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2012: Email Marketing is Dead; 2013 Email Marketing is King – HUH?

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All through 2012, the buzz was “E-Mail Marketing is Dead!”

Now in 2013, most articles are about why Email Marketing is Supreme for Small Business!

HUH?

Actually, the latter is really true. Email is perfect for small business.

But let’s discuss the why of the mixed messaging and why you as a small business owner need to pay attention.

1. Social Media platforms grew exponentially over the last few years.

Soooo, “they” assumed, that because the growth was so rapid, social media platforms would soon replace email and all other traditional forms of marketing and communications.

While that might be true in major metropolitan areas and college campuses, there is still a huge population out there that doesn’t own a SmartPhone or that  only accesses internet through a desktop.

But, email is universal.

Everyone sits down at home and work and checks their email…

Another assumption was that because Social Media platforms are “Free,” that it would be nonsense for anyone to ignore it as a marketing avenue. Again, you can pick up a hammer, but that ain’t gonna make ya a carpenter!

Sure you can create an account for free, but time is money, and it takes time to maintain a social media business page, not to mention at least basic marketing skills. Nothing wrong with that, – all marketing comes with a cost – but that has to be considered.

Then, when it comes to attracting fans, many of those fans are laggers in social media who only use it for sharing funny cat pictures and playing application games. So, getting fans to pursue your page is another form of investment – a good offer to like a page, the giveaway, someone to manage the comments and likes, someone to engage to grow fans… And don’t believe those hucksters claiming to bring you from 0 to 40,000 fans! Fake profiles = fake fans = no rise in insights or revenue.

Now, why was email getting badmouthed:

2. “Free” Email services were springing up all over the place.

Why pay for email service when you can get it for free? Again, because FREE is never really free! You pay a price eventually – think of the hidden cost to you when your email goes to a spam folder and never reaches your intended recipient?

So, if you were judging the effectiveness of free email vs free social media… neither one will bring results so that comparison is probably moot.

They are both an investment in Time and time costs money.

OK, so now what should you invest your time in? Social Media or Email Marketing?

If you are asking this question, it tells me you don’t know your customers or clients. Face it, most of you small business owners have poo-poo-ed SoMe and Email.

Why don’t you let your customers tell you where you should invest your time?

  • Have you noted whether your customer is tapping away on a mobile while they are waiting in line?
  • Have you asked them what platforms they use?
  • Have you invited them to join your email subscriber list?

Stop being an employee of your own business and market your business. How?

  • Find out which Social Media platforms are appropriate for your business and demographic – Start with one and do well, then move on to others.
  • Invest in an email service that fulfills your needs for marketing and has integrated social media tools for efficiency and broader distribution that will attract new subscribers. (want to play around with one for free for 60 days? Click here!
  • And pay Freaking attention to where your customers live online! ASK THEM. SURVEY THEM. TALK TO THEM.
Related articles

I had to Press this: How NOT To Do Email Marketing!

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I saw this link on Quora today and it was such a SPOT ON article, I had to press it onto my blog!

Louis Vuitton missed the mark in this marketing email and this article discusses what you should understand if you send marketing emails to your customer/client database.

And don’t miss the fact that many view their emails (esp on SmartPhones) WITHOUT displaying images.

Click to read…

How NOT To Do Email Marketing.

So I’m NOT supposed to use my usual media ads for Social Media marketing?

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But I was running an ad on Facebook just like the one I run in the newspaper and it didn’t work!

Let me explain why it didn’t work…

Traditional advertising is not social media advertising. In fact, that is why you hear your should “promote” your business through Facebook,  Twitter and the rest, not advertise.  Because Traditional Advertising doesn’t work on social media – or email / online marketing. Period.

This concept of promoting one’s business on Social Media is one of the hardest for small businesses to wrap their head around.

You’ve been marketing for years! So you think marketing is marketing, right? Nope.

You’ve been creating your own ads for years! An ad is an ad is an ad, right? Nope.

Start with realizing that while it’s called Social Media Marketing, it isn’t marketing like you think of marketing.

It’s called Social Media Marketing because you can achieve marketing results, but you shouldn’t market your prospects on it.

CONFUSED?

TRY really hard to forget anything you know about Marketing.

Now think only about repeat/referral business tactics.

  1. How do you get repeat business?
  2. How do you get referrals?
  3. How do you increase customer loyalty?

Take the time to answer each one of these. If you are successful in your business at all, you KNOW the answers.

NOW, translate those answers into how you should use Social Media.

