Marketing for local businesses no-nonsense advice, personal experiences and lessons learnt

A resolution for 2010 – get permission!

This seems like an obvious point, but make sure that customers know what to expect when they agree to receive direct marketing from you.  Are they consenting to email only, or also SMS? Are they opting in for special offers only or will they receive general news and updates about your business?  The clearer this is, the more welcome your message will be, the greater chance of receiving a good response from customers.  In this respect, people rarely welcome surprises.

Your aim should be for your customers to welcome and look forward to your marketing rather than to put up with it.  If it is expected and welcomed by your customers, there is far more chance that it will influence them.

A list of your customers’ contact details is almost worthless unless you have captured their interest and gained their permission.  If you have their interest and permission, you have a good chance of generating revenue with each piece of marketing you send.