Knowing what to put in your email newsletters is as important as creating one. Some companies say that the money is in your list, but if you don’t send out regular emails you’ll miss out on the additional income that an email newsletter can generate. It’s important not to overthink each newsletter that you send out. Keep them simple, not too long, and always point the reader to something else such as something to buy, share or do.
Today we’ll be sharing 9 different ideas on how you can make your newsletters provide great content to your readers. There are so many different things you can include, just think about when a publisher creates a magazine. They include many items, including great articles, advertising, and different sections that their readers would like. So, we are starting with some simple items for you to consider.
First Items to Consider
Tips and Tricks – It’s great to include a list of tips and tricks for your readers in your email newsletter. If you send out a daily newsletter, you could make once a week a list of ten tips or tricks to use that involve putting your services or products to their best use.
Special Offers – You don’t have to send out a special offer every newsletter. But if once a month or so you offer your newsletter subscribers an offer that no one else is getting just for being a subscriber, you’ll make them feel special. People love the feeling of being a part of your business. It’s great when you share exclusively with your subscribers.
Knowing What to Put in Your Email Newsletters can Provide Opportunities for your Readers
Engagement Opportunities – Give your newsletter subscribers an inside way to meet up with you, either through live meet-ups or online webinars. Having one webinar a quarter or more often is a great way to engage your newsletter subscribers. Google Hangouts is a great way to accomplish this. You can even offer Q&A’s.
Early Bird Notices – Tell your list subscribers about new products before you announce them to the world. Giving them a few days to purchase at a discounted “early bird” rate is a great thing to include in your email newsletters.
Get Your Readers Involved
Feedback Questions – Using your email newsletter as a way to get feedback on potential new products or services is a great way to encourage engagement. You can do it via questionnaire or poll.
Testimonials – Including a section for customer testimonials is a great way to recognize your clients as well as to provide social proof to newsletter subscribers who have not purchased from you yet.
Give Them Something Extra
Share Buttons – Inviting your newsletter subscribers to share certain newsletters that don’t have exclusive material is a great way to improve your subscription rate, and will also make your current members feel included in your community.
Opt-Out Information – While this could be covered under legal notifications, it’s important that you include opt-out information that is easy to find in every single newsletter that you send out. Don’t be worried about subscribers unsubbing. It’s better to have a clean list of people who want to be there than a list full of people who resent getting your information.
And In The End
This last step is important. You want your readers to “see” what you’re discussing in your newsletters. So, add in pictures and interesting media content.
Visuals – Just because you’re emailing someone doesn’t mean you can’t include images. Consider adding video clips (or links to clips), charts, memes, infographics, or photos that relate to your content. Make your email visually appealing.
Ensure that you include a variety of different things in your email newsletter. Make sure that they are designed to get a response and you won’t be disappointed in the results. In addition to the nine items above, never forget to include a call to action (CTA) in each newsletter that you send out. Without a CTA there is no point to the newsletter. So, be clear about that before you start.
We have a wonderful course on email marketing that would be a great start to get your business started in the right direction. You will get so many great ideas on all the details that should be included in your marketing efforts. You can find that course here on our course platform.
In today’s article, we are going to discuss the 9 Creative Ways to Personalize Emails and why it’s important to your business. Just like systems, which we will continue to discuss here, it’s critical to stay in touch with your audience so you are in their mailbox several times per month.
Depending on the email marketing software you use, it’s important to learn all the features that it has so that you can use it to its fullest potential. You might not even be aware of all the things your email marketing software can do. If you aren’t sure, consider seeking out someone who is an expert with your software choice. You want everything set up to be the most effective and the most personal in nature.
Use Your Creativeness To:
Craft Interest-Targeted Email Messages– Use the software to capture the information needed. You’ll want to personalize and craft email messages toward what your subscriber wants to know about. This is an important way to move your subscribers enough to purchase from you. Capturing the right information will enable you to point your subscribers to products and services that they want. By using the 9 Creative Ways To Personalize Your Emails your subscribers will get to know, like, and trust you.
