Let's Warm Up
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As hard as I’ve tried to get this client to budget for giveaways, discounts and prizes for their email program, for the most part it hasn’t worked. In fact, my urging has backfired and made my client a little ticked at me. However, I firmly believe that by giving special discounts, prizes for contests, special subscriber only offers and so forth, I am helping my clients build an effective email campaign value exchange formula.

Let me explain. I understand budgets and all the reasons why you might not want to “give stuff away”, but most marketing emails – whether they are newsletters or e-flyers – sway heavily toward a higher sender value exchange vs. a higher customer value exchange.

When I talk with clients about increasing their email’s customer value exchange, I ask them to think of it as not how much they are giving away, but what they are getting in return. For instance, does a monthly discount or freebie, such as a contest, help instill goodwill and loyalty? Does it create interest? Does it encourage opens and clicks and does it encourage forwarding to a friend?

Virtually every email interaction revolves around an exchange of value. Customers grant their permission for you to send them emails in exchange for what they perceive as receiving valuable information or services from your organization. So, in addition to all your great content, consider spicing it up a little and give them something that shows how much you appreciate them.

In 2007, I encourage you to think outside of the email in-box and get creative on new ways to warm up to your customers and make them feel valued and appreciated.

Spend some time this month to plan your 2007 content formula and be sure to consider and budget for things you can do to improve the customer value exchange of your email marketing program.

So go ahead and warm up to your subscribers and make them feel special and appreciated.

Happy Holidays,

Mona Belcher
President

e-Marketing Strategies
817-459-1917
www.e-marketingstrategies.net

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