| Own an ecommerce website? Do you have a | | | | graphics, rather like webpages as opposed to plain |
| mailing list? | | | | text emails. |
| If not, you're potentially leaving a lot of money on | | | | Why? They are far more eyecatching, which is |
| the counter. | | | | essential given the increasing amounts of email we |
| Keeping in touch with your past customers and | | | | get every day. You stand a better chance if you |
| visitors, is one of the easiest and cost effective | | | | include images of your products - after all a |
| methods of increasing your website sales. You | | | | picture is worth a thousand words, right? |
| simply must have a mechanism to collect the | | | | (the only exception to this is people selling non |
| email addresses of both buyers and browsers | | | | tangible products or services - for example, |
| alike. | | | | information products usually work better in text |
| Collecting buyers email addresses is a "no brainer" | | | | emails.) |
| - after all you need to send them confirmation | | | | What should you communicate in your emails? |
| details, receipts etc. Just make sure you ask their | | | | · Special offers |
| permission to keep them up to date on future | | | | Any products that you have put on special offer, |
| special offers. | | | | sale items, end of line stock etc. Adding a |
| Collecting visitor details is a bit trickier, and you | | | | message of limited availability or ends by a certain |
| must offer some kind of incentive in return for | | | | date will help increase response. |
| them handing over their valuable email address. | | | | · Seasonal offers |
| Here are several ways: | | | | Garden furniture and barbecues in Spring, for |
| · A discount voucher off their first order | | | | example. |
| The amount you are prepared to offer will | | | | · Offers tied to special events |
| depend on the profit margin in your business, and | | | | Before the recent FIFA World Cup, I was |
| the drawback is you may only get the email | | | | inundated with special offers on all kinds of TV's |
| addresses of people who were going to purchase | | | | for watching it on. If you can tie your products to |
| anyway. | | | | a popular event in some way, so much the |
| · A competition to win one of your | | | | better. |
| products | | | | · New product reviews |
| Do make sure you are honest and pick a winner - | | | | Reviews of the latest product offerings to hit |
| put past winner details on your site to emphasise | | | | your marketplace, will interest your customers. |
| this | | | | · Technical "how to's" |
| · An insiders buyers guide | | | | If you sell any kind of technical product, your |
| If you offer technical products that can be tricky | | | | customers will appreciate the occasional how to |
| to understand - such as electronics, audio-visual | | | | guide. How to get the best out of your |
| etc, then write a short guide | | | | equipment, top tips, etc. |
| · Special reports or tips guides | | | | Frequency of emails |
| If you sell golf equipment, search for articles on | | | | I wouldn't advise emailing your customers any |
| golf tips online, obtain the authors permission and | | | | more than once a week, and leave it more than a |
| compile them into a PDF report. | | | | month between communications and they are |
| Managing your list | | | | likely to be forgetting about you. |
| Depending on what ecommerce system your | | | | There we have it. Loads of ideas on how to keep |
| website is based on, you may already have the | | | | in touch with your customers, and make sure you |
| ability to manage email lists. If not, use a list | | | | stay at the forefront of their minds. The cost is |
| management service such as Aweber ( which | | | | virtually zero, and the potential returns are |
| allows you to set up autoresponder sequences, | | | | massive. |
| multiple lists and send HTML emails. | | | | What's the cost if you don't? Well, undoubtedly |
| Which brings me nicely to the next *must* . . . | | | | one of your competitors will make the effort - |
| send HTML emails! | | | | and end up seducing your customers away from |
| HTML emails are the ones full of images and | | | | you . . possibly for good. |