Building An E-Mail Database
by Erika Pitera
Why Should I Build My E-Mail Database?
Reaching your target clientele through e-mail marketing can be a large investment of both your time and money. So is building your e-mail database really worth the trouble?
If you do not already have a large working database, you might not think so. However, research shows that building a database of your customers' e-mail addresses has many benefits, including:
- It gives you another method of reaching your audience.
- It can decrease your customer acquisition and marketing expenditures.
- It can increase your customer participation and retention rates.
- It may increase the return on investment of your marketing campaigns.
How Do I Build My E-Mail Database?
You can gradually build up your e-mail database by following several steps.
- Direct mail campaigns are great, but they are also quite costly. Use your investment to its maximum potential: collect e-mail address information within your direct mailings. Give customers a good reason to provide you with their e-mail addresses. Whether you choose to market e-newsletters, coupons or special offers, you should offer the customer something worthwhile in exchange for his or her address.
- Collect e-mail addresses on your web page. Instead of simply adding a "sign up" link, give the customer a reason to register. Perhaps you want to offer special benefits. Regardless, an opt-in e-mail link should be prominent on your home page. Customers won't sign up if they have to hunt down the link.
- Make use of what you already have; ask your existing customer base to refer friends and family. Viral marketing is growing strong, and it is a cost-conscious method of reaching new audiences.
- If you use telemarketing, have your agents collect e-mail addresses over the phone.
You may also consider hiring an e-mail appending service, which can add e-mail contacts for up to a quarter of your postal file in a short period of time. This method is generally cheaper than postage!
Finally, when building your e-mail database, be sure that you are giving your customers valuable information in return for their permission to e-mail them. Also, only collect as much information as you absolutely need from customers. Many consumers are sensitive about passing out their personal data. Guarantee them privacy, in a clear, concise policy.
With these tips, you can start creating a powerful e-mail database. Over the course of a year, you'll be able to reach a larger audience than you ever thought possible.