EMAIL MONEY!
"Effective Email Marketing"
Because email is the most common denominator on the Internet,
we will begin our discussion on that topic.
Virtually everyone with Internet access has email access.
This includes individuals using commercial online services,
corporate email networks and a growing number of bulletin
board services. Your proper use of email will represent the
cornerstone of your Internet/online marketing plan.
Email is a very powerful business communication tool. Not
only can it be used as an important part of your online
marketing strategy, it can also be used to cut long distance
fax and telephone expenses. Email messages can be sent to any
email address, anywhere in the world with absolutely no long
distance charges. If you replace 25% of your business long
distance fax and telephone activity with email, your long
distance expenses will decrease proportionately.
As a hybrid of postal mail and the telephone, there is no
doubt that email has at least the same value potential to
business as the telephone did when it emerged some 100 or so
years ago.
EMAIL AUTO-RESPONDERS
An Email Auto-Responder (also called Mailbots, Infobots and
reflectors), is a small program on a service providers server
that is set up to automatically respond to an email inquiry
or request. They function in a manner similar to fax-on-
demand systems. Like fax-on-demand, an auto-responder will
instantly and automatically send a document to any user who
sends an email request the auto-responder's email address.
In fact it is even easier to use than fax-on-demand because
there are no numbers to dial and no buttons to push.
Auto-responders are very important tools when you need to
automate your Internet/online marketing efforts. Email auto-
responders are at work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You
can easily process over 100,000 requests daily without any
effort on your part.
As stated earlier, virtually everyone with Internet access
has email access. So, auto-responders allow you to provide
automated document delivery service to the widest possible
Internet audience.
SETTING UP AN AUTO-RESPONDER
Setting up an auto-responder is relatively simple. All you
need to do is locate a provider who offers auto-responder
services, complete a service application form, provide them
with the document(s) you wish to have sent to individuals who
send email to that specific auto-responder email address.
One such service provider is ServInt. They offer a very
comprehensive auto-responder service with request tracking
capabilities (this lets you know who has requested your
information and when by maintaining a log file in your FTP
account directory. Their service rates are $18 per month
with a one time $15 setup fee.
The $18 monthly fee allows you to set up two different
email auto-responders. You may include as many documents as
your storage space allows. For the complete description of
the ServInt auto-responder service and application send email
to: cybernet@servint.com put "info servnfo" in the message
body.
A complete listing of auto-responder service providers can
can be found in the "eMarketing Success Guide".
HOW AUTO-RESPONDERS WORK
The diagram below will give you a visual representation of
how auto-responders function. An explanation follows the
diagram.
(4) Document sent to requestor
|-------------------|<------------|------------------------|
|Email Request from | |Provider's Host Computer|
|requestor's address| | |
|-------------------|---^-------->|-----------------------^|
| |(3) Document |
(1) Request emailed ---| |--->|request processedÄ>|
| |and sent to requestor
(2) Request received |-|---------------------|
at Provider's | Electronic Document |
Host Computer. | on Provider's Host |
| Computer |
|-----------------------|
So What's Happened Here?
(1) Someone (requestor) sees your ad offering information or
free report or guide, etc., and they send an email request to
the address (auto-responder's email address) specified in the
ad or notice. The email message need not contain a subject
or any message body text, only the auto-responder address,
(i.e. gimme@cresnet.com).
(2) The email request is received at the Provider's Host
Computer. Because your account is named "gimme" the host's
auto-responder program knows to send your document called
"gimme".
(3) The "gimme" document text is processed (placed into an
out-going email format) and sent to the requestor
(4) The message/document is received at the requestor's email
address. They can then retrieve their email and read, save or
print your message/document.
Time elapsed: Ranges from a few seconds to 24-hours,
depending on the type of auto-responder and distance between
the host computers (the host that holds your electronic
document and the host that holds the requestor's email).
EMAIL SIGNATURE FILE
An email signature or email sig file is a brief descriptive
file that is appended (added) to the end of your out-going
email messages. This is the universally accepted manner in
which to publicize and advertise your company name, product/
services and contact information. You should try to keep
your sig file to 8 lines or less. Your email signature file
should contain the following minimal information.
(1) Your company/organization name.
(2) Your company/organization phone number.
(3) Your email address.
Optionally, you may include:
(4) A contact name.
(5) Web site, FTP, Gopher site URL's.
(Universal Resource Locators)
(6) Postal address.
(7) Brief product/service description or motto.
