audience uses to identify you or your business. For example, if you’re an online business and your customers refer to you by your domain name instead of your formal business name, put your domain name in your “from” line. If you are your brand, and everyone on your list knows who you are, use your name.

·    Include your brand. Insert your logo into the upper left or center of every email and include image descriptions (alt text) of your company’s name for readers who have images disabled.

2) Send only relevant content

Consumers expect their email subscriptions to deliver value. According to eMarketer, 46 percent of Internet users say the commercial emails they receive are not targeted to their needs. Since your email list is likely to include people with a variety of interests, take these interests into account before you send.

·    Send surveys and polls to learn about preferences. Don’t assume you know what people want – ask! You can conduct a formal survey before starting a major email campaign or use ongoing polls to get small bits of information over time and adjust your strategy as you go.

·    Offer choices on your sign-up form. Some consumers want to receive promotions, while others only want informative newsletters. Offering options helps you make your emails relevant.

·    Use click-through data to target future messages. When people click on your links, they tell you what they are interested in. Use this data to create different email lists.

3) Send only what your subscribers want. Don’t send promotions when they signed up for an email newsletter.

4) Avoid excessive promotion – from recipient’s point of view

Selling your products or services is an important part of your email marketing, but, according to a Jupiter Research survey, 40 percent of consumers said they stopped subscribing to opt-in emails because they were getting too many offers. Sending promotions too frequently might lead to spam complaints.

5) Let them out

Sometimes consumers report legitimate email as spam because they simply want to get off a list and don’t understand the negative impact of hitting that spam button. You can make it easy for people to find the “Unsubscribe” button or instructions and reinforce in communications that they can safely unsubscribe to your list by following the Unsubscribe path.

While no one likes getting spam complaints, you can minimize them. Get permission to send, make your identity clear, send relevant content, and keep tabs on your frequency.

1. A recession is ugly except to companies that realize it is an ideal opportunity to make sales. So, keep up with current events by watching TV, reading daily papers and newsweeklies, accessing online news services, and subscribing to publications within your industry and community. If you do, you can tie in your offerings with what is happening at that moment. 

2. It’s a sad moment in marketing when you get an awesome newspaper story or big-time TV report for a product or service that isn’t yet available – or you really aren’t ready for business. The business owner is so enthralled at the thought of free publicity that news is released before people can buy what he or she offers, or before you’ve worked out all the bugs and salespeople know all the facts. There is no second “launch.” Patience is a virtue.

3. Don’t be in a rush to create your marketing materials. Be thoughtful about your audience and messages to it. Also, keep in mind that to develop materials, you are faced with three variables – speed, quality and economy. Rarely can you get all three, so be prepared to select any two.

4. You’ve created the perfect communication, but it arrives too early in the week, when your prospect is thinking of the week ahead – or too late, when your prospect is thinking of the upcoming weekend. Lesson: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are the best days to have something arrive in the mail, whether e-mail or snail mail.

5. You’ve got a fine product but a limited budget and a lot of competition. Look for what are seen as the slow months. They are when you can attract the most attention the fastest for the smallest investment.

6. Respond quickly to customer requests, orders, questions and complaints. People cherish their time more than ever. Show respect and never waste a minute of theirs.

7.  Everybody receives “seasons greetings” November through January. Consider sending holiday greetings in July, picking another holiday like Valentine’s Day, or spring to show thanks and appreciation.

Feeling a little pinched in today’s (and probably tomorrow’s) economy? Here are 5 fundamental marketing rules for living life in the slow (but safe) lane:

1. Ensure all marketing collateral (Web and offline) are in synch to help you build a cohesive brand that effectively communicates what you do.

2. Take time to really evaluate business opportunities. Don’t just blast through relationships, meetings or assessments. Take time to understand the other person’s business, needs and what’s important to them. Building relationships will eventually lead to business and repeat business.

3. Use the Web for what it’s really meant for – as a highway for communications and commerce. Eighty-seven percent of Internet users today use the Web to research goods and services. Start a blog and be an expert!

4. Know your competitors, whether down the street, across town or around the world. The Web makes it much easier to know who they are and what they’re doing.

5. Communicate with your customers and partners. Whether it’s via newsletter (email or print), the Web or in person. Make sure people have or can easily find your phone number and email address so they can get in touch with you.