Create Geocentric Messages– It is likely that your email software allows you to capture location-based information from subscribers. This location-based information can be used for a variety of purposes. From marketing events in their area, to encouraging them to visit your location if you have a local brick-and-mortar business.
Always Be Original With Your Content:
Let Them Define What Information They Want– Send a poll or checklist to subscribers that lets them define what information they want to get. This is a good way to find out exactly what your subscribers need and want to hear from you.
Acknowledge Purchases Made– Each time a purchase is made it’s important to acknowledge it with a thank you. But to also move them off a list that keeps promoting that item. If they feel like you’re harassing them to buy something they already have, they won’t respond too well when you market something new to them. By using the 9 Creative Ways To Personalize Your Emails your email subscribers will begin to depend on you to send them what they are looking for when it comes to future purchases.
Encourage Social Sharing– Put social share buttons on appropriate email messages so that your subscribers can help you get more people to sign up for your email marketing lists. This is a type of personalization that encourages them to share with their friends but also encourages them to friend, like, and follow you on other social channels.
Be Inventive With Your Emails
Insert Predefined Fields– Most email programs allow you to insert different predefined fields. For example, if you have a website that is devoted to selling art, you could send a questionnaire to your audience asking them what their favorite style is. Then the software will not only trigger the right emails to go out based on that style, but it will also mention the style within the email message. If they don’t fill it out, it will insert some other value that you choose into that predefined field.
Use Date Insert Fields– It’s important for many of your emails to be pre-crafted, but you can make the email message look as if it was just created by using the date insert field. Then the email message looks timelier. With that function, in conjunction with special sales pages that also show the current date, you can personalize by keeping everything looking current.
Use Your Creative Thinking Skills
Use Retargeting Technology– When someone visits your website or buys something, it’s important to use the technology available to you to retarget them for buying something more. When your user receives your email and opens it, a software program can be used to install a cookie. This will then allow specialized ads to be delivered to the user when they visit various web pages. By appreciating the 9 Creative Ways To Personalize Your Emails, you will feel much better when you email your future clients.
Ask for Reviews for Products Purchased– Whenever a customer buys a product, send them a thank you message and then a series of follow-up messages. One of these can be a request for a product review, after giving them enough time to try and use your product or service. The form they fill out for the review will also ask for more information about them that you can use for further targeted marketing.
Even though most consumers are savvy enough to realize that a lot of email marketing is automated today, they still respond better to more personalization than less. Therefore, if you want to compete with others, it’s imperative that you use your software to its fullest potential. Do this by using as much personalization as the software it capable of doing.
10 Tips & 10 Mistakes to Avoid When Entering Business Negotiations
How are your negotiating skills? You may not realize it, but negotiating is something you do every day. So developing good negotiation skills is important both in business and life. To become a great negotiator, you need to master a specific set of skills. Luckily, anyone can do it – all it takes is awareness and practice. This article will show you the 10 Tips and 10 Mistakes to avoid when entering business negotiations. It’s a very hot topic right now as we’ve seen in some groups on Facebook.
Here are 10 tips to help you improve the outcomes and value of all your negotiations, along with 10 common mistakes to avoid.
10 Tips When Entering Negotiations
Tip #1 – Set the Scene
Create an environment that’s conducive to a successful negotiation. It should be relaxing, with few distractions. Don’t use a meeting room or other venue that might feel cold and intimidating. It should be casual so that you can foster a personal connection.
Tip #2 – Aim for a Win-Win
The goal of negotiation isn’t just to get what you want. Good negotiation results in both parties walking away happy with the results. When preparing and discussing with the other party, focus on what ideas would benefit both parties, not just one.
Tip #3 – Start with Areas of Agreement
Open the discussion by stating your areas of agreement. Give the other party a chance to correct or clarify. Once you’ve established this, you have a positive foundation on which to tackle disagreements.
Tip #4 – Prioritize Your Objectives
Before the meeting, list your objectives. Choose one or several things you want to get out of the negotiation. Prioritize these so you can focus on the most important first. You may not get everything you want, but you’ll get the ‘must-haves’ that will render the negotiation a success.