In other words…

Your posts should consist of you doing the same things you do to achieve 1-3 above.

Your pictures should consist of what  you normally would be showing your customers on site and / or of what they would experience on site.

You’ll increase your fan base and insights by focusing primarily on your answers to #3.

Is this making sense? Are you noticing there’s little to no selling here? Are you noticing you are to focus on building customer relationships?

Try to think of social media as your neighborhood… People there know your name, your business name, what you do, what you sell, and more.

Is every conversation about your business? Is it necessary for you to remind them daily about who you are and your business? Do you talk only about product and pricing? Notice your answer to all of these is NO. Those neighbors would be hiding from you if you answered yes!

You cannot expect immediate results from social media. You didn’t get to know your neighbors in a day, nor they you. That’s why social media is a build. But the beauty of it is, once they know your name on social media, they are less likely to forget it because they’ll continue to see it over and over in their visits to their social media. All you have to do is be yourself.

So, back to ADS.

When you create an ad, your goal is not to get a rush at your store for some instant business. Your goal is to build relationships. So, the idea is to attract them to your page for a like. They’ll get to know you after that.  While you are building your fan base, continue your regular methods until you have enough fans to let go of that expense! And don’t forget to include a request to like or follow on your ads, your email signature, and any online presence you have.

Expected better results from your new Facebook and Twitter business pages? Get serious!

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grand opening by draganm

grand opening by draganm   toonpool.com

New users of Facebook and Twitter for small business lead generation are often disappointed in the lack of immediacy in big results. Frankly, that’s a bit like expecting total weight loss on the first day of a diet – especially when you don’t follow the plan.

Rethink traditional marketing vs. social media marketing for your small business.

Say you just started your new storefront small business (and these principles still apply for a non-brick and mortar business, so keep reading if that’s you).

Your grand opening.

You spend a small fortune on media to publicize the event to all of your desired local territory and demographics. Press releases, a PR person,  extra staff to handle the grand opening crowds, food, balloons, prizes, … oh, and  don’t forget that expensive 1-time use “Grand Opening” banner.

Let’s agree that the budget for this one weekend event is typically a small fortune. CDB and in a big way! (Cost of Doing Business)

But you have to let them know you’re here, right?!

But, what’s the reality? The event is over in a flash, and typically the sales aren’t what you expected and you didn’t draw as many people from the ads as ad sales said you would.

There is good news. The people who DID come are now aware of your business. You connected with them and got them excited about your product or concept, and they now know where you are. And you got those grand opening jitters behind you…

So, what comes next if you are only using Traditional Marketing?

After the grand opening, you set forth to make the most of every contact made, and every future customer. You train your people to engage and  connect with your customers so you’ll be remembered for excellent customer service. You observe the responses of your customers to different products and sales techniques and adjust accordingly for better success next time.

You recognize that it is a build… that success does not typically come overnight (unless you are selling the latest version of the iPhone!), and that building of relationships with your customers – each and every one of them – is crucial. Why? Because you know that repeat business is key to survival and that your customers are your best advertisement.

You continue to spend for periodic media messaging via newspaper and radio. Again, you are willing to invest in many ways to keep the momentum going to draw new customers…

Ok, now Social Media marketing.

You create or hire someone to create your Facebook and Twitter business pages. Maybe even hire a graphic designer and social media consultant to make sure you present the best first impression and have all the necessary bells and whistles for the ideal visitor experience.

Then you think you are done.

You didn’t opt for the coaching and training in usage that was offered. Since it’s JUST social media, you think – how hard could it be? You begin to post updates all about your business and your product and you wonder where the response is… Where are the likes, the fans, the leads that are supposed to be generated?

Hmmm…. maybe it’s because you don’t apply all the hard work principles and investment of time, money, and effort into social media marketing that you did for traditional marketing?

Social Media is supposed to be FREE, right?

Wrong. The online tools are free, but just like opening your physical location, you have to spend time and money for you and your designated staff to learn how to use it properly or hire the right people to do it for you for the best results.

Think about the major time and money investment you have made in traditional marketing: training, staff, scripts, signage, fancy shopping totes, business cards, brochures, flyers…  You may say to yourself, it’s time-tested over generations, so of course traditional marketing is part of the budget. But it’s not working like it used to…

So why are you treating social media marketing like the red-headed stepchild of your business?

Because you don’t know what you don’t know. Traditional marketing has been around for so long that it you accept it as a worthy investment and a  CDB.

But the small business’ best advertising vehicles – print media and radio – are dying. The few options left are so outrageously expensive that a small business can’t afford them.

