Education with Newsletters

By: Wilson Cole
Date: 7/1/2007

If I was forced to choose only one marketing activity, I would choose to do newsletters for a multitude of reasons. We have done an email newsletter for years and the results have been impressive. We have also used our newsletters to help promote our Tele-classes, grow our email database, find new prospects and connect to existing clients. We have even developed a way to get a flood of testimonials from our clients that we can use with all of our marketing materials. Let's cover first things first.

Newsletters give you a way to demonstrate your knowledge to the industry. Once a month you get to write an article to display your expertise. OK, that is a no brainer and every one does that. You do not have to stop there. Let's say you write the article and you call other vendors in your industry that do a newsletter, as well, and you say, "Hey, I will let you write an article in my newsletter if you allow me to write in yours." Now with the same article, you get twice the bang for your buck.

Also, a marketing concept in which I truly believe is if you communicate with your clients more often, they will buy more often. Once again, this is not rocket science, but let me ask you a question: How often do you systemically follow-up with your clients and teach and nurture them? Often, business owners are so busy tracking down the next deal they forget or, worse yet, take their existing clients for granted.

Plus, newsletters give you an opportunity to cover topics that take up your staff's time answering questions from your clients. Let me give you an example: In our collection company, clients get frustrated once an account goes to legal because they do not understand the legal system. Although the legal system is a very effective way to collect money, it is also a very slow process. With that being said, we always cover the legal process with clients who have an account in our legal forwarding department to cover their frustrations and address them. Let me explain our transformation: We went from ten calls a week and a satisfaction rate of 56% to less than two calls per month and a satisfaction rate of 89%. Not to mention that our staff in our legal forwarding department now can focus on the work at hand without the interruption of the same questions. You may not have a legal forwarding department, but I am sure you have a department that answers the same questions every day. Think about how much more productive your staff could be if you'd already answered those questions in mass. Your clients will be happier, too. The fact is, for every one client that calls to ask a question, there are at least five who do not call to ask.

Now, let me tell you the best part about using a newsletter. (This is what I mean about "thinking three-dimensionally" about your business.) In your newsletter, I recommend that you have a featured client section. This section is where you profile one of your clients. Simply ask them to be your featured client for your newsletter and you send them a form with several questions. This form should be in the following format: You want the client's name, address, and have them send you a picture of themselves. You want them to tell you how long they have been in business; their biggest success, and what they wish they could redo and change. Then, you ask them how your company has helped them with their need. Let me repeat that. You ask them to write about how your company has helped them: This way, you acquire a wonderful testimonial without having to seem like you are desperate. You cleint will be in a wonderful frame of mind when they come to your section, and they will give you the best testimonial you could imagine. You can take that testimonial and use it with your website, sales material, and in your newsletter. Then, when your clients receive your newsletter, they will learn a few things from others in their profession, and they will be reminded why they use your company. Not to mention, prospects will see companies that have used your services and think, "Hey I will give these guys a shot!" This one thing can acquire more testimonials than anything else you could do.

You can use your newsletter to promote a tele-class, as well. You can also test special offers to see if anyone has interest before you spend big bucks to promote the idea. You can use it to generate additional revenue, too. We have sold advertising space on our newsletters to generate tens of thousands of dollars. We then reinvest that money into marketing and growth. It does not take money to make money. It takes thinking outside the box and thinking three dimensionally to make money, and then simply reinvesting it into marketing and watching your company really grow.

Wilson Cole is the Founder of Marketing Magic. For more information call 888.781.8952 x 703, or visit www.marketingmagiconline.com.