Email marketing has been around forever, it seems, and yet it remains one of the most popular and effective marketing strategies for local businesses. Let’s face it, sometimes old school marketing techniques become old for a reason! If they didn’t work, they’d die young – so to speak.

I love email marketing. I think it’s a sure-fire way to attract new customers, nurture leads, and grow a business.

The key, of course, is doing email marketing right. Let’s talk about how to attract new subscribers – and keep their attention once they’re on your list.

Tips for Building a List

List-building gets a lot of attention and it can sometimes sound like a lot of work. When you’re already wearing multiple hats every day, it can be exhausting to think about adding another chore to your never-ending to-do list.

1. If you have a store, train your cashiers to ask for email addresses during checkout. This is such an easy method that I’m always surprised when businesses don’t use it. Many customers will simply recite their email address without thinking. You already know they like your products, and you can always sweeten the pot by letting them know they’ll get early access to sales or special coupon codes if they subscribe.
2. Post about your list on social media and include a link to your opt-in form. This is a great tip if your social media following is outstripping your subscribers. It takes only minutes to do and you can build your list very quickly this way.
3. If you have email addresses that you’ve collected from your loyalty program or other sources, you should add those people to your list. Provided that you include an opt-out option at the bottom of the email, it shouldn’t be a problem.
4. Partner with other local businesses and see if they’re willing to plug you to their email list to help you attract more customers – and vice versa!
5. Put opt-in forms on every page of your website, including your home page. You may want to experiment with static opt-in forms on the margin of the page as well as pop-ups and light boxes to see what gets the biggest response.

These are all techniques you can implement in very little time – and they can help you to build your email list quickly.

The Best Email Marketing Strategies for Local Businesses

Now, let’s talk about some of my favorite email marketing strategies for local businesses. The techniques that work for big national companies may not be useful to you, and yet they get a lot of the attention. Here are six options that I know work.

1. Create a local-centered newsletter. Your newsletter can go out weekly or monthly, but either way, it’s an opportunity to touch base with your list and provide them with useful information. I think the best newsletters cover topics that dovetail with both your business and your location. For example, you could include:
   a. Local how-to tips, such as how to prepare for an influx of tourists in the summer or what flowers are best suited to your climate.
   b. Guides that are tailored to your customers’ needs. A camping supply company, for example, might provide a camping guide that includes a supply checklist, safety guidelines, and recommendations of the best camping equipment by season.
   c. Local announcements and news – especially if you can find a way to link the news to your business or products. However, any local news is a good addition because it shows that you’re a member of the community.
2. Set up a local content calendar. That means creating email campaigns around special holidays and events in your area. Of course, some holidays will be universal – think Christmas – but you can also post in conjunction with local festivals and seasonal events.
3. Send special offers to your local customers. Everybody loves a bargain or an opportunity to save money. Your email list is the ideal way to show your local customers that you appreciate them by sending them coupons, discount codes, and inside information about your business and products. You can even create subscriber-only events to sweeten the deal.
4. Tell your customers’ success stories! (also insert “success”) Reviews are important and shouldn’t be ignored, but they don’t often show readers the true journey that your customers go on when they buy your product or use your services. Creating a customer journey or testimonial to share with your list is a great way to turn a lead into a paying customer – because they’ll be able to see themselves in the success stories you share.
5. Promote your loyalty or rewards program. If you don’t have a loyalty program, now’s the time to create one. If you do it right, it will incentivize your regular customers to shop even more often and entice customers who are on the fence to visit your business. You can even incentivize people on your list by offering a special reward if they convince their friends to sign up. (Side note: I also like it when businesses offer special gifts on customers’ birthdays. It’s a nice gesture that doesn’t cost much and makes customers feel appreciated.)
6. Collect information about your subscribers. Let’s face it, market research can be expensive. But, it costs only pennies to send a poll to your list – and you can use the data you collect to fine-tune your marketing and attract even more subscribers.

1. Include an offer or promotion in the body of the email
2. Put a compelling call to action at the bottom of your email
3. Add subtle references to your products and company, including mentions of other products
4. Link to important content on your website, including blog posts and product pages

In email series, I like to add an enticing PS at the bottom to tease my next email and build anticipation.

The bottom line is that email marketing has one of the highest ROIs of any marketing technique, which is why I recommend it to all my clients. The local email marketing tips here will help you build a robust list, create content your subscribers will love, and grow your business.

