Build
A Bigger Customer Base With Newsletters
A business
newsletter sent to current and prospective clients is the cat's meow.
And I'm not saying that just because I am a pet sitter. A well-done publication
can build awareness, expand a customer base, encourage repeat business, and help
position your company.
Build awareness of your knowledge in
your industry by featuring trade news and information about your services. You
become the customer's ally by passing along valuable information in your area
of expertise. Include an editorial column in each issue where you can share your
business news or your company philosophy. About three-fourths of the articles
should be informational or educational and the remaining one-fourth can be used
to advertise your services, etc.
Send your newsletter to prospective
clients to expand your customer base. According to Guerilla Marketing guru Jay
Conrad Levinson, follow-up is the single most important and least used marketing
strategy. If someone has inquired about your services once, you need to renew
contact again within 3-6 weeks. Even if they don't use your services, perhaps
they will pass your written material along to a neighbor or friend. Everyone knows
the best advertising is word-of-mouth.
Publishing your newsletter
on a regular basis will build a solid bridge of repeat business to your customers.
They know and trust you because you keep in touch with them. A general rule of
thumb for any newsletter is to use the same layout and logo in every issue to
breed familiarity. Additionally, keep to a preset publication date: yearly, quarterly,
monthly…
An unexpected benefit of putting out a newsletter is
that it will help position your company in the community. When you put your thoughts
and policies into words and articles for a publication it gives you a better focus
on your business. It forces you to define your marketing goals and crystallizes
your message to your customers.
In "The Best Newsletters in
America," Anne Murphy states that there are 100 million newsletters published
in North America every year. Most newsletters never get read. They are boring,
self-congratulatory or hard to read. Write articles that are short so that the
readers don't tire quickly. Keep lots of white space around columns and use simple
copyright-free graphics. Be sure to cite sources or obtain permission from the
author to avoid plagiarism.
Costs of producing a newsletter
can be offset by selling advertising space. For large quantities, bulk mailing
permits lower stamp costs. On the other hand, you don't have to mail them at all.
Why not have them as handouts on your checkout counter or hand deliver them to
your regular customers. You don't really need a computer, either. Amazing things
can be done with scotch tape, white-out and a typewriter.
So
get busy and send out a newsletter today, your customers will think you are the
cat's pajamas !
___________About the Author______________________
© 1999 Lani Stites, Humcat Lady Petsitting Services
This is an
excerpt from a workshop given at the 1999 Pet Sitters International Convention
in New Orleans. Lani started her pet sitting business in 1994 and provides once-
or twice-a-day in-home pet care visits while owners are away on business or pleasure.
She can be reached at humcat@tidepool.com
or visit her website at www.tidepool.com/petsitter
to connect with her and her international contacts.
