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Case Study: How Email Marketing Can Grow Your Business

By Karyn Zoldan, http://www.BridgeMarketing.com

Mary Johnson, principal of http://www.WebSiteHelper.com publishes a monthly enewsletter. Her savvy subject lines ("Is Your Website Ready for Dr. Phil" and "Give Away Information & Make Money Doing It") tempt me to read them religiously.

I sat down (virtually) with Mary and here’s some information that she graciously shared:

KZ: Who is your target audience?

MJ: Savvy business people (small to medium sized business owners, managers) who want to learn how to grow their business.

KZ: Does your newsletter have a name?

MJ: Yes, The Big Picture

KZ: How long have you published your enewsletter?

MJ: 2 years

KZ: What are the advantages and disadvantages of a newsletter?

MJ: Advantages:

• Keeps my name in front of my target market. They may not need WebSiteHelper services now, but when they do, hopefully I will be first in their mind.
• Publishing monthly forces me to stay current with my industry and technology
• Keeps me challenged to find fresh and interesting ways to show my value and relevance to my potential audience.

Disadvantages:

• Can be time consuming.
• Not for everyone. An enewsletter requires someone who can write in a conversational manner and uncover topics of interest to minimize unsubscribers.
• Must be consistent to be effective.

KZ: How do you grow your list?

MJ:

• I subscribe to another enewsletter that was looking for enewsletters to review. I submitted The Big Picture for consideration, was mentioned, and received 15 new subscribers within an hour.

• I include a sign-up link in the footer of my email
• I mention it on my voice mail message.
• It is in the banner of every page of my Web site.
• I mention it at my Business Network International (BNI) networking group each week.

KZ: What has been your best tactical move?

MJ: Not trying to be like everyone else, but trusting my instincts and writing about topics that I find interesting that are related, or somewhat related to the purpose of the enewsletter.   In my case, either a business or technology tip to grow their business.

This covers a wide area and allows me to address general marketing issues, specific Internet marketing techniques, Web site design, enewsletters, – basically all the services I provide.

The goal is to keep readers subscribed by delivering interesting/entertaining/insightful information that they can use. You know you are doing something right when they comment about looking forward to each issue.

Useful has many interpretations. Something can be useful by simply being a great story that they can tell to a colleague or potential client in order to start a conversation. That conversation could help build a trusting relationship that could eventually lead to a business opportunity. You never know.

KZ: If you could change anything about your newsletter what would it be?

MJ: I keep improving the design. I like it now, but it doesn’t match my Web site at all. I wish they were more alike for branding purposes.

KZ: Has the newsletter helped grow your business?

MJ: Yes. I routinely get compliments from individuals that I run into at networking functions who read it. It makes them think of me and in turn, send me referrals.

I also get contacted directly from readers, who I have never met, because they already know about my capabilities.

It is one tool among many for getting referrals. It is not enough, however, to totally sustain my business. That does not mean that it is not a success. I think if you put all your eggs in one basket, you are not diversified enough.

KZ: Do you have a specific anecdote about your newsletter?

MJ: I had one issue that featured an article about the Hispanic wave coming to the Heartland of America. It was pertinent for me because I live in Ohio. I was contacted a month later by a graduate student who majored in Spanish.

She wanted to share her experiences related to the topic. That turned into a business relationship because now she translates Web site pages into Spanish for new clients.

She found me in the search engines. This goes to show the value of using enewsletters to keep your Web site updated with fresh new content. I didn’t even optimize it for high ranking.

KZ: Are you happy with your email publisher?

MJ: Yes. I use CoolerEmail.com. They have nice statistics and even include the ability to include surveys. I especially like the fact that I can import custom HTML to easily create custom sites for my clients that they can maintain through a user-friendly interface that does not require any technical expertise.

KZ: How long does it take you to write an issue?

MJ: Four hours from start to finish as long as I have an idea to start with. I jot down my ideas throughout the month in a notebook and refer to it when I am in need.

KZ: Do you publish newsletters for others based on the success of yours?

MJ: Yes.

KZ: How can the eclasses students subscribe?

MJ: Enter your email address in the form field found in the banner of any page at

http:// www.WebSiteHelper.com

KZ: Anything else you want to add?

MJ: Some of the best advice I ever heard was that in marketing, the only mistake is not to do it.

So…don’t wait to be perfect. Get something going, learn from your mistakes, improve it, and take a moment to enjoy each success as it comes – and it will come. It is all in your attitude.

Thank you Mary and best wishes promoting your Web site.

This article is used as a case study for www.eclasses.org / Website Promotion taught by Cindy McMahen and Karyn Zoldan.