2019 has been the year of the chatbot. Businesses who have adopted the chatbot trend have been able to support and scale their business operations by offering convenient and efficient communication to their customers. Implementing chatbots has also helped businesses increase their sales, by providing 24/7 chat support to customers who need questions answered before they buy. So, what is a chatbot and how can your business benefit from one? Sit tight! We’re about to unpack everything you need to know. 

What is a chatbot? 

A chatbot is an automated messaging system or computer program that interacts with your customers on your behalf. Chatbots are integrated into the back end of your website and pop up as a chatbox on the front when a visitor reaches your website.

Welcome to the future! 

In 2001, A.I. might have spurred images of a young Haley Joel Osment. Jump forward 18 years and A.I. (artificial intelligence) is at the heart of modern-day advertising and marketing. In marketing, the role of artificial intelligence is to anticipate the customers’ needs and provide the information or resources they need to make a purchase decision. 

If you’re trying to get your head around how artificial intelligence is used in marketing today and how you can leverage it in your business, start with understanding and using your own chatbot. 

How does it know what to say? Chat

Your chatbot is prepopulated with a series of questions, answers and resources to help your customers through their purchase journey. Think of it like a smarter, more engaging FAQ channel. The prepopulated list of questions and answers is meticulously mapped out and tells your chatbot how to behave or respond when certain actions are taken, or questions are asked. 

More advanced chatbots and virtual assistants can be customized to do a lot more than handle customer queries. They can be integrated with booking systems and other communication platforms enabling people to make reservations and purchases.

Chatbots for the hospitality industry (hotels and restaurants) 

20 years ago, you might have found Trudy or Kenneth at a desk answering the phone and taking reservations in a dusty old reservation book. In 2019, you’ll find Trudy and Kenneth enjoying the finer things in life while their chatbot takes care of bookings and reservations for them. 

Benefits of chatbots for hotels and restaurants

Here’s what you can expect from effectively implementing a chatbot on your hotel or restaurant’s website:

1. An increase in direct bookings. Visit Skyscanner or booking.com to see their reservation tool in action.
2. Reduction in office hours. A chatbot can handle many questions and activities that would otherwise be managed by a receptionist.
3. A better understanding of the different profiles of guests and travellers and appropriate offers based on their profiles.
4. Better customer experience. Guests can opt-in for information on things to see and do in the area, helping them get the most out of their stay.
5. Better customer service. Guests can get the support they need 24/7.
6. Better customer satisfaction. The ease of booking through a chatbot is unbeatable!
7. An increase in reviews. Emails requesting reviews get lost in a busy inbox. A chatbot prompts reviews which are quick and easy to submit.

Best chatbots for the hospitality industry

Our recommendations for chatbots in this industry are Trilyo, HiJiffy and LivePerson.

Chatbots for the retail industry

Simplicity makes sales. If retail brands make it easy for their customers to buy from them, they will! Chatbots help retailers make more sales by providing customer support and customized suggestions to shoppers, increasing the chance of a sale. 

Benefits of chatbots for the retail industry

1. Less abandoned carts. We’ve all added items to a cart and failed to check out (for whatever reason). A chatbot reminds you to checkout, encourages you to complete your purchase or offers you a discount if you check out within a certain timeframe.
2. Enhanced and smoother customer service. Chatbots are available 24/7/365 to answer any concerns a visitor might have about a product. Knowing everything you need to know about the product increases the likelihood of you making a purchase.
3. Customized post-sale offers. Chatbots can send custom offers and information to customers based on their previous purchases.
4. Increase in conversion rates. Lack of sales on an Ecomm website is often as a result of a poorly designed conversion funnel. Chatbots make the purchase journey super simple helping increase conversions.
5. Driving sales! All these benefits combined naturally drive sales.

Best chatbots for the retail industry

IBM Watson Assistant, Bold 360 and LivePerson.

Top 3 best chatbots in 2019 and 2020?

There are hundreds of chatbots available to you. Some paid, some free. Some basic, some customizable. Here are our top picks for chatbots in 2019 and 2020.

LivePerson

The thing we love most about LivePerson is that it is suitable for all industries. Text messaging, Google Rich Business Messaging, Apple Business Chat, Line, Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, and Google AdLingo can all be integrated into the chatbot.

