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E-mail marketing is inexpensive and flexible, but should not be overused so that recipients don’t become overwhelmed by the volume of e-mails you are sending (and therefore ignoring what you send). The successful use of email as a marketing tool can be broken down into 5 components.

Once you have determined that you wish to engage in e-mail marketing, you need to decide to whom you wish to send your messages. The selection of a list to purchase should be based on your knowledge of your targeted market and who comprises your most likely customer. Many list brokers have lists they can accumulate based on a variety of demographic information, and some can also provide names based on a history of responding to offers sent via e-mail. Over time you can gather a list of customer e-mail addresses that will prove to be a tremendous marketing asset, as it is comprised of people who have bought from you already and presumably have an interest in what you sell. You can gather your own list at your place of business and via your website, by offering people an opportunity to sign up to get your emails (which feature special offers and new product announcements).

The content of your e-mails should be designed to meet the needs of your audience. As mentioned above, you can use your e-mails to announce new products or make special offers. You can also inform your customer base about new developments in your market, announce special events, or provide opinions (based on the type of relationship you have with customers and the type of business you have). The e-mail content needs to be precise, well written, and engaging.

There are two different ways e-mails can be sent and the selection of either is based on the content of the e-mail and how you wish for it to be presented. E-mails sent in HTML format look like web pages and can feature graphics. These are more effective for sales promotions, but some people do not have their e-mail programs set to receive HTML e-mails, meaning that the content will come in without the graphics. Text e-mail messages are useful when you want to relay information and are able to keep your message short and to the point. You can use a link in a text e-mail to send the reader to your website where he/she can view more information in HTML format.

Prior to launching a broad and ambitious e-mail marketing program it is recommended that you test your message with a series of smaller groups to make certain that what you are saying is being well received and that the response rates you anticipate are being met. The tests enable you to make adjustments before you go live in a big way. Testing should be done to representative groups by taking random selections out of the lists you intend to use.

The beauty of e-mail marketing is that it allows for the tracking of your marketing program in ways traditional marketing cannot do.

As a local business owner there are opportunities and there are golden opportunities. It’s simple, direct and very profitable. And yet few local businesses are taking advantage of local email marketing. So how do you start down the road to Internet marketing success? You begin by simply collecting customer email addresses, with their permission. Permission email marketing is a requirement. It is referred to as opt-in marketing. At all stages of email marketing you MUST respect your customers and their privacy. Only when they have accepted your request to send information, should you forward email promotions.

How do You Collect Customer Emails?

As a local business owner you are constantly in touch with customers and prospects, either in person or on the phone. As a retail business you could have a clipboard by your register or pre-printed index cards that your customers can fill-out. As a service business you just ask for their email address when you make contact.

What’s in it for Your Customers?

The opportunity to save money or be notified of special offers. People are always looking for a bargain, and through email you can keep them informed on the latest deals, in addition you can alert them to new services or products. This is very appealing. And customers will perceive this as a value added service, that makes doing business with you more appealing.

How Difficult is Email Marketing?

If you email friends or family, you are quite capable of marketing through email. Initially your list will be small so you can manage it through the use of your current email client like MicroSoft Outlook. You place your customer emails in a “group,” compose a message, and hit the send button. Not exactly rocket science. (Note: Make sure you use the “blind box” feature.)

But from the start, you may want to consider using a professional email management service like ConstantContact.com. A service like Constant Contact simplifies the management of your list. These types of services offer features like tracking, reporting, templates and customer support. In addition, they automate the process of people opting out of your list. An important factor with permission email marketing.

What Results Can You Expect?

Think about the potential profit from simply keeping your customers informed. This is not invasive advertising, but permission marketing, where your customers have willingly given their consent to receive your advertisements. It is like they are saying, “Please allow me to spend more money with your business.”

If you follow these rules and know how to stay away from the bait, you can avoid being hooked by a phishing scam. As long as you stay informed about phishing and keep one step ahead of the game, as tactics evolve with the times, you’ll be swimming safer waters. In the face of an increase in phishing scams, it’s necessary to learn how to avoid them, if you can.

Being informed about spam e-mails and spoofed websites is one of the best ways to guard against falling victim to a phishing attempt. For instance, spam e-mails may contain the company’s logo and appear official, but when you look closely, there are several warning signs that can give scammers away. Sometimes the e-mails have spelling mistakes or the language doesn’t sound quite right. But the best indicator is the request itself – legitimate companies never ask for you to verify your account, or to send your account information via e-mail. If you want to make sure everything is safe with your account, simply direct yourself to the website (without clicking any links within the suspicious e-mail) and log in directly to check on things, or call to confirm the sender’s identity and the truth of the request. Do not send the information online.

Secondly, don’t become frightened by the urgency of an e-mail or feel under pressure to answer immediately, without a second thought. Scare tactics are common when it comes to phishing, as a means to extract private information from unsuspecting people. Again, if you’re concerned about your account, call the institution directly to verify the matter.

A generic e-mail request is another indicator of a phishing scam. Because scammers tend to send out spam to a large number of people, the e-mails they send aren’t usually personalized. Authentic e-mails that arrive from your bank or other official organization include your name.

Never click on a link embedded in an e-mail message. Always visit the site on your own by typing it into your web browser and visiting it directly. That will ensure that you arrive at a legitimate site, at which point you can log in and check on the status of your account.

When entering credit card numbers and other important data online through a website, check that the site is authentic and utilizes encryption to secure the information.

But be careful: some phishing sites put fake lock icons on their web pages. For inexperienced web surfers, this might be an effective trick. To avoid falling into this trap, ensure that the lock icon is located in the browser’s window frame, rather than in the actual web page. And know that a secure site doesn’t necessarily guarantee that a site is legitimate. URL masking techniques have the ability to make fake addresses appear to be those of actual secure companies. If you doubt the site’s authenticity, call the site’s owner.

Another way to evade scam artists is by keeping your browser and operating system updated.

Install an excellent personal firewall, antivirus software, antispyware software and antispam protection. Because these programs reduce the amount of e-mail phishing scams that come your way, and keep malicious viruses at a distance, you won’t have as many chances to fall prey to a phishing attack.

Thanks to Sitepal from Oddcast, it is relatively easy and inexpensive to add a lifelike animated character to your website. Sitepal allows all kinds of businesses to create animated, talking avatars for websites. These avatars can be used for a variety of applications such as customer service agents, virtual salesman, or even a reporter for news sites. Their eyes follow the mouse cursor.

Personalizing your character is flexible and easy. The system lets you choose hairstyles, shades, necklaces, shirts, mouths, and face models. For the audio, you can record a message using a microphone or use the pre-made audio. There is also a text-to-speech option that speaks the text you type in, although the voice often sounds computerized and unnatural. The avatars support 13 languages in 60 different voices.

According to Oren Levy, executive vice president of New York City Oddcast, there are 10,000 eBay auctions running with Sitepal virtual sales representative. These avatars aren’t there for decorative purposes, they produce real results. Some businesses customize characters targeted to sell only one product. Although Sitepal can be used anywhere, it is most effective with high consideration products like computers, large appliances, and furniture. They’re also effective when used with products facing tough competition.