*(8) Graphic design.
* If you are the creative type, you can also incorporate an
ASCII graphic design into your email signature.
You can also create alternate sig files that contain
different advertising messages. Most email client software
allows you to select from available sig files.
NOTE: The entire signature file must be composed of ASCII
text or symbols. You will want to use a simple ASCII text
editor like Notepad, found in Windows 3.1, or QEdit, which is
an excellent shareware package. There are many other plain
text editors available. If you have trouble locating one,
you can call OppNet OnLine at (404)923-4750. After you logon
go the the Files Menu and select the Text Editors Library.
Here are a few Email Sig File examples:
<-----------------------><-------------------------------->
. The CyberNet Group | Email: cybernet@webcom.com .
. 404-923-4121 | http://www.webcom.com/~cybernet/.
. . . . . . . . . . . . | . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. Web Design - Electronic Marketing - OppNet .
<-----------------------><-------------------------------->
|--======<><><><><><>======--||--=====<><><><><><>====--|
|| 1-301-897-3282 || Internet Videos, Inc. ||
|| http://www.webcom.com/~ivi || ---------------------- ||
|| ivi@netcom.com || Novices to Navigators ||
|--======<><><><><><>======--||--=====<><><><><>=====-- |
JUNK EMAIL
"One man's junk is another man's treasure"; so an old saying
goes. But I add - "just be certain you send the right one to
the right man!"
Junk email, like junk postal mail (snail mail), is viewed
with the same disdain in cyberspace as it is offline. Let me
re-qualify that statement; some Internet communities get
down-right hostile when presented with unsolicited email
whether it is in their email-box or in the newsgroups they
frequent! The big difference is that you will get blasted
with "flame" mail in a matter of minutes after your
advertising message appears in the recipients' email-box or
in the newsgroups, whereas with snail mail, it just gets
tossed in the trash.
A "flame mail" or fiery message can range from a very mild
"cut it out!" to a scorching four-letter filled message that
is down-right offensive! Sending unsolicited email to 1000's
of individuals email-boxes can have other negative effects as
well. It can get your company name placed on a black-list.
You may find YOUR email-box filled with millions of bytes of
garbage or you may find a nasty letter from your Internet
service provider chastising you for bothering people.
You can avoid slipping into the "gator pit" by doing a little
pre and post marketing research. You can build your own list
by simply asking people if they would like to receive any of
the information you have to offer, or make the people who do
request your offers through your ads aware that you will keep
them updated when you have other offers in the future.
You should also beware when renting or buying email lists
from third parties. Be sure you have it in writing that the
individuals on the lists have consented to receiving offers
from other companies. It can be pretty embarassing to pay
good money for this type of list just to get flamed when you
send your promotional material.
MARKETING WITH EMAIL
There are several ways you can use email in your online
marketing efforts.
(1) By obtaining a list of email addresses and sending your
promotional material to the addressees. WARNING: Re-
read the caution in the JUNK EMAIL section of this
report!
(2) By placing your ad copy with an electronic classified ad
distributor. This is a service where your e-classified
ad along with many others is sent to people who request
the monthly listings, the ad listings are also placed on
a well publicized web site as well as uploaded to popular
commercial on-line services and large bulletin board
services. This is a relatively low cost and effective
method of getting high exposure fo your electronic
classified ad.
For more information on this type service, send email to
cybernet@servint.com put "info eclass" in message body.
and leave the subject field blank. You will learn how to
get your ad in the "eClassifeds" for 3 months FREE.
(3) By placing you ad copy in various USENET newsgroups that
do allow commercial advertising. Respondents will then
request additional details by replying to a manual or
auto-responder email address. Here are a few newsgroups
that allow commercial advertising.
biz.americast
misc.entrepreneurs
alt.business.misc
The "eMarketing Success Guide" has a full listing of
newsgroups and mailing lists that accept commercial
advertising.
(4) By placing classified ads in the classified areas and
related forums of the commercial online services.
i.e. CompuServe, AOL, Prodigy, Delphi, etc.
(5) By placing classified ads in the FREE and low-cost
classified areas of the World Wide Web network of the
Internet. These classified ad listings are accessible
to individuals who use Web browsers that allow them to
view full color graphics, listen to audio files, and
view FLI movies and animated graphics. The Web is at
this writing the hottest network on the Internet!
The "eMarketing Success Guide" has a full listing of
the FREE and low-cost ad sources available via the
World Wide Web.
