Home shows have trimmed back. Nobody answers the phone anymore. And you’re probably not going to advertise in the Yellow Pages.
But we know we have to keep in touch with past clients – repeat and referral business is key to the success of any good remodeler. To accomplish this, we focus on creating a balanced marketing program for you that combines print and digital marketing.
Enewsletters and other email outreach should be a significant part of your digital marketing program. According to the Direct Marketing Association, every dollar spent on email marketing returns $42. Email also helps drive more business than social media on average.
That’s why it’s so important to have a great email list. R.T. Marketing can help you build a list through a variety of methods, but here are some of the important “Dos and Don’ts” of building an email list.
What Not to Do: Never Pay for Email Lists
Do not, under any circumstances, buy an email list. Many legal regulations impact email permissions and, as a result, purchased email lists are an almost surefire way to get labeled a spammer. Here is a quick, honest, checklist of possible ramifications from taking this ill-advised shortcut:
- You may violate consent rules; for example, data protection regulations are always shifting locally and internationally.
- It’s aggravating. When receiving unsolicited emails from a company you’ve never heard of, do you feel more annoyance than curiosity? Some companies sell “opted-in” email lists. Opted-in emails are usually gathered on a site stating something like, “check here to receive messages from us or other companies that may be of interest.” Cold emailing an address obtained in this way almost always results in an instant unsubscribe and possibly a total loss of trust!
- Many of these lists are duds. Using them means risking your email reputation and also wasting money and time.
- Sending messages to long-dead emails can harm your email reputation—such activity can lead to being labeled a spammer. With the label of spammer, your email messages may not get delivered at all, even to those customers that have asked to receive your messages.
What to Do: Grow Your Email List Through Valuable Information Assets
- If you are able to have home shows, a Parade of Homes or other in-person events, that’s one of the best ways to collect email addresses. Request email addresses when meeting with someone for a sales call or estimate. Even if they don’t sign on now, they could be potential customers down the road.
- Create “gated assets,” comprised of quality information people want enough to give their email addresses in exchange for it. Examples of gated assets include e-books, webinars, or tools (such as an online tool helping people select a room layout or a paint color).
- Your enewsletter, social media and blog are all vital components in the quest to collect fresh email addresses for future qualified leads. These posts should are another way to promote the content of your gated access materials, resulting in interest, follow-through, and shareability.
- The content of your e-books, blogs, e-newsletter, landing pages, surveys, tools, and educational materials needs to be remarkable. Consumers are busier than ever: they want quality information researched and disseminated to them in the form of high-quality prose.
- Use direct mail and other print marketing to invite people to sign up for your e-newsletter. Unlike with email, buying a mailing list is a good way to increase your reach.
- Consider sending out an email message with a new “opt-in” feature. This may seem like an extreme step, but it is one way to cull dead email addresses from your email list. Shedding dead emails will help you seek out valid, fresh addresses for your list.
Ready to build your email list and improve your marketing? RT Marketing is here to help you take your remodeling firm to the next level! Contact us today to discuss all your marketing options!
Portions of this blog were first posted in August 2019 and have been updated.