Let me start with a warning: this is not a new idea.  In fact it is a very old idea.  But it is an idea that works brilliantly, and yet is ignored by the vast majority of companies.

Worse, they ignore the approach despite the fact that I keep mentioning it!  (Which isn’t a great reflection on me, I know, but I’m a persistent sort of chap, so I keep on mentioning the approach).

This idea is ignored, I believe, because it takes a little bit of time to set up, and a little bit more time to make happen.  In fact I think  most firms do recognise the power of the notion, but then simply don’t put it into practice.

It goes like this (with the objections that I have heard at each stage of the argument).

1: You gather together a list of your customers’ email addresses, plus a list of people or firms who have expressed an interest in your products or services but have not bought.

Objection 1: Some firms stop at this point saying, “we don’t have the list,” or “it would take too long to get it together”  or even “they won’t give us the email addresses”.

We’ve undertaken the work of getting these addresses together for a number of firms and only once have we hit a problem – and even then we managed to get some of the addresses.  Normally it can be done, and we find that it is not at all difficult.  After all you are dealing with people who already know your firm.  My advice is “don’t assume you can’t get the list”.  The prize at the end of this approach is far too big for it to be de-railed by an assumption.

But here’s another point.  Supposing you only get a fraction of the email addresses.  That is still worth working with – the benefits of having just 10% of the relevant emails is overwhelming.

2: Either purchase an email broadcast program or buy into one.  You have the list and now you need to use it.

Objection 2: Some companies tell me that they have bought a program and it was rubbish.  True, some of the email transmission programs available on the internet are awful, but if that’s the case you can use our email transmission service.  We send out emails for a lot of companies, and we monitor how many get through and what the click through rates are.   There’s details of our service on http://www.emails.gs/ownlists.html – but of course you don’t have to use us – you can use anyone.

3: Send your customers and potential customers a regular newsletter.  I suggest doing it once a week.

Objection 3: “They’ll get really fed up with us if we do it that often.”  Actually I have heard this from subscribers to this news group that receives an email each week.  Which takes me to my answer – everything depends on the copy.

If you are shouting “50% off” each week, yes they will get fed up.  But if you can find something new to say, and make it interesting, then you can build up an avid readership.   And if you don’t have time to write it yourself, you can bring in an outside writer – which is another service Hamilton House offers, as it happens.

So there it is – you gather a list of some of your past or potential customers, and write to them each week.   It is as powerful as it is because you are writing to people who know you, and generally who quite like you.  Thus you are half way to making the sale before you start.

If you would like to know more, please do call, and we’ll talk it through.

Tony Attwood – 01536 399 000

Hamilton House Mailings Ltd reg number 2444392 VAT 354907535GB.  Phone 01536 399 000.