(6) By placing classified ads and ad copy in print and TV
media. This will keep your exposure high and allow you
to get your message in front of people not yet skilled
or proficient enough to use the Web, but can use email.
Each of the above methods allow the reader of your ad to
respond by email. The email address they respond to may be
a manual address or an auto-responder address.
TWO-STEP FREE OFFER METHOD
Currently, one of the most successful email marketing
techniques in use is the "Two-Step Free Offer Method".
Here's how it works:
(1) Write an informative 2 to 8 page report on a topic
related to your product or service. For example, if you
offer a Credit Rebuilding service or program, you may
want to write a report about maintaining good credit
along with some sources of available help in this area.
The report should not be a disguised sales letter, it
should be a well researched and informative report that
will assist the reader in accomplishing a specific goal.
Another example is if you write a book or guide, you can
use one of the key chapters as the free report.
At the end of your report, you should include resource
information about your company; i.e. name,address,phone,
email addresses, any URLs, etc. You will also want to
include a brief description of your full product or
service that the report is based on. This will also be
the place to include pricing information and any special
deals or discounts you will extend to the reader.
(2) Write a short, but descriptive ad about the report and
offer it FREE to those who request it via email. One
important note if you decide to send a hard copy to the
requesting party - DO NOT ask for $1 or $2 to cover
shipping and handling! FREE means FREE. If you offer a
FREE report in one breath and then ask for shipping
charges in another, your credibility will go down the
drain with the majority of the people who read your ad.
(3) Place your classified ad or ad copy in any of the media
sources discussed earlier.
(4) Be sure to keep all inquiry information, i.e. email
and/or postal addressess, names, etc. in some sort of
database for future reference.
You should not attempt to sell or rent your customer
email address list unless they have fully consented to
having that information distributed. We have even gone
so far as to create an electronic email form which asks
people if they would be interested in receiving offers
and information from other companies to which we
distribute their email/postal address. This form is
emailed to each person on our list. They must enter
their name under a positive consent statement and send
the form back to us in a reply message. These form
messages are then stored to disk as back-up confirmation
should any problems arise. If we do not get the form
back, we do not include that person in the distribution
list.
It can be extremely embarrassing to you if you rent a
list out, accept payment for the rental, have the renter
send their offer to the list and then get 'flamed' by the
majority of the recipients on the rented email list. So
save yourself some time and heartache and do it right the
first time. Email address lists are discussed in detail
in the "eMarketing Success Guide".
-- END --
"Email Money!" is a chapter excerpt from the "eMarketing
Success Guide", an electronic guide published by
The CyberNet Group, 1628 Roman Point Drive, Norcross, GA
30093-2341 Phone: (404-923-4121) cybernet@webcom.com
Here is the Table of Contents Listing of the "eMarketing
Success Guide".
Introduction
What Is the Internet?
Understanding the Cultural Aspects of the Internet
How Big Is the Online Market?
Internet Growth Statistics
Commercial Online Services
Bulletin Board Services (BBS's)
Getting Connected
The Quick Connection Kit
Internet Connectivity
Dial-Up Shell Accounts
SLIP/PPP Accounts
Dedicated Links
Internet Service Providers List
Commercial Services Connectivity
Internet/Online Marketing Tools/Techniques
Getting the Word Out
Email Auto-Responders
Auto-Responder Source List
Email Signature Files
Junk Email
USENET Newsgroups
USENET Marketing Techniques
USENET Signature Files
List of Newsgroups that Allow Advertising
World Wide Web
Setting Up a Web Site
Web Service Provider List
Web Page Ads
Web-Based Classifieds
Mail Lists
Interactive Discussion Lists (Moderated/Unmoderated)
One-Way Delivery Lists (Newsletter, Updates)
Indexes and Electronic Yellow Pages
Customer/Prospect Email Lists
Online Marketing Surveys
Free and Low Cost Electronic Advertising Sources
Payment Methods
Checks
Credit Cards
Virtual Cash/Electronic Payment Methods
Internet/Online Terms Glossary
The full "Guide" is available in the electronic disk-based
edition for $24.95. (shipped on 3.5" floppy disk)
If you respond within 10 days of receiving the "Email Money!"
Report, you can deduct a full 50% (plus) from the regular
retail prices. $12 for the electronic disk-based edition.
Send payment to: The CyberNet Group
1628 Roman Point Drive
Norcross, GA 30093-2341
Make check or money-order payable to: "The CyberNet Group"