From the monthly archives:

June 2009

Email marketing + Open sesame

by nigelyip on June 9, 2009

Hey everyone

How are you all today? I hope you are well.  Today I like to discuss with you all as well as the coming posts about E-mail Marketing.  As we may all know, that one of hte best methods to online marketing is with email communication. It’s the most direct way to contact your customer personally, it’s quicker than snail mail and it’s very clean. Clean by that I mean no, folding letters, stuffing them into envelopes and sticking postage stamps, not to mention a trip to your nearest letter/mail box. I personally know this because I’ve been in the home direct mail order business for over 4+ years and the time it’s takes to stuff envelopes usually tends to leave you with RSI like symptoms, numb fingers,  wrists which hurt when twisted, or grabbing an object, and neck ache too.

So, you can already see the benefits of email marketing. But then there’s another problem, like with any offline direct mail order mail shots and that is:

Anyone out there and that includes myself who can use a computer, have an email account and can use a mouse to point and click, chances are that you will only click on emails that interest you and those who keep bombarding you end up in the delete/trash bin, marked as spam or diverted to your bulk folder. I guess this is good that we implement such system to help keep our minds free from stress, and eyes not having to read these emails.

However, if we turn the tables around…. then we have a problem on our hands. Why? Well you got your internet website setup, you’ve got your sales page primed with a money push button, a OTO page behind, a download pages and possibly a name collecting Aweber form, now you need to get that all important notification/promotional email sent out to drive traffic and potential customers to your website and possibly buy.

BAM!!! What happens if your email get’s trapped between or labelled as one of those emails that get diverted, marked as spam, or deleted? What happens if the your reciepient doesn’t see your all important message contained within your email?

The answer is pretty straight forward – No view, no replies, no potential sales = no money. Or to put bluntly, your business will go down the pan faster than you can say your subject line!

Which brings me on to another point – “Subject Line”. Subject line is especially important, get it wrong, you’ll be losing customers without you knowing it and before long, you’ll have no list. Get it right, and your customers will keep an eye out for your emails.

There is no right or wrong way to email marketing, as no one customer is the same, and there are numerous techniques that will work of which you can apply to your email subject lines to make them more effective.

Oh and did mention that I personally don’t send out emails often. To date, I’ve only sent out 4 in total but my stats from my last two email broadcast were 54.9% success open rates and 37.2% success open rates respectively and that was just to a list of 71 and 78 people.

You can check out my stats by checking the following pic link and see for yourself.

aweber stats

So, my aim for the coming few posts is to discuss how you can tackle email marketing and get the best out of it as well as using it for your business.

Have a wonderful day

Nigel

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Successful Networking – 3 pronged attack on JV’s? Part 2

by nigelyip on June 2, 2009

Hi everyone,

How are you all and oh yes, Today, I will be continuing the remainder part of the 2 part – successful networking post.

Like I mentioned earlier, I picked this method up recently and it’s nothing major really, but it’s definitely a method to help build relationship and there are 3 steps

These are:

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First Step –   What is your name?

Yes I know, it a really simply question, but knowing somebody’s name is vitally important and whatever you do, make sure you make a mental note . By that I mean, would you be annoyed if I forgot your name? So to reiterate, whatever you do, try and remember the name too.

You’ll be surprised to know that there is a lot of power contained within a name. Why? When you address someone by their name, it engages them into a conversation with you, you get their undivided attention and they pay more interest to you as well. It not only shows you respect them, but it makes them feel special too. It’s like and imagine the scenario, John meets Debra from a seminar meeting 5 years ago, They only spoke for like 2 mins and since have never got in touch.

However, tonight, fast forward 5 years later, at the new seminar meeting, they bump into each other, Debra doesn’t remember John, but then, John back then was a youth, early 20′s who looked like a 16 year old and now he’s like 6ft 2″, handsome young man, who looks rather successful. He looks at Debra and say Hi Debra, and Debra is startled that this stranger know her name. Obviously at this point, Debra maybe quite intimidated and so of course, John needs to introduce himself and remind her of the seminar meet 5 years ago.

What this has done is that John has instantly elevated Debra to feel not only embarrassed but special too at the same time. Of course, it also means John has just captivated her undivided attention and has engaged her into a general conversation about past times, current situations etc…..

The point is that: name is very important.

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Second Step:  What do you do? or specifically what do THEY do?

Once you have established somebody’s name, you need to find out what they do? See what they are interested in etc… The reason is hat whilst they are telling you all this wonderful information about themselves, you are building a relationship with them,  they feel like you are interested about them, and at the same time, if possible, you need to also think about where they can fit into your network, or do you know anyone who would be interested in meeting them and seeing what they do, and if you know somebody that you think would benefit from them, or would be interested in what they do, then slip in a word or two about it, explaining how you could put them in touch etc…

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Third and final Step – Who is your/are their ideal customers and clients

That’s right, find out what your newly met friend ideal customers are? Or what exactly does the service or product the offer  would cater for i.e. target recipient. If they describe their ideal customers and it relates to yours, that’s fabolous, you could be looking at a possible JV with them, advertising something to each others customers lists, or work on a new project/deal together etc… The possibility are endless.

However, if they describe their perfect customers which are completely to the opposite end of yours ideal customers group, but you know somebody who may benefit, again explain to them that you know may be of interest to them.

And that’s it really, networking is really that simple, 3 simple basic questions that are not only a great conversation starter but also good for networking.

So, get out there, memorize these: “to-ask” questions and expand your network. Seriously, everyone one of you out there has a 199% better chance that I have at this networking business, the reason?

Everyone of you out there is either more handsome, taller, or prettier looking that I am. Oh and you don’t have a squeaky voice or horrible looking teeth like I do too, so yeah, get networking and don’t let it be an obstacle for you.

Until Next time

Nigel

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