smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

An email marketing campaign is usually a good option for a business like yours, so it could be that you just need to re-think how you are approaching it. Without knowing exactly how you have run them in the past, it is difficult to know whether it is the content or the selected audience that has resulted in the poor response.

Every email marketing campaign should have a purpose, and be devised in conjunction with other campaigns so as not to overwhelm your target audience.

Consider the following questions:

•    Do you have a clear idea of why you are sending the email? - e.g. to launch a new product or service, announce a special offer, or to inform of a change of address

•    How do you want your audience to react? - e.g. to buy a specific product or service, or to raise awareness of your brand and contact details

•    What is your target market? - e.g. some or all of your existing customer base, or to reach an entirely different audience

•    How can you segment your market? - e.g. divide your target audience by market sector, demographics or customer value and tailor the email to their specific needs

Once you have an idea of the purpose of your email marketing campaign the next step is to compile the mailing list.

This could be a selection of your contacts database or a mailing list that you buy from a specialist agency. The more targeted your mailing list the more likely you are to get a higher number of responses. Not only does it make good business sense to target your campaigns, but it will also ensure that you comply with the current regulations on privacy.

A lot more detail on email marketing schemes is contained in Business Link for London’s free fact sheet. Click here.

Further marketing ideas and guidance can be found on the Business Link for London website. See the ‘Marketing on a Shoestring’ for tips. Click here.

You may also find the Business Link for London ‘Choosing the Right Sales Channels’ fact sheet helpful. Click here.

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