Most small businesses are created to solve a specific customer problem, fill a gap in the marketplace, or to turn a passionate hobby into a commercial business. However, it’s simply not enough to get your product ‘production-ready’ for shipping, and ‘sales-ready’ for customers. You must generate demand for your offerings with your target customer. See below for more insights, as well as a link to more information on some new templates that can help you.
For small business marketers, email marketing provides a cost-effective approach to targeting your markets, either by industry, organization type, specific user profile, or by geography. Additionally, email marketing is extremely measurable, allowing you to course-correct if you are not getting the results you want. Email marketing also allows you to test out new product ideas, marketing messages, and promotional offers to test groups, before launching them in full force to the mass market. It’s easy to see why email marketing can give you a lot bang for your ‘small business marketing’ buck.
Developing a program that incorporates email best practices and effective messaging concepts is critical to your small business success. Not only will you need to invest in some email system infrastructure, you must invest time into developing a solid marketing message that incorporates the three C’s. Successful email campaigns require clear, concise and compelling messages that articulate who you are and the value you provide. In order to pass the ‘so what?’ test with your readers, your email message must: 1) quickly identify with the reader and their particular pain or need, 2) promise sufficient value or a compelling benefit, and 3) provide a follow-up step or a call to action for the reader to take.
Creating successful emails messages is a lot like cooking – it’s important to use the right recipe of ingredients for the end result to turn out well. For email campaigns, your recipe should include an attention-grabbing headline that commands your readers’ attention, followed by a subhead that helps begin your conversation and persuades them to read the introductory paragraph. This first paragraph must identify with their pains or challenges, and offer up a value promise that will appeal to them. Use quotes or industry research to help build credibility for your offering and to validate your message. Featuring a “call-to-action” is critical in any email you send out, because you want to give your readers to take a “next step” to take to get more information.
Don’t worry if you aren’t a good cook! Low cost email templates are available that can make this task easy for any small business looking to promote new products, new services, special events or promotions. SMBmarketer.com recently announced a new series of Email Templates that can help small business marketers to easily structure effective email messages (read press release). Rather than using “trial and error” tactics, small business marketers can now quickly create professional emails using easy-to-use, low-cost templates.
SMBmarketer.com Email Templates can be used to promote a new product or service, customer win, special event, and special promotion. For example, the New Product email template walks users through creating each message component, such as the headline, introductory paragraph and the call to action. An illustrative example is included with each template. These Email Messaging Templates are now available for only $6.95 each, and can be downloaded by going to: SMBmarketer.com. Remember, in this era of SPAM, your message must resonate in seconds with your reader! Keep your content short and simple, with the goal of getting your reader interested in learning more about what you do. When it comes to email performance, a clear and compelling message will always trump fancy design or graphics.
Often times, small business marketers can feel the pinch of a tight marketing budget. If you are one of these individuals, don’t despair – there are ways to leverage your everyday business activities and successes that can really help. The customers your organization deals with on a daily basis represent a ‘smart marketing play’ to any business. Why? Because they help you to build credibility and trust with potential prospects.
@SMB_Marketer recently tweeted about a great article on this topic, called “How to Effectively Use Testimonials,” by Neil Patel on his blog, QuickSprout. View the tweet and article link at:
http://twitter.com/SMB_Marketer/status/2522712585015296
The article talks about the value of customer testimonials, as well as tips on how to create them, including using testimonials from organizations that are relevant to your target market, incorporating specific product benefits, and using them in ways that support a specific claim that you make. One of the best ways to get customer testimonials is to issue press releases on your customer wins.
Remember, your work should not stop after the deal comes in. Promoting customer wins are critical to building momentum for your organization, because they create credibility within your marketplace, and help you to establish a proven track record. Small business marketers will agree that having reference-able customers is must.The goal of SMBmarketer.com is to provide smart marketing templates to small business owners and managers to help them get started. If you are looking for easy, step-by-step templates for writing press releases, consider the Press Release Tutor™, an interactive template that takes answers to basic questions about your business, and turns them into well-written press releases, instantly!
However, writing press releases to promote your new customer wins can be challenging when you are not sure how to create the right message. But dont’ let that stop you – there are easy, actionable press release templates available that can walk small business marketers step by step through the process of crafting a solid message, that is clear, concise and compelling. Not only can press releases be posted to your website, sent to journalists and media outlets, but they are a great conversation starter for your sales teams to send to existing accounts and new prospects. See below for more information on getting started writing press releases.
Smart Marketing Basics 