Stay in touch with your customers... the EASIEST WAY there is!

You gotta love technology!!

OK, maybe some days you would like to defenestrate that annoying box on your desk, but most days, we don't know how we survived without them.

Thanks to the internet and online services like Constant Contact, it is SUPER EASY to stay in touch with your customers. I've been using their service for a couple of years for one of my clients, and recently I've quit spinning my own wheels and have laid the ground work for my own regular mailings.

"But Patti," I know you're thinking, "I already prepare a newsletter and send it out to my customers on email."

Ah. Yes, I have seen those. The <shudder> Publisher file you convert to PDF and send out as an attachment, right?

Guess what?

There's a good chance those newsletters are not getting through to your list.

Why?

Any number of reasons:

They can't open the attachment.
They can open the attachment, but they can't read it because the fonts weren't embedded correctly.
Their email server or software rejects emails with attachments to prevent infecting their systems with "malware".
Or they simply think, much like you might, "I don't have time to open this now, I'll look at it later..." and just never get back to it.

And I'll bet you didn't know this... if you send an email to more than 15 people at a time from your personal/business email account, many mail servers will automatically flag your message as spam and block your emails from EVER reaching another customer on that server again.

Oh yeah... if someone complains that you are spamming... oy. It really gets ugly.

Never mind the simple fact that you can't track the response rate from your newsletter this way! So you have no idea whether or not your efforts are paying of in increased sales, more traffic to your website... nothing.

By using a service like Constant Contact, you avoid all the headaches of people not opening attachments, or not being able to read them. The email appears in their inbox exactly as if it were a printed page, with columns, pictures, headlines, everything (unless they opt for text-only emails, they simply get content with no frills).

And you can track the responses to your campaign with their reporting tool. You can tell how many subscribers opened the email, how many "clicked through" to your site, and to what page. You can even see how many people forwarded the email to friends, which can lead to MORE SALES!!

See that handy-dandy sign-in box at the top of the page?

You can have one too...

Email Marketing by Constant Contact is the easy, effective, and highly affordable way to get your message out. It helps you create professional-looking emails—fast and with no technical expertise—and build strong, successful, and lasting relationships with your customers, clients, or members. With more than 160 easily customized HTML email templates, a step-by-step Email Wizard, and point-and-click interface—you can create highly visual, compelling email newsletters and promotions in just minutes. Email Marketing makes it easy for you to manage your contact email lists...measure email campaign results from clicks to open rates...and review who joined your email list.

Like most everything else on this website, I've created three bundles of services for you so you too can get on the email marketing bandwagon...

Package #1: Fly Solo

Click this link to try Constant Contact completely FREE for 60 days! Follow their "template wizard" to create your email, upload your contact list* and start mailing today!

After your 60-day trial, if you wish to continue to use the service, just subscribe for a low monthly fee, and continue to build your list and keep your customers in the loop.

Constant Contact-Trial

* Free trial limited to 100 contacts.

Package #2: Set Me Up

With this package, you still get the FREE 60-day trial of Constant Contact, but I help you get set up and rolling.

We discuss ways you can use your account, ideas for content, and what your long-range goals are. I design a branded template for you to use, help you upload your contacts, set up your subscription box (like mine at the top of the page) and get your first mailing done.

Finally, I train you and your staff on how you can carry on with your email marketing. You develop the content, promotional offers, everything – I just get you started for a low one-time fee of $497 CDN*.

* Plus your Constant Contact subscription fee.

Package #3: Do It For Me... PLEASE!!

OK, OK. So maybe you're a little unnerved about writing a regular newsletter to your customers. Maybe you have lots to say, but you have enough to do as it is. Or maybe you just want someone who knows what they're doing to take care of this for you.

This is the Package for you. Throw in everything from Package #2 – the brainstorming, the long-term goal setting, the branded template, everything.

Now add in on-going support on a monthly basis. I manage your account. I meet with you regularly to plan content and develop promotions. I write the content for you. I source images for you. I give you quarterly reports on what has worked, and what can be improved.

I take care of you, and you take care of your business.

If you think you could use a right arm to take care of what could be a fantastic income-generator for your business, consider this package. You get professional email marketing service and consulting for only $197 CDN per month*.

* Plus your Constant Contact subscription fee.

Still not sure about all this? Drop a line, and we'll discuss your alternatives.

Winning Designs for YOUR Business.
mouse-jockey.com
P.O. Box 70002
Olds, Alberta, Canada
T4H 0A3
403.556.7537

Tuesday, August 12, 2008 12:55 PM