42 Making The Most Of Email Marketing

What Is Email Marketing?

Almost everyone uses email to communicate these days. Most households have a home computer and an email address even if they are not in business. Many people open their emails before they open their post.

Email marketing is what you do when you use the email system we are all familiar with to promote your business to your customers. This may take the form of a simple straightforward email or email newsletter. There are several very good services on the market today that enable you to build email lists easily through website marketing activities and communicate via bulk email as often as you want or need to.

Email marketing can be used for appointment reminders, special offers, useful information or ideas, new product launches, new services, competitions and more.

43 Using Hospitality And Special Days

You can build stronger relationships with both your key customers and prospective clients by inviting them to join you for hospitality at special events. Corporate hospitality is available at a variety of memorable and important events both at home and overseas. A day at the races, a box at the British Grand Prix, a party at the Henley Royal Regatta, tickets for Wimbledon or world cup football are just some of the things you can do. You can provide a special tent or table dedicated to your organisation and the pleasure of your guests. You can organise this yourself or you can use the services of any number of corporate hospitality and event organisers.

You can offer your clients opportunities to find out more about your products and services by creating special events that educate them and provide fun and entertainment at the same time. There is a section in Chapter 11 of this book that focuses solely on how to use events and talks to sell your business.

You can invite clients and their teams to join you and your teams for a day of fun and bonding by going go-carting, playing golf, sailing or partying at a polo match.

You can take your clients out for a special lunch or dinner or to the theatre. You can invite them to special conferences or congresses abroad. Christmas parties or summer barbeques can be a less expensive way of providing fun and entertainment if you have a smaller budget.