Archive for September, 2008

The Internet age has arrived and fits our need for instant gratification. With instant messaging, chat and emails we can communicate withe each other quickly. However one of the most annoying things is when our email is ignored. When there is no reply to a business email, it can be extremely frustrating. Believe it or not, it doesn’t mean you’re being ignored. Sometimes it’s just a way of saying “I’m extremely busy and I’ll get back to you when I can.”

You can’t give up on that business contact? How is the sale going to be made? If you have a business proposal for them, how will they accept it if you give up? Prospects need to be reminded, sometimes more than once. Persistence pays off.

Try these techniques when you have an ignored email:

1. Send a short email asking for a short response like a yes or no. Most contacts will take the time for a quick yes or no regardless of how busy they are.

2. Send another email, this time putting “Second Request” in the subject line.

Today I would like to offer you a sweet deal!  Head on over to ScrapVentureReports for a Buy 1 Get 1 free special deal.

Here is how it works:

• Visit ScrapVentureReports.com and purchase any report of your choice.
• Upon payment completion, email me with the title of the free report you would like to receive.
• I will send you the download link for the free report.
• Download, read, apply, enjoy sweet success!

Your goal as an email marketer is to get your messages read and more importantly responded too.
Let’s discuss some tips regarding email etiquette that if used properly, will increase the chances of an email being read and response taken in a timely manner. While there are many tips that are highly useful, I will go over a few here to give you an excellent start.

• Keep your messages concise and brief, getting to your point. There is no reason to provide more details than what is necessary.
• State why you are writing and request any information that you are seeking.
• Always include something useful, a tip, information, etc. not just “buy now”.
• Do not abbreviate as this looks unprofessional and may cause confusion for those who may not understand the abbreviation.
• When needing to deal with several different subjects it is recommended that these subjects are broken down and separate emails are sent, with the subject line having a descriptive, yet short heading. This way the recipient understands the topic almost immediately and more clearly, and is able to respond more precisely. In addition, he/she does not forget to respond. This also provides for easier scanning for your busy readers.

Today I said I would announce the winner for Sweet Sunday’s post.  So let’s get to it…

There were only 2 entries and I can’t choose just one, so congratulations to both Valerie and Leah!  Simply email me at Dawn@ScrapventurePro.com and I’ll get you set up for a month’s worth of lessons at ScrapVenturePro!

If you have been considering joining ScrapVenturePro, you can take advantage of a trial offer.  The 52 lesson membership will guide you in your scrapbook business from the very beginning all the way to advanced marketing strategies and everything in between.  Check out the trial offer today!

Email marketing can be one of the best ways to market your scrapbook business. For starters, it’s very affordable, and the business owner knows they are contacting people who want to be contacted by them.

To begin email marketing, you will need an autoresponder. There are many to choose from on the web. Here is a run-down of some of the more popular services:

iContact This service allows for various tracking reports, including how many people are opening the mail and clicking on the links inside the mail. The service starts at $9.95 per month and is based on how many people there are on the mailing lists. There is a 15 day free trial.

Constant Contact This service offers a 60 day free trial and starts out at $15 per month after that. Again, the pricing will depend on how many subscribers a person has. This service is well known for its HTML templates, but falls short in other areas. For instance, users are limited to creating only 15 different mailing lists.

Most successful internet marketers rely on this form of marketing for the majority of their sales. But can this really work for your scrapbooking business?

As the name implies, email marketing is a form of marketing done via email. Recipients sign up to receive emails from the business owner, usually in the form of a newsletter. It may also be a notification,tips or list for special offers. As a business owner, you will also want to include promotions for your product or service.

In a perfect world, the reader reads these emails, learns about the promotion and becomes a customer. Sounds simple – and it is, but there are also variables along the path to making this a successful way to market a business.

As with any marketing tool, there are some cons to email marketing. Don’t let that stop you from trying this technique, as these can be easily overcome. Let’s go over some obstacles and how to overcome them.

Occasionally I’ll have a special offer just for ScrapVenture readers.  Today I am offering a one month membership to ScrapVenturePro.  It is easy to enter and win!  Simply visit  ScrapVenturePro and decide if it is for you.  Then leave a comment below as to why you want to win.   A winner will be chosen and announced right here on the site on Thursday, September 25.

Good luck and here is to sweet success!

Dawn

Email marketing services, also known as autoresponder services, are a dime a dozen. There are an abundance of providers and products available and each one is pitched as the next best thing. Comparing products can be a time consuming process. Here�s how to pick the right email marketing service for your internet marketing business.

Decide if you want a full service software package with a number of features or simple, straight forward email marketing? Some products come with autoresponders, shopping cart software, to product delivery tools

Do you want HTML templates or are you going to send your email messages in text format? There are benefits to both. Graphics and embedded links are great for creating captivating and converting messages however many people have their HTML turned off.

Comparing apples to apples. Much of the jargon on a particular product�s website can be vague. Here�s what you want to look for:

• How many messages can you send each month?
• Can you send personal messages to individual members on your list?
• Is there a size or length limit to your messages?
• How many subscribers or contacts can you have on your list?

Email has become the primary means of communication among businesses. Email is used to communicate both with clients and customers as well as coworkers and associates. It is therefore, very important to make sure messages are understood and written in a manner which appropriately matches the situation. Here are 5 steps to make sure your email messages are received as they’re intended.

Step One: Who is your message to? Messages to coworkers or associates are different than messages to bosses or clients. For example, you probably wouldn’t want to start a message to a customer Howdy Joe! Rather Dear Joe or even Hello Joe would be significantly more appropriate.

Starting your message off on the right foot is important as it sets the tone for the rest of the email.

Step Two: Subject line. It may seem like an unnecessary step however including a subject line accomplishes several things. First of all it gets your email opened. Email messages without subject lines are often missed, ignored, or assumed to be spam.

It doesn’t matter what type of business you have, you need to keep finding new clients if you want to stay in business. As someone in the scrapbooking industry, you have an advantage over other business owners. Why?

Because most people love and cherish their photos. You are offering a service that people not only need and want, you offer a service that people treasure! Not only is scrapbooking a way to preserve memories and create family heirlooms, it’s also a fun and relaxing hobby.

Finding new clients for your scrapbooking business does not have to be difficult. If you think outside the box and get creative, finding new clients can be a fun part of your business.

Here are a few ideas:

• Craft Fairs-You can find craft fairs in your local area by reading the local paper, visiting the websites of local television and radio stations, and keeping an eye out for signs and posters on area bulletin boards.
• Partner-Partnering up with other professionals is a great way to market your work.
• Home Parties-Scrapbook consultants who sell scrapbook product for big companies are not the only ones who can take advantage of the home party. The party plan method has been around for so many decades because it works!

Being a scrapbook business owner can be a very satisfying part of your life. You will be able to spend more time with your family along with the opportunity to create a successful business. It does take effort on your part, maybe more than you realized when you first started out. Here are some tips on how to keep going when things get tough.

When the day comes where you feel like giving up(and they will)-don’t! Remember success is not found overnight. You are going to have to put in a lot of time and effort when it comes to building your business, but you can do it. Just remember, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time! It is ok to have a bad day once in a while, but when that day is over, you need to get up, brush yourself off and start working again.

What do you want to accomplish with your business? Stay motivated by hanging up pictures of your kids near your computer or phone and writing down what you want to accomplish by working at home. Maybe you want to pay off credit card debt or save for retirement or buy the kids a pool. Whenever you feel discouraged – read what you wrote down or look at the pictures of your kids. It will inspire you to keep working!