Set Now Solutions specializes in online marketing and web-based productivity solutions.

Email is a great way to increase brand awareness and remind your clients you're there for them, but email marketing on the 'cheap' can be very costly. Make sure you have a plan and have read all the instructions before you begin. After all, you wouldn't put together a model car before reading the instructions would you? Okay, that may be a bad question for some of you...

1. Plan Your Email Campaign

Email can be used to provide benefits to your current or prospective clients, such as

• an informational e-newsletter
• notification of events and promotions
• coupons
• new product announcements
• customer support announcements

Define your primary objective and make sure it aligns with your email recipient's primary objective. Choose one message — say it clearly and succinctly.

2. Create an Email List

As your company grows, one of its greatest assets is an accurate list of contacts. You can create your own high-quality e-mail list through your existing contact database and your web site using a technique called "permission marketing". Permission marketing is when you ask people if you can send them information and they allow you to do so. Compared to cold calling, this type of "warm calling" is a much better use of your time and resources.

Your Existing Contact Database. If you already have an in-house list of clients with email addresses, send out a one-time message asking your prospects if they are interested in your 'new' email program, and tell them specifically what they are, when they will receive it, and how you will respect their privacy.

Your Web Site. If you have a web site, you can collect email addresses from site visitors but make sure you clearly explain how their information will be used and include a privacy statement.

By using these techniques, your list is specific to your business and you will have a better chance of attaining higher quality sales leads and gaining loyal relationships with your customers.

3. Create a relationship of Trust, Loyalty and Security

Let users know that you respect their privacy and their email box and always use 'permission' based marketing.

• Include clear instructions as to how they can subscribe and unsubscribe.
• Provide a clear, easily understood privacy statement on your web site and in all email that you send to lists.
• Avoid the "sales pitch" and treat your clients how you would like to be treated.
• Explain how often you will send the user email and stick to it.
• If you offer an e-newsletter, link to a sample so that people can determine it's relevance to them before signing up.

4. Track Your Email Campaign

The most often overlooked part of an email campaign is tracking its effectiveness. Here are some basic techniques that will help you track the effectiveness of your efforts:

• Web Site Tracking. Use hyperlinks to your web site in your marketing emails. If done properly, this allows for easy tracking of your email marketing campaigns when viewing your website user stat reports. Make sure you either know how to do this or hire someone who knows.
• Customer Phone or Email Contact. Don't forget to ask every client, who calls or walks in your place of business, how they heard about you. This helps you discover which marketing channels are the most effective.
• Order Contact. When a customer places an online order, ask them how they heard about your company or what inspired them to order from you. This should be one question in a form with a pull down option.

5. Listen, Refine, Repeat

Once your email campaign is showing positive results, it is still very important to encourage feedback from your clients, and to make refinements based upon your tracking statistics. Always keep notes on what you learn and continue to provide a benefit in the email correspondence you generate. Keep your information fresh, always build and update your contact database, answer your clients needs, and you'll have a winning campaign.