Like all marketing, email marketing is designed to lead to a sale. All of these techniques require that some sort of relationship is already established with the reader, either a confirmed interested prospect or an established customer.

1. The Conversion

With every prospect, there comes the time to ask for the sale, the point of conversion when your prospects become paying customers. A specific “call to action” is crucial so your prospects know what they are supposed to do. To improve conversion rates, get your call to action noticed with incentives such as a discount or added value. Remember that “what’s in it for me” is usually in the mind of the reader so offer an immediate benefit to get them off of the fence and onto your customer list.

2. The Follow-Up

Once a customer has made a purchase, chances are excellent they’ll do business with you again. This is where many companies miss, by failing to realize the value of their existing clientele. Sending a follow-up email after their purchase is an excellent way to reinforce your relationship with your customer. Most importantly, a follow-up email can be used to sell additional accessories or service that is compatible with their initial purchase.

3. The Upgrade

At some point after the initial purchase, the product will need to be replaced, upgraded or the customer will require additional service. It is very important to stay on the radar with your current customers in order to keep their business. Send an email allowing them to purchase the new version, or renew their service, somewhat in advance of their need. For example, a dentist should send a notice a month in advance of a customer’s cleaning coming up.

4. The Sale Notice

Offering a pre-sale, “private sale” or other special discount incentive to your exclusive email list is a powerful email marketing technique. It should say something like “As a valued customer we want to offer you…” or some other similar language to help reinforce the idea that you value the patronage of your current customers. It is a great way to maintain loyalty, as well as to boost sales.

Conclusion

These email marketing techniques, either alone or better yet combined together, can significantly increase your sales. As always, the only way to determine what is the most effective use of email marketing for your organization is to measure the results.

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