Email  can be a very cheap and effect markting tool for your business.

In a recent article at Email Wars blog, Dylan Boyd praised a message sent out by Banana Republic.  It was a minimalist email, just using simple text to annouce an online sale that took place on 09.09.09. 

The offer was “9 Hours Only! 20% off your favourite styles or 25% off when you use your Banana Republic card + Free Shipping when you spend £99 or more”.  Can you see how they have used the date in their offer?  Very simple, but very effective.

Our next key event is 11.11.09, which is Rememberance Sunday.  This would be a fantastic time to reconnect with clients you haven’t spoken to in a while and offer then a special 11hour sale.   Your email will need to cover:

• Deadline driven by immediacy – clients only have a small window to which to make their purchase
• Date chosen for its interesting configuration  – your clients will not be expecting a sale, unexpected offers produce good results
• Use a Code- make it extra special by buidling in a code like 11-11-09 which has to be used to redemm the offer.

Grab a piece of paper and list down all the different campaigns you can offer that either coincides with a event, time or occasion.

Let us know how you get on.

Viral marketing means to spread out information. Traditionally this was and is, still done via   word of mouth.  Online it can be achieved with emails, newsletters, promotions and your website (to name a but a few).

For example, I received an email the other day from a friend who had forwarded it to me.  The message was about the Take That Circus Tour DVD being launched on 24th November.  There was the option to opt in in the email to receive information.   My friend forwarded it to me, because we went to the concert together and she knew I would be very interested in the email.

My friend was obviously on a companies email list to have received the message. By offering the facility to forward the message to friends and share, the company are building their list.  Because there is a very strong chance that I will sign up to receive more information.  Hence the viral nature.

Viral marketing is free and takes less then 5 mins to set up.  What are you waiting for, add a forwarding facility onto your online marketing and grow your list.