The Power of Email as a Marketing Tool

Internet for Business

Email remains a powerful marketing tool for small business

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The Power of Email
Like the Web, email is another subset or language of the Internet. But instead of using a web browser, you use an email program like Outlook Express to receive and send email over the Internet.
Because of the power of Microsoft, most PCs come bundled with Internet Explorer (the web browser ) and Outlook Express (the email program). There are also non-Microsoft email programs available like Eudora or Mozilla Thunderbird.

Generally, you’ll need to have an account with an Internet Service Provider to read and write email using Outlook Express or one of its competitors.

Note though that you can also use email from within a web browser, which is how free email accounts like Hotmail and Yahoo Mail work. Because of spammers using free email accounts, an email address like “richards@cox.net”, obtained through an Internet Service Provider, will always have more credibility than “richards37@hotmail.com”.

Most email is still written in plain text with no (or very few) graphics. This makes transmission extremely quick. It’s also simple - you don’t have to learn any special language like the HTML that’s needed for web pages.

Whatever is written about harnessing the Internet and the Web for business, there’s no question that email can:

save you time

boost your sales

improve customer relations

attract new customers

Email is fast, cheap and informal

Because email is fast, cheap and informal, most businesses, even if they don’t have a web site, are now using email to communicate.

The boss, instead of dictating (or even hand-writing) a letter for his secretary or personal assistant to type, can now tap out a personal reply to important or urgent email inquiries. If he needs to send a picture of one of his company’s products, he can attach this to the email.

Compare this to drafting a letter, having it typed, checking it and then mailing it with a photo enclosed. It’s obvious that savings in time and money are substantial.

In the previous company I worked for, we had digital images of all our products. It’s a lot quicker and easier to email a picture showing a product and its features than trying to describe these to the customer over the phone.

A word of warning though - people hate “spam”or unsolicited e-mails, so you need to tread carefully.

Never send email newsletters or promotions to people who are not regular customers. Better still, ask them to “opt-in” by subscribing to your newsletter and always give them the opportunity to “unsubscribe”. See Email Marketing for more on this.
Next ... Your Business Website

Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.

Internet for Business
Email remains a powerful marketing tool for small business
Home > Internet Primer > The Power of Email The Power of Email Like the Web, email is another subset or language of the Internet. But instead of using a web browser, you use an email program like Outlook Express to receive and send email over the Internet. Because of the power of Microsoft, most PCs come bundled with Internet Explorer (the web browser ) and Outlook Express (the email program). There are also non-Microsoft email programs available like Eudora or Mozilla Thunderbird. Generally, you’ll need to have an account with an Internet Service Provider to read and write email using Outlook Express or one of its competitors. Note though that you can also use email from within a web browser, which is how free email accounts like Hotmail and Yahoo Mail work. Because of spammers using free email accounts, an email address like “richards@cox.net”, obtained through an Internet Service Provider, will always have more credibility than “richards37@hotmail.com”. Most email is still written in plain text with no (or very few) graphics. This makes transmission extremely quick. It’s also simple - you don’t have to learn any special language like the HTML that’s needed for web pages. Whatever is written about harnessing the Internet and the Web for business, there’s no question that email can: save you time boost your sales improve customer relations attract new customers Email is fast, cheap and informal Because email is fast, cheap and informal, most businesses, even if they don’t have a web site, are now using email to communicate. The boss, instead of dictating (or even hand-writing) a letter for his secretary or personal assistant to type, can now tap out a personal reply to important or urgent email inquiries. If he needs to send a picture of one of his company’s products, he can attach this to the email. Compare this to drafting a letter, having it typed, checking it and then mailing it with a photo enclosed. It’s obvious that savings in time and money are substantial. In the previous company I worked for, we had digital images of all our products. It’s a lot quicker and easier to email a picture showing a product and its features than trying to describe these to the customer over the phone. A word of warning though - people hate “spam”or unsolicited e-mails, so you need to tread carefully. Never send email newsletters or promotions to people who are not regular customers. Better still, ask them to “opt-in” by subscribing to your newsletter and always give them the opportunity to “unsubscribe”. See Email Marketing for more on this. Next ... Your Business Website
Last updated: August 2008. Copyright © 2006-2008 Scotch Macaskill, 18 Strawberry Fields, 36 College Road, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Tel: +27 33 3422811. Privacy: Your privacy is guaranteed. Personal information, including email addresses, will never be sold or given to third parties. See our Privacy Policy for further details.