Inbenta

Designed for the needs of enterprise brands Inbenta has a simplistic interface and can handle simple demands with a high level of intelligence. The best feature Inbenta has to offer is the ability to detect when the conversation needs a human to step in.

IBM Watson Assistant

Suitable for big brands and businesses, Watson Assistant has been designed by IBM, the leader in A.I. solutions. This chatbot is a lot more advanced and recommended for larger businesses who require more extensive support and chatbot capabilities.

Regardless of your personal views on talking to a robot, customers set the demands and don’t really have a preference when it comes to dealing with a robot or a human, as long as they get what they need*. Your business could very well be a chatbot away from better customer support, happier customers and more sales. So, what have you got to lose?

So, the question I have for you about automating your business is a simple one:

What are you waiting for?

The numbers don’t lie. Here’s what we know about automation:

1. 60% of all occupations could save 30% of their time with automation
2. It’s estimated that the average CEO spends 20% of their time on tasks that could be automated
3. Businesses lose an estimated 20% to 30% of their profits due to inefficient processes

#1: Marketing Emails

This one’s obvious, but I’m always shocked at how many small businesses don’t have an active email list. Since one of the biggest excuses business owners make is a lack of time – and believe me, I get it – there’s no excuse not to embrace email automation.

The beauty of email automation is that it’s truly a “set it and forget it” proposition when it comes to new subscribers. Unless you make major changes in your business, your introductory email sequence will work for years. And adding new emails is a snap.

#2: Lead Nurturing

Lead nurturing only works if it’s consistent. You can easily use automation to streamline your lead nurturing process and ensure that nobody falls through the cracks.

1. Remind you to make phone calls
2. Make a record of your outgoing phone calls
3. Send automated emails to follow up on voice mails

You’re busy and you might miss something if you try to handle your lead nurturing without automation. With the right tools, you can automate most of the process and turn more of your leads into paying customers.

#3: Repeat Sales

If you have customers who order from you regularly, it’s essential to stay on top of those orders and send reminders as needed. One of the beauties of automation is that you can use it to set reminders and send your clients prompts to place their regular order.

Automation can also be useful for other parts of repeat sales, including creating invoices and sending collection reminders. These things will ensure that you most loyal customers know you care about them and value their business.

On a related note, you can use automation to remind customers when they abandon items in their shopping cart.

#4: Client Appreciation 

Once you attract a new client, it’s important to let them know that you value their business.  But as you know, it’s all too easy to get distracted in the course of a busy day and forget to touch base with your existing clients.

With automation, you can create a welcome series of emails to ensure that new clients feel appreciated and valued. You can also set reminders to follow up regularly, thus minimizing the risk of losing a client because they think you’ve forgotten about them. You can even use automation to remind you of clients’ birthdays, so you can send them a card or email wishing them a happy birthday.

#5: Customer Support

We live in a service economy and that means that customer service is hugely important when it comes to attracting and retaining customers. Automation can help you do the best possible job of serving your customers and giving them what they need.

For example, setting up a customer service chatbot is easier than ever before. Chatbots can handle simple customer service requests such as password resets and address changes. They can also, if programmed properly, make product suggestions and redirect customers to self-service options when it’s appropriate.

#6: Scheduling

Scheduling (and remembering) appointments can be a real hassle when you’re busy – and most business owners are! Automation can help you by automatically adding events and appointments to your calendar. Then, it can send you reminders before your appointments.

The same is true of appointments with clients. You can use automation to schedule the meeting and then, use it before the meeting to confirm the appointment and minimize the chances that anybody will forget to show up.

#7: Collect Customer Data

1. Create a content marketing strategy that provides them with the answers they want
2. Address problems with your existing products and services
3. Target your marketing and advertising to the people who are most likely to buy from you
4. Learn how to improve your customer service

Automated surveys, which you can send out via email or link to on social media, are a good way to get data from your customers. With automation, you can tally the results and analyze them – leaving you free to focus on what to do with the information you collect.

#8: Build a Referral Database

Referral business is valuable because the leads you get from referrals are likely to be highly targeted and relevant to your business. It’s a must to build a referral database that allows you to track your referral sources and make good on any incentives you’re offering to encourage referrals.

For example, you can assign referral codes for online referrals and track them as you receive calls or emails. Then, you can use automation to thank your referral sources and in your lead nurturing as well. You can also automate the referral process by making it simple for your existing clients or local business partners to direct potential customers to your website.