But many of you are realizing this only now.

Many of you have seen your business dwindle down, the economy is making it worse, and you are now seeing the light in the usage of Social Media. The 60+ boomer business owner is the latest group to recently come to this realization…

But your frustration and the bills mounting are causing you to lose sight of the necessary investment for social media. Yes, you can do it all yourself, but that learning curve is long… And can you really afford to take time away from running your business to devote enough time to social media?

The cost for effective Social Media and Email Marketing is still incredibly low compared to the cost of traditional marketing.  Yes, it’s harder to measure social media ROI, but the numbers on traditional marketing ROI have never been the most accurate either. Sure it’s tough to change marketing strategies, but when it’s for the better, it’s worth it.

Reality check: Traditional marketing doesn’t work anymore for small business. Social Media does.

Are you ready to take Social Media seriously now?

Social media isn’t successful because of its tools, it’s the connection.

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http://t-shirtguru.com/product-images/facebook-where-everybody-knows-your-name-t-shirt-bustedtees-2.jpg

Social media success wasn’t created by its tools (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, …); Those tools are successful vehicles for people to connect.

So, Small Business owners, why aren’t you using Social Media to actually connect with your customers?

Don’t look to the big business guys for social media strategies. Big businesses have a handicap. They know they can’t connect on a personal level because they have far too broad a reach and whole populations of followers. They HAVE to offer coupons and events to keep visitors coming back. They know that if you can’t connect, you have to offer something. Big business ENVIES small businesses’ ability to personally connect with their customers.

Small business should recognize their unique ability to reach customers on a far more personal level. Isn’t that why you chose a small business? To be able to connect with those with whom you do business? To have pride in your community connection and offerings? To be able to say, “that’s MY store and my community comes to see ME for what I offer!”

Big businesses have the handicap of anonymity. They HAVE to rely on traditional marketing to attract followers – even on their Social Media pages. Coupons, events, gimmicks… they have to work hard to have something new and exciting everyday to keep followers interested – there is no real connection other than “what’s in it for me to come back to your page?”

But when small business gets on Social Media, it’s golden! The page owners and the visitors have a place to relax, share a personal story, have some fun, talk to people, share the results of their efforts and invite others to come in, sit down and catch up with what’s happening! Your page is the corner pub and you are the owner behind the bar!

Social Media tools are most successful for small business when they are NOT about traditional marketing and gimmicks. Consumers and clients love getting to know the person BEHIND the brand when they visit small business pages.

Why do we join local community organizations, neighborhood health clubs, join a local sports team, hang out at a local pub? You know the answer – because it builds familiarity and personal recognition. It creates acceptance into the unknown. The ability to feel like you fit in somehow. The comfort zone of being able to be yourself and connect with others. That’s what small business can provide.

It’s about how the family shoe shop around the corner has a way of making my son like shopping for shoes. It’s the neighborhood hair salon stylist who asks about my last business venture. It’s the specialty neighborhood gift store that reminds my husband that Mother’s day is coming up and did he know that I had mentioned I liked the wall hanging that is still available?

Why is there freedom in familiarity? Because we don’t have to make an effort to fit in. We already fit in. And those whom we have chosen to be familiar with are those who support us in our search for comfort, who give us that tip, that leg up, that pat on the back that feeling that it’s OK that you need help…

Think about it. A first visit to a small businesses can be intimidating to new customers. The building is usually small, there frequently are few to no customers inside, it’s tough to blend into the environment and be left to explore alone. A new customer can feel “put on the spot” because they are front and center with a “stranger” – YOU.

Ok… now imagine this…

Your customer prospect needs your product or service. They’ve never heard of your business. They go to the web and not only does the search cultivate websites, but also social media activity. They see a Facebook post where you personally answer a customer’s question related to their needs. They click on it, they browse your other posts, soon they are looking at your “About” section to see if you are located nearby.

If they see that personal connection and sense of community on your page, they can already feel connected with you because you have shown your responsiveness to others. They want that, too. So now their guard is down, and they want to come check you out in person…

Do you think if your page only had posts about product that visitors would feel that same kind of connection? Of course not.

Why is it so hard for businesses to see that is what people are seeking on your business page. A comfort zone. A sense of familiarity and a place where someone cares about their needs and responds to them. And it’s comforting to see that other visitors have some of the same questions and concerns they do. And they smile inside when they see the sincere exchange between you and your visitors.

And that’s what builds a community… :)

You can build a community on your Facebook business page, on Twitter, on LinkedIn, and more… and, yes, they WILL come.