Using permission based e-mail is one of
most powerful promotional tools available to any Internet business. What makes an e-mail successful? We believe an e-mail should promote, excite, educate and entertain. Our peers might disagree, they say that an e-mail should only promote. We think promotion is an essential part of an Opt-In e-mail but should not be sole component. In this article, we will talk about important components of a successful Opt-In e-mail. Those components include: * How to create urgency. * What type of promotional vehicle you can use to create urgency. * Content that excites, educates or entertains your customer.
A direct e-mail should be content driven, with an offer. The offer needs to create urgency and that urgency needs to relate to an expressed need that customer has. To create urgency, you need to have a time limit associated with offer. Your offer may be any of following:
1. Discount on products or services 2. A value added purchase 3. Discount on complimentary services 4. Sweepstakes
We have listed types of promotional vehicles you can use, in order that Western Consumers prefer. Recent studies indicate majority of on-line shoppers prefer a discount on products or services over any other type of promotional vehicle.
1. Example of a discount on products of services:
"Receive 10% off on this product if you purchase before October 15th!"
This is a discount on service or merchandise, with a defined time frame. The customer must make a purchase within that time frame, in order to take advantage of discount. If you choose this method, make sure your on-line shopping system is programmed with new price and discount. Do not give discount after defined time frame expires (ex: October 15th). The consumer must believe their window of opportunity is a limited time frame and they will not receive discount unless they purchase within that time frame.
2. Example of a value added purchase:
"Purchase this item before October 15th and receive a similar or complimentary item for free!"
This is a great strategy to use, if you have a new item you would like to introduce to your customers or if you have an old item which you would like to eliminate from your inventory. The customer has to believe there is good perceived value to "value added item" or else there will not be any urgency created and your promotional e-mail will be unsuccessful. This type of promotional e-mail offer, can be very successful but usually is not as successful preceding method.
3. Example of a discount on complimentary services:
"Purchase our product or service before August 15th and receive a 10% discount on your next airline ticket from China Air!"
