Recession Woes? More Business Is Right Under Your Nose!!

Two years ago I had a custom closet built in my bedroom. The closet company did a great job and finished promptly. So I asked them to give me estimates on two other projects. My thought was to do one per year.

Well, as you know, life happens. But this year, when I was finally ready...I couldn't remember the company's name. I couldn't find the receipt from the job. And in all this time, they never called! They never wrote! I haven't heard so much as a peep from them.

I don't get this. Is the closet organization business that great? Is there such a backlog of overflowing closets belonging to women entrepreneur workaholics that this company doesn't feel the need to do any marketing? In a presumed recession?

The truism that it costs 10 times more to get a new customer than to sell additional products and services to existing customers is TRUE. Smart business owners do what they can to continue relationships with customers because the profit is in the second sale: THERE'S NO ADVERTISING COSTS! They use inexpensive tools like a customer database and an automated email marketing service to keep in touch.

Why wasn't I at least invited to receive an email newsletter from this company? I wouldn't mind seeing pictures of other perfect closets (especially since I have two other ones waiting for makeovers). I'd like to get special sale info or any coupons they have.

The email marketing service I use and recommend is Swiftpage. There are hundreds of email service providers but this is the only one that integrates with ACT Software, my database tool of choice. That means there's no need to upload lists, an extra step that prevents a lot of marketers from sending consistent marketing campaigns. And my open / click-thru / and forward results are written back into my customer record so I can data mine by marketing message, campaign or this person's interest in me over time.

Swiftpage rates as my top email service because a 90-day free trial is included with purchase of ACT Software. Then it costs about $55/month to send 3,000 emails. Swiftpage comes with ready-made templates or you can create your own. Deliverability is higher with Swiftpage than sending through Outlook because Swiftpage works with the major ISPs who recognize them as a professional service and not some untraceable spammer out of Nigeria.

Swiftpage also monitors opt-outs (the service is entirely CAN-SPAM compliant, which is a law, not an option). Best of all, it shows me who opened my mail, who clicked on my links (so I see who's interested in what) and it generates call lists of hot prospects I hand off to salespeople for follow up. Salespeople can follow the customer's "Interest score" by looking in the ACT marketing database history.

Swiftpage's advanced version allows "schedule send" or "send as" so I can save time by programming a month of messages in advance to be sent out under the sales rep's name (instead of a spammy from address like sales@ company.com).

Swiftpage just released a drip-marketing version which automates the email newsletter process based on business triggers in your marketing database. What used to be a wish-list item for dedicated business marketers will now be an easy stay-in-touch tool within reach of anyone who wants more customers and referrals.

Like everyone, I get a ton of spam. I delete messages on vitamins, sex aids and stock tips. But a nice newsletter from a company I've done business with before I read (or at least scan). It may even remind my failing memory to place another order that I meant to do anyway.

So don't let customers forget you. The replacement cost of losing a customer is far more expensive than a $55/month email newsletter.

By: Lori Feldman

Lori Feldman is The Database Diva, www.TheDatabaseDiva.com. She works with business owners and sales professionals to protect their #1 asset and squeeze every drop of profits from customers they already have using database marketing. She is a recipient of the prestigious Direct Marketer of the Year Award from the Direct Marketing Assn. of St. Louis and is a nationally recognized speaker on database marketing, mailing lists, CRM and drip marketing. Her monthly ezine, "The Database Marketing Hotwire," won the APEX Award for Newsletter Excellence. Go to www.email-marketing-profits.com for more information on Swiftpage.

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