Automation is here to stay – there’s no question about that. The question is what will you do with it? While there are many potential answers, I think the 8 suggestions here are the best ways to use automation to your advantage, attract new clients, and make your business both efficient and profitable.

Email marketing remains one of the best ways for local businesses to build customer loyalty and attract new customers. It’s affordable and accessible – but it won’t be effective if you don’t make the most of it.

The good news? Every dollar spent on email marketing in the United States generates $44 of revenue. That’s crazy ROI by any standard. Welcome emails generate 320% more revenue than other emails – something that underscores the importance of attracting new subscribers.

Convinced? Good! Here are some pointers to help you navigate the potential pitfalls of email marketing and get the results you deserve.

Build Your List

It’s important to begin at the beginning. You can’t launch a successful email marketing campaign without subscribers. So, what can you do to attract them? Here are some things to try:

1. Simplify your opt-in form. A lot of companies add fields they don’t need. Stick with the person’s email and – if you want to personalize your communication – a field for their first name. That’s all you need.
2. Add a unique call to action. Instead of just including a “Subscribe” button, try adding something a bit more exciting. “Yes” statements are great – Yes! I want to be the first to know about new promotions!
3. Create a lead magnet. A lead magnet is a giveaway to entice people to sign up for your list. Examples include cheat sheets, templates, and reports.
4. Put opt-in forms in more than one place on your website. The goal is to make it easy for people to subscribe. Make it easy for people to find and complete your form.
5. Use a pop-up or lightbox to encourage subscriptions. Pop-ups get bad press, but they work. Using a simple overlay lightbox can increase subscriptions by making it impossible for people to miss your form.
6. Ask people to subscribe when they check out. The cash register is the ideal place to gather email addresses. Let’s face it – somebody who’s already bought from you is an ideal subscriber!
7. Have a tablet for people to subscribe. An electronic form is better than a paper one since it means you won’t need to worry about bad handwriting.
8. Consider segmenting your list. List segmentation allows you to send content that’s tailored to your customers’ specific needs. You can encourage self-segmentation by asking subscribers to choose the topics or products they want to hear about.

Collecting new subscribers will allow you to reach more people with your email campaigns.

Make the Most of Your List

Once you’ve got a robust subscriber list, the next step is to use it well. Here are some things to try to get the most from your list.

1. Give your subscribers something special. Anybody who subscribes to your list should feel that they’re a priority to you – so give them sneak peeks at new products or a heads-up on an upcoming sale.
2. Create customer surveys and email them. Surveys are a great (and cheap!) way to do some customer research, and many email automation services offer templates to create them.
3. Track your results. One of the most common mistakes small business owners make is not tracking the results of their email campaigns. Tracking allows you to identify the types of content that perform best.
4. Test your content. Emails can be tested the same way web content can. Sending out different headlines and content can help you focus on what your subscribers want.
5. Remember that you can test everything from your subject line to the headlines of individual articles to your call to action.

I can’t tell you what your subscribers want to read, but these guidelines can help you identify their interests and preferences and tailor your campaigns to them.

Retain Your Existing Subscribers

You already know that it costs way more to attract a new customer than it does to keep an existing one. Your existing subscribers are the same. So, what can you do to keep the people who are already on your list happy? Here are some ideas:

1. Send a killer welcome email. I already told you that welcome emails generate more than three times as much business as other emails. That means that hitting your new subscribers with an irresistible offer – a coupon or BOGO or whatever it is that works for you – will help you get that all-important first order.
2. If you really want to ramp things up, create a welcome series. It doesn’t need to be long – although some companies create long series of as many as 50 emails – but it needs to include valuable content and relevant offers.
3. Use a double opt-in. A double opt-in is when a subscriber fills out your opt-in form and you require them to click on a verification email before they subscribe. That might seem like a hassle – and it might seem to run counter to what I said earlier about simplifying forms. However, it’s one of the best ways to eliminate spammers and guarantee that the people on your list want to be there.

Email marketing has been lucrative for small businesses for a reason. Even Millennials prefer to communicate by email – and because email marketing is affordable, it’s a cost-effective way to build brand recognition and loyalty, attract new customers, and grow your business.

Email marketing is old school. Sort of like the kind of corded phone that hangs on your kitchen wall or a dial-up modem.

If that’s your thinking, then you are missing out on a crucial opportunity to connect with potential leads and turn them into loyal customers.

