Turn Your Email Into a Powerful Marketing Tool

Email. We tend to relegate it to just another piece of information, like our phone number or address. However, the reality is that our email is a powerful marketing tool. And like any other marketing tactic, it's either working for us, against us, or simply not at all.

So how can you make sure that your email is working hard for you? Below are a few tools and tips to get you started.

1. Make Sure Your Email Address is Professional

Your email address should correspond to your company's name or website. For example, let's say Barb owns her own company called Cutsey Cupcakes. Her business website is located at www.cutseycupcakes.com. Her email address, then, should be barb@cutseycupcakes.com. Thus, her email address lends a sense of professionalism and credibility to her business, while also marketing her website.

In the event Barb didn't have a website, and was utilizing a free email service such as Gmail, her email address would be something akin to cutseycupcakes@gmail.com.

Above all else, avoid using personal email addresses for doing business. It conveys a sense of unprofessionalism.

2. Include an Email Signature

An email signature is a block of text that is automatically appended to the end of an email. It usually includes your website URL, phone number, email address, fax number, and the like.

Email signatures can easily be created and set-up in most email programs. (To find out how to create a signature in your program of choice, just Google the program name plus "create email signature.")

However, you can also take your signature one step further using a free program or two:

about.me

About.me, a free service, allows you to create an online business card that you then link to in your email signature. It's easily customizable and allows you to share a little bit about your company. You can also include links to your social media accounts.

WiseStamp

WiseStamp also allows you to link to your social media accounts - but from the email signature itself. You can also set it up to display the latest post from your Facebook or Twitter account, or even your blog. (Which is a great way to entice people to follow you.) In addition, you can include your logo, as well as customize the colors and fonts.

WiseStamp offers both a free and paid service. For most small businesses, the free service is more than adequate.



Are you motivated to make the most out of your email? Share any additional tips you have for maximizing the marketing potential of your email.