VerticalResponse Email Marketing Blog for Small Business

Good Service and a Few "Extras" - Lessons Learned from Virgin

No one likes to fly these days with the bloated price of tickets, the surcharges for luggage, the long security lines and bad attitudes. Not to mention airlines are getting really bad press on a daily basis. But there is an airline that's trying to attend to customers in a way we might be able to all learn from in my opinion, Virgin America.

Make Something Unfun, Fun

They have very cool pink and purple mood lighting on the planes and fun lounge music playing when you get on. It takes the edge off as you worry about having enough room in the storage compartment for your oversized bag that you stuffed too much. Oh and everyone greets you with a smile.

Don't want to wait with everyone else at the gate? For $40 you can be as cool as the Upper Classies and hang in the in the Lounge. There you enjoy free WiFi, food and drinks as well as super cool furniture, TVs and

Offer Something Extra

They offer electricity for you to have your iPod, your computer any electronic device with a normal outlet ON THE PLANE. Seems like something very small, but it's the only airline that offers this. I'll fly them on longer flights just to have that in order to work, watch a movie or catch up with email.(We can get soil from Mars, can't believe it's taken this long for electricity on a plane, but I digress) They're also testing WiFi on a few flights too.

They offer live TV which is fine, unless you're watching the semi-finals of the European Soccer match and ESPN skips through the goals. Bummer.

You can order food and drinks when you want with your credit card through the entertainment system. On-demand, what a concept!

Have Really Great Communications

Before one particular flight a gentleman came out to the waiting crowd during a delay, introduced himself as the pilot, apologized profusely for their actions and told everyone this is not how they want operate.

On another flight they passed out free drink or movie coupons because the in-flight entertainment system was not working correctly. They addressed it on the plane to avoid any disgruntled customers.

So it seems that a big business like Virgin is trying to go the extra mile to make flying cool again. Here are a few ideas I can think of for some other small businesses:

• Dentists - Offer movies while your patients get worked on or music with headphones.
• Car Dealerships - Offer coffee, muffins and TV in the waiting room while your customers get their car worked on. Offer a "kids area" to keep the tykes busy with kids books, some small furniture and crayons.
• Software & Hardware Companies - Spice up your copy in your marketing materials with some humor to break through the "serious tone" of what you're selling.

Whatever you sell, going the extra mile for your customers these days is more important than ever. What's your extra mile?

Time Is Your Enemy, Make It Your Friend!

I was recently asked by a colleague of mine Ramon Ray who runs SmallBizTechnology.com "Why aren't more small businesses using email marketing?" If you look at the stats they're staggering: over 20 million small businesses in the US alone and a small percentage of them are using one of the most affordable, easy-to-understand mediums to drive more dollars.

I thought about it for a second with Ramon and came to realize one simple reason. So many small businesses can't find the time to fit in yet another task to the daunting day.

Does This Look Like Your Schedule?

• 7:00AM - Wake Up from a not-so-restful night of sleep because you were thinking about all of the things you need to do the following day.
• 8:00AM - Make your way to the office, the store or the extra little room in your home you've decided would make a great workspace. Don't forget to get coffee, go to the bank and the post office on your way in.
• 8:30-9AM - Turn on the lights, clean the store, check your email, check your inventory, make sure your appointments are in order.
• 9:00 AM - 12:00PM -  Talk to customers, visit customers, talk to partners, vendors, your husband, your wife, meet with your employees.
• 12:00 - 1:00 - Shove a sandwich down your throat.
• 1:00 - 5:00 -  Talk to customers, visit customers, talk to partners, vendors, your husband, your wife, meet with your employees. Don't forget to update your website, check on today's product sales.
• 5:00 - 7:00 - Pay bills, do your taxes, pick-pack & ship your products, put together that last piece of office furniture you have so your new employee has a chair in the morning.
• 7:00 - 9:00 - Spend some time with your family so that they don't call the police about the stranger walking around your house...you.

Of course you don't have time! But sorry to say, you have to make it. You can't get back what you might gain today if you don't take the opportunity. It's just gone. Never to return.

I was talking to a friend of mine who has an online business that sells $16,000 worth of product each month (and that's her 2nd business!), and when she "has time" to send an email to the few thousand people on her list, she increases her sales to $24,000!!!!!

So a Few Recommendations?

1. Get a Calender Program - Block out an hour a month to get two email campaigns ready to go. Use the COPY CAMPAIGN feature in the VR Home Tab so you never have to start from scratch. It's in the "Actions" link. Then stick to your schedule! Use the VerticalResponse Calendar or the Google Calendar. They're easy and free.

2. Use Guilt! Tell your employees you're going to do this and they need to ensure you do this in order for you to be successful which means...oh right, they get a paycheck with all of that revenue you'll bring in.

3. Delegate - Enlist one of your employees to put together the campaigns. You'll be amazed at what they can come up with when challenged.

4. Let Us Do It - Use the VerticalResponse Full Service Option - We do it for you for a nominal fee!

Bottom line is that email marketing is still the most lucrative form of marketing today and small businesses now have access to the tools that are both easy-to-use and affordable so now you can look like giants...if you make time.

Website Videos - How Important Can They Be To Your Business?

I was looking at our website Google Analytics statistics the other day and was blown away by a statistic I uncovered. It seems that a large percentage of our website traffic in the last month came from people watching our video tutorials. Even though we have a web-based tool that is very intuitive, it's great to have that step-by-step video of how it's supposed to be used so that anyone can learn quicker than trial by fire.

I thought about it more and realized it doesn't only apply to software companies needing to record tutorials with screen shot flows. If you don't think your business lends itself to adding interactive videos on your site think again! In addition to our video tutorials, we publish other videos as well. PLUS, it's easier than EVER to take one. These days you don't need any high-powered video camera to look like a pro.

Last year the IAB reported that 50% of the US population will watch video online this year alone and they're most likely the same people that are buying your products or services.

Step 1: So, What Should You Take a Video Of?

Restaurants - You can give a 360 degree virtual tour of your place or film a video of your chef making one of your most popular dishes.