Really.

Email marketing might not be new, and it might not be the latest and greatest thing. But that doesn’t mean that you can afford to ignore it.

And if it’s been a while since you revamped your email marketing strategies, it’s time to wake up and smell the lead generation coffee.

The good news is it’s great coffee. Here are five blends – okay, strategies – to help you kick your lead generation into high gear.

#1: Micro-Targeting

Some marketers want to hang on to a “one size fits all” approach when it comes to lead generation. They’ve got a lead magnet that’s been working for them – at least to a point – and they don’t want to try anything new.

But here’s the thing about that. Not every potential lead arrives at your site for the same reason. Some may have been drawn by a specific piece of content. Others might be looking for a service – or a product – to solve a problem they’ve been having.

My point? It’s far more effective to target people with an offer that’s tailored to their interests. Someone who comes to your site because of an authority blog post is highly likely to respond to a lead magnet that is related to the post.

That’s simple, but I’m always amazed at how many people don’t understand it. Dive into some audience research, tailor your lead magnets based on what you find, and watch your subscriptions soar.

#2: Use Pop-ups

I can hear you now. Your brain is screeching at me.

“WHAT? People hate pop-ups! And what about pop-up blockers? It’ll never work!”

I get it. But here’s the thing: pop-ups are effective. In fact, they can be HUGELY effective if you use them in the right way.

What I mean by that is that a generic pop-up that interrupts someone while they’re reading the first paragraph of your killer blog post is only going to be irritating – and probably ignored.

BUT…

A pop-up that appears as the reader approaches the end of your blog post is a different story. So is a pop-up that’s triggered when the user hits the back button or tries to close the window.

Why? Because these are triggered by behaviors.

Research shows that using an exit pop-up can boost conversions by as much as 1375%! That’s a crazy number – and if you know anything about conversions, you know that it’s beyond impressive.

The moral here is that you shouldn’t rule out pop-ups. The right kind – at the right time – can reduce your bounce rate and help you get more subscriptions than ever before.

#3: Maximize the Value of Your Lead Magnet(s)

We’ve already talked about lead magnets, but there’s another angle I want to mention. The best lead magnets are those that:

• Are targeted directly to the people you want to attract as leads
• Offer massive value in return for something small (namely, the user’s email address)
• Provide a solution to a problem
• Provide actionable content that the user can benefit from immediately

In most cases, you’re going to want something short. You don’t need to give away a 100-page eBook. What users want is something that’ll benefit them right away. For that reason, I like:

• Cheat sheets
• Discounts
• Checklists
• Free tools
• Resource/template bundles
• Webinars
• Email courses

Of course, you can also offer a short guide or eBook if you want to. I suggest keeping it under 15 pages and use them only if a topic is too complicated to explain in something shorter.

The main point here is that a user should see your lead magnet and experience immediate FOMO (that fear of missing out). You want them to NEED it – so much so that they’ll fork over their email address to get it.

#4: Choose the Right Lead Capture

There’s more than one way to skin a cat. And there’s more than one way to capture a lead.

Sure, you could go with the old tried and true web form. But think about your audience. Is that the BEST way?

If your regular methods aren’t garnering the options they once were, here are a few alternatives to consider:

• Surveys and quizzes
• Live chat
• Content upgrades
• Contests and giveaways
• Chatbots
• Pop-up forms (especially exit forms!)

It may take a bit of trial and error to land on the lead capture that works best. I suggest doing a bit of A/B testing to see what gets you the results you want. And remember, what works for one page may not work for another.

#5: Eliminate Friction

Subscribing to your list should be easy. REALLY easy.

You probably know that there’s research that shows that every additional field added to an opt-in form decreases the conversion rate. For example, dropping the number of fields from five to four can increase your conversion rate by 50%.

You should ask yourself:

• What information do I absolutely need to follow up with a lead?
• Can I collect additional information later?
• Does my form work on all browsers and devices?
• Which fields are responsible for the most bounces?

You may also want to think about the design of your form. Anything you can do to make it easy to find – like using a contrasting color, putting it in a box, or drawing an arrow pointing to it – has the potential to increase your conversions and generate more leads.

Conclusion

Email marketing is an ideal way to nurture leads and convince them to take the next step and buy your product or service. The five tips I’ve mentioned here can help you pull your lead generation out of stagnation – and into a brand new world of profits.