How do you build an email list? The simplest way is to ask. Ask who? Your existing customers for starters. Oh, and when you ask, offer something of value in return.
The Oven (a great little pizza restaurant in Lakewood, CO) distributes a simple email sign-up form with all their meal checks. It’s simple, it stands out and it offers to keep patrons informed of “events, specials and new dishes” if you sign-up. Mmmm; new dishes; mmmm.
A local cigar & tobacco store I patronize (mmmm; cigars; mmmm)- The Tobacco Leaf – uses their email list to promote new cigars, promotions and, most effectively, their bi-monthly ‘Big Smoke’ at which they provide a free cigar and beverage to everyone who shows up. Believe me, for the $6 they invest in me at each of these events, I generally walk away with $30 in merchandise plus I visit once every week or two to restock. Another benefit to them: When I can, I bring a friend to share a smoke and a brew – viral marketing, dude.
How do they get email addresses? They keep a simple sign-up sheet at the counter.
Both these businesses generate more business through their very simple email strategies. Nothing fancy yet both reap the benefit and more cheaply than if they were to use off-line methods. No printing, no stuffing envelopes or applying postage, no postage. Yeah, they still have to come up with the content and they might have to pay a pro if they want a fancy layout – the extent of the cigar store’s creativity is in employing a variety of font sizes and colors – but overall their costs are a fraction of the expense of an off-line mail program plus it’s easier to get done and therefore more likely to be done.
So do yourself a favor and start asking your customers for their email addresses. Promise you’ll not abuse it or sell it or lend it and that you won’t overuse it. Then DO use it to keep in touch with the kind of information, offers and promotions that your customers want to and will appreciate hearing about. Nothing complicated; doesn’t have to be fancy; but you’ll be surprised at how effective it can be.
Thanks for reading…
tom.gray@gemsolv.com
GeMSolv.com
