Are You Missing Out On Free & Easy Marketing?

by Debbie LaChusa

Did you know there's something you do every single day that you could be using as an opportunity to market your business?

What is it?

Sending email. How many email messages do you send in a day? I recently went back and counted the messages in my Sent folder. I use several email accounts, but in just one of them I found an average of 10-12 messages a day. That's 70-84 message per week!

Two Chances for Free Promotion
Did you realize every time you send out an email, you have two opportunities to market your business?

#1 With Your Email Address
Take a look at the email address you're using for business. Are you using an email address such as "crazyjane@yahoo.com" or "fitbodyhunk@hotmail.com"?

Okay, so I'm poking a bit of fun, but you'd be surprised at some of the email addresses I see. Granted some of them may be reserved for ezine subscriptions, but I also receive a lot of email from small business owners with these types of email addresses.

So what's wrong with this?

Make Sure You're Representing Your Business Professionally
Well, for one, they are missing out on a free marketing opportunity. When you use an email address such as debbie@10stepmarketing.com  you have the opportunity to get repeat exposure for your company name with every email you send out.

You Can Build Your Brand and Business
What, everyone you send email to already knows your business name? That's okay. It's good reinforcement. And it doesn't cost a dime, so why not do it? Plus, it presents a much more professional image. It says you are a real business. Even if you are sending out your emails while wearing your pajamas in your home office.

Use Your Web Site Domain Email Addresses
Ideally your web site domain should be the same as your business name. And your web hosting should come with at least a handful of free email addresses. It's fairly easy to set up, but if you're not sure, check with your host. Odds are they've addressed it in their FAQs or online help.

#2 Use An Email Signature
The second way you can market for free is with your email signature.

Even if you don't have a web site, or if your web site address is not the same or similar to your business name, you can easily take advantage of this.

Set It Up Once ... Use It Everyday
Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express (and probably other email software as well) offer a Signature option you can program so every email you send is signed off with a consistent signature.

Create Your Own Personal Signature
You will want to consider including some of the following information in your email signature. I wouldn't suggest including all of this information or your signature will be too long. Pick what's important to you, and include information that represents how you want people to contact you.

Your First and Last Name
Your Title (if appropriate)
Your Business Name
Your Tagline
Your Email Address
Your Web Site Address (include the http:// so it becomes a live link)
An Invitation to Subscribe to Your E-newsletter, Ezine or Receive a Free Report (or any other free information you provide)

Following is an example of the email signature I include on every email I send out:

Debbie LaChusa
The 10stepmarketing System
"If you can answer 10 questions, you can
successfully market your business!"
debbie@10stepmarketing.com
http://www.10stepmarketing.com

Subscribe to the free 10stepmarketing Ezine
to receive weekly marketing how-to articles,
low-cost marketing ideas, tips and advice at
http://www.10stepmarketing.com

It Equals 70-80 Free Promos a Week!
By signing off all your emails with an email signature, you are constantly promoting your business. Plus your contact information is right there if someone wants to get in touch with you. They don't have to take the time to look up your phone number or web site address.

A good email signature also clearly communicates to people what your business is all about or what you do.

Who Knows Where Your Email May End Up?
You never know where one of your emails is going to end up. It may be forwarded to someone who could just become your next subscriber or client.

Build Web Site Traffic With Special Promos
You can also use your signature to build traffic for your web site by inviting people to visit your site to get a special report or to subscribe to your e-newsletter.

You can even use it to announce new products or promotions. In fact, I just changed mine today to promote my new Extreme Marketing Makeover program.

Your Email Address Format
Make sure the email address you are using is formatted something like this: yourname@yourdomain.com

How To Set Up Your Email Signature
If you use Microsoft Outlook, simply go to the Tools option on your toolbar, click on Options, and then Mail Format. You'll see Signatures down at the bottom of the window. You can set up one, or as many as you want. You select the one you want to use as your default and it will automatically be added to all your email messages.

By doing these two things, you will be building your brand and your business without spending any extra time or money.

This is one of the many marketing tips you'll find in The 10stepmarketing System. Not only does this system teach you a simple, step-by-step way to create and implement a marketing plan for your business, it provides great low-cost marketing tips you can easily implement to start generating more exposure and sales. You can learn more here .

(C) 2005 Debbie LaChusa

Learn over 100 more small business marketing tips and techniques you can use to market your own business on a shoestring budget with The 10stepmarketing System. Click here to learn more about this unique, step-by-step, question-and-answer program that makes it easy to successfully market your own business.

Want to get helpful articles like this one delivered to your inbox every week?   Subscribe to The 10stepmarketing Ezine and you will! Click here to subscribe today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Debbie LaChusa created The 10stepmarketing System to make marketing your own business as simple as answering 10 questions. Learn more about this unique, step-by-step system and get a free Marketing Mini-Course when you subscribe to the free, weekly 10stepmarketing Ezine at http://www.10stepmarketing.com

NOTE: You're welcome to "reprint" this article as long as you make no changes and you include the "About the Author" information at the end.  Please let me know if and where you use this article by emailing me at debbie@10stepmarketing.com

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