Tip #5 – Do Your Homework
How well do you know the other party? Research and get to know them. Know their objectives and try to anticipate what they will say when you discuss yours. Understanding the other party is essential for choosing concessions and alternative ideas.
Tip #6 – Prepare Concessions
Choose a few concessions – things you could give up or add to the deal that would benefit the other party. Planning these ahead of time will give you a better position from which to negotiate.
Tip #7 – Be Assertive
Be assertive. Don’t be shy about stating what you want. You’ve identified your most important objectives already, so stick to these. Discuss ideas and options, always keeping your ‘must-have’ objectives in mind.
Tip #8 – Keep an Open Mind
Although you should be assertive and stick to your most important objectives, be open-minded and ready to consider alternatives. When you discuss the points you disagree on, the other party will offer ideas. The two of you will consider various options to find something that will work.
Tip #9 – Practice Active Listening
Among other things, active listening involves repeating back to the other person what they’ve said, to check for understanding and to demonstrate your attentiveness. By paraphrasing and summarizing, you can also make sure you understand their position fully.
Tip #10 – Focus on Relationship Building
Aim for a good outcome in this negotiation, but also make it a priority to build a strong relationship with the other party. This ensures that future negotiations will be successful too.
10 Mistakes to Avoid When Entering Negotiations
Mistake #1 – Poor Planning
Never go into a negotiation without preparing adequately. You’ll need to prioritize your objectives, research the other party, plan concessions, and anticipate their objections and questions so you can respond to them.
Mistake #2 – Lack of Confidence
Don’t be intimidated! Negotiation is a discussion where you each state clearly what you want and then try to reach a mutually beneficial outcome. It’s not a battle, but a conversation. If you feel nervous, practice some mindfulness exercises and deep breathing just prior to the meeting.
Mistake #3 – Getting Straight to Business
Don’t launch straight into negotiations. Start by building rapport so you feel a personal connection with the other person. After some small talk about common interests, lead the conversation naturally into the discussion.
Mistake #4 – Thinking It’s ‘Winner Takes All’
You’ll both walk away from the meeting with some of your objectives met and some compromises made. Going into the meeting unwilling to concede anything is not negotiating, it’s steamrolling.
Mistake #5 – Forgetting about Relationships
Make sure you keep in mind the relationship you have with the other party. Try to create an outcome that not only satisfies both parties now but also paves the way to a stronger relationship going forward.
Mistake #6 – Being Aggressive
Don’t let things get emotionally heated. If you feel aggressive or hostile, this won’t lead to a good result. The discussion should be calm and measured.
Mistake #7 – Focusing on YOU
Your interests will be top of mind, but the negotiations shouldn’t be all about you. Don’t forget to acknowledge the needs of the other party and consider their perspective and objectives.
Mistake #8 – Shying away from Disagreement
Don’t be afraid to disagree. Disagreement is where you find issues to work on together, eventually reaching a solution. State disagreements in a soft and friendly way.
Mistake #9 – Failing to Nail Down the Details
Once you’ve reached an agreement, nail down the details. Decide what actions each party must take and what deliverables are needed, and then come up with clear deadlines.
Mistake #10 – Not Getting It in Writing
Get these agreement details in writing, even if it’s just in a follow-up email. This will help ensure both parties are on the same page.
10 Tips and 10 Mistakes
Which ones were your favorites? Are you making any of these mistakes? Just make sure that the contracts you’re using, spell everything out explicitly. No need for refunds, tears, or disappointments. If you need help, please reach out to us. Book a call, might be the best thing you’ve ever done for your business success. We’re here for you. Book your Free Call TODAY! Totally worth your time.
Follow these tips and avoid these mistakes and you will be well on your way to mastering the essentials of negotiation.
Want to learn more about how you can master the essentials of negotiation?
You can add a personal touch to your customer service when you use postcards or greeting cards to reach out to your customers. They make your customers feel valued, and in an increasingly digital world, your brand stands out when you send a card or gift through the postal system.
Look for One of A Kind Cards
If you are sending a card, make it something special. Skip the cheap, blank notecards, and don’t go for bland. You want to send a card that your customers will pin to their bulletin board or share on social media. You want a special card. Once your customer knows it is not junk mail.
One place where you can find unique and original cards is Etsy. There are hundreds of hand-made greeting cards that you can search for on the site. You can even have one custom designed for your customer if you want.
Try Send Out Cards
Another option that you may want to consider is Send Out Cards. This is a website where you can select a greeting card you like and have it sent to your new customers. It works similarly to stock photo sites in that you buy credits for a certain amount of money. You use your credits to purchase cards and upload your signature, so it looks like you signed the card. Then it’s sent out like a regular letter to your customer.
Send Out Cards will let you keep a contacts database to send birthday cards to your customers. But it’s not just for birthdays—there are plenty of holiday-themed cards to choose from, too. Whether your clients celebrate Christmas, Kwanzaa, or Hanukkah, you’re sure to find a card that’s right for them. Using postcards and Send OutCards makes it easy for your business to use.
Use Reminders to Make Personal Connections
Your new client just mentioned she’s expecting a little one in six months. Pause to add this info to your calendar and set a reminder ahead of time. You can put something simple like, “Jane’s baby is due in June. Send a card.”
Sites like Send Out Cards, have a gift area that’s perfect when you want to add something special to your card. You can send your customers a treat like a fantastic brownie or tasty fudge. Of course, you can opt for a non-food item if you prefer. You can include a gift like a necklace, a toy plush, a beautiful scarf, or any number of genuine products.
Sending out cards to your customers is a small personal touchthat will delight them. It shows that you care not only about their business but also their lives. When your customers feel you care, they are excited to work with you.
Today’s article is about making customer phone calls. A straightforward way to go above and beyond in your customer service is to start calling new customers when they purchase from your site. The goal of your call isn’t to sell your customer something else or convince them to upgrade what they bought. Instead, you want to use this call to thank them for their purchase.
Offering Help To Your Customers
After you thank your customer, ask if they need any help. Please make sure they can download the product they bought. If they couldn’t access the product, help them do that immediately. You may have to send another login link, explain how to save a product, or guide them into finding where their downloads are stored on their device.
When making new customer phone calls, you may also want to ask follow-up questions to give insight into the purchasing process. For example, you might say, “Did anything trip you up while you were buying? If so, would you share that with me so I can fix it for future customers?”
Touch Base With Your Customers
Sometimes, you’ll follow up after a new customer purchases a service from you, like coaching or virtual assistance. In these cases, use your follow-up call to learn something about your customer. So when making new customer phone calls, use the information to your advantage.
You might say, “I’m calling you to thank you for your business and ask if there’s anything you need from me. We’ll be in touch later on, but in the meantime, is there one thing you want me to know about you before we begin working together?”
Your customer may share insights into their lives by saying, “I want you to know that my son’s getting married this year. I’m super focused on making more money in less time to enjoy this season with my family. That’s why I signed up for your services.”
Keep It The Follow-up Call Quick
Since your call is unsolicited, be mindful of how long you keep your new customer on the phone. A short window to aim for is around five minutes. Your call might last longer if a customer needs help or points out a problem. But as a general rule, you want to keep your call quick.
Let Your Virtual Assistant Call
If you get a sudden influx of new customers, you may not be able to handle all of the follow-up calls yourself. In this case, it can be helpful to outsource these chats to a virtual assistant that you trust. Tell your VA to reach out to new customers and make a personal connection.
You can even create a brief script if you want to. Something simple usually works best. Your VA might say, “Hi, I’m Jodie, and I handle tech support for Solopreneur Services, LLC. I wanted to thank you for your recent purchase of ABC product. Were you able to download it successfully and use it?”
Your virtual assistant should also use this opportunity to share a phone number or email address where the consumer can reach support if they need it later. Little touches like that may not seem like much at first, but they make customers positively view your brand.
Give your customers remarkable customer service, and they will pay attention. The more you serve them, the more they’ll want to tell others about your brand, and your business will flourish.
Discover how to make exceptional customer service the cornerstone of your brand when you download your free workbook.
About Us
Hello to all of our visitors. Linda Henslee Enterprises provides Project Management Services to other online business owners. Need our services? Use our contact form to get in touch with us.
