| For the last 3 years, I've been working with Microsoft | | | | business, there are constant interruptions. You don't |
| Dynamics RMS (Retail Management System). This | | | | need to spend a lot to get a lot of value from the |
| retail inventory software is best suited for small to | | | | investment. I'm a big believer in both direct mail and |
| medium sized businesses. We work with companies to | | | | e-mail marketing, but I'll focus on e-mail marketing for |
| help them maximize their software investment to help | | | | the beginner. There are newsletter tools such as |
| them make money. After all, if you can't mine the data | | | | Constant Contact and others like it which allow you to |
| that you have and turn it into more sales, then you're | | | | import an e-mail list into the on-line tool. You then |
| not getting the full value out of your investment. | | | | connect your list to the template you are using. If you |
| Really, this can be done with any software that has a | | | | want to do a simple promotion, you can select your |
| Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | | | | template and work with the on-line software to |
| component. What it takes is a well thought out | | | | customize it to your liking. At Factor One, we use |
| process for how you are going to collect the | | | | Constant Contact for newsletters, customer |
| information and then how you are going to use it. For a | | | | promotions, and service bulletins. The tools will allow |
| customer to want to be a part of your mailing list, there | | | | you to revise lists and your content and then |
| needs to be some value that you're delivering back to | | | | determine a time that is best suited to send it out. You |
| them. Asking a customer if you can take down their | | | | want to use a tool like this since it sends out the e-mail |
| address is a far cry from asking a customer if you | | | | to each person individually. If you try and do mass |
| can send them information on promotions and new | | | | e-mail marketing in Outlook, you will get caught in the |
| stock. So let's talk about the steps to making your | | | | spam filter and your message will never be heard. |
| marketing program a reality. | | | | Step 3 - Tracking your Marketing |
| Step 1 - Collecting the information | | | | Statistics in the marketing tool will show you how |
| Remember to ask for permission to mail or e-mail your | | | | many people opened your marketing, and you'll be able |
| customer. Nothing gets you blacklisted faster than | | | | to track through purchases in the store. A word to the |
| getting marked as a spammer. If you're planning on | | | | wise - if you have the ability to add in a reason code |
| doing direct mail, make sure you collect a full address. | | | | when you discount on your POS, that will give you |
| Some options to engage customer participation can be | | | | enhanced tracking for your advertisements. |
| draws, contests, or just the promise of future coupons! | | | | Step 4 - Repeat and Repeat |
| If you have an existing Point of Sale solution, then as | | | | Marketing takes time to work, so repeating your |
| you are ringing through a customer, add their | | | | message means that the second or third time you |
| information. This will have dual effect - you can tie this | | | | send it, it might get opened. But give your customer |
| sale to the customer and therefore start tracking their | | | | some time in between. Marketing gurus are now |
| value to your business and you will start to develop | | | | saying that it can take as many as 7 times for |
| your list electronically gives you added flexibility in your | | | | someone to actually see your message. |
| marketing. | | | | Be consistent with your marketing and you'll reap the |
| Step 2 - Developing your Marketing | | | | rewards. |
| Decide what you want to do and get it done! In a small | | | | |