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NGR's Blog

A weblog is an online, semi-personal journal offering the opinion and commentary of the authors.

Our blogs feature thought leadership on a wide range of business issues, with a particular focus on helping companies grow. Here you'll also find blogs about emerging technologies and career experiences from select employees. The opinions of the writers do not necessarily reflect the position of NGR on these subjects.

B2B Email Marketing: Still THE Killer App!

Email marketing is faraway from dead, regardless of what the so called experts say. In reality modern-day software applications are putting the ability of Fortune 500 companies within the  hands of Main Street businesses - leveling the playing field at last.

You have challenges to make sure, which include creating and maintaining an opt-in list - which means you won't jeopardize your organization's respectable name plus your established goodwill within the  marketplace. Delivering the message you need to the people you desire to receive it - in all probability a unique offer for individuals renewing their service contracts that's only there for people beyond the very first year after purchase. And correctly managing responses so the proper actions are triggered automatically!

However finally these issues will likely be taken care of affordably, so it really is not the big guys who're the only real ones capable to manage email marketing anymore.

Here i will discuss three of the advantages of B2B Email marketing - along with the most obvious, that it is always economical, immediate, and interactive.

First, in the world of B2B, your target prospect will probably be at their desk 12 hours each day - or carrying their Blackberry or other handheld device - which means you will almost certainly reach them immediately - the moment the message is sent.

As long as they trust you (the From:) they'll open your message the same day it is sent. If the main message they see (the Subject:) is compelling they'll read it. You really can't compare this to some other type of communications.

Second, email integrates seamlessly into your overall marketing and advertising campaign. You'll be able to utilize it to transform known suspects into prospects by getting them to request information relevant for a campaign message - most likely moving them over the buying cycle to prospect. Follow up email can also be utilized qualify them as well as turn them into 1st level customers. Now, when your sales people contact them by phone of for that matter face to face - they really are contacting a customer not making a cold call.

Third, In business practically everything is about marketing. Your email newsletter plus other regular communications for example. By including links within your regular email that trigger special deals, limited availability opportunities etc. on every occasion you touch a prospect or customer becomes a little bit of your marketing opportunity.

The important thing to success in b2b email marketing is your list and it will probably be a challenge to develop an opt-in list of email addresses and then manage them in such a fashion that the list grows not shrinks.

One way to develop a list that grows is to ask permission before putting people within the list. Successful marketing in the 21st Century shall be permission based marketing. The times of intrusion marketing are over, some marketers simply  have no idea it yet. Be the first company to adopt the tactic which will ensure that people will be happy and ready to listen from you.

You probably have the telephone street addresses of the customer. When the finished forms within the  recent past you most likely asked for his or her email address as well. Be cautious the way you use it. Only you and your relationship along with your customers will let you know if it is OK to include them in your email campaigns, without their explicit approval.

If you're like so much business people I know, you will likely be better served which includes a service that totally automates the overall email marketing process. One which collects the e-mail address and an additional information you're seeking for, sends the right email messages to the right people within the right list, after which handles the responses - with little additional overhead, and with no need to take someone off the floor to complete it all.

And at last you'll want a service that enables people to be included in more than a few types of scheduled mailings at the time they are included with the list - or as they go through the sales cycle. For instance a prospect requests inclusion on an announcement list for an item scheduled for future release. Once released and that they purchase the merchandise they'd be automatically removed from that list - so that they  won't continue getting announcements for one thing  they've already bought.

And if the new product has accessories they can also be systematically reminded of them and removed once they purchase them or turn them down. And in either case reminded when their warranty is set to expire so that they 'll automatically renew it.

Marketing is not simply about getting the first sale - it is also about converting suspects into prospects, prospects into buyers and buyers into key accounts. B2B Email marketing stands out as the killer app for this 21st Century - the first part at least, when it is completed with permission and precision.

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Thursday, 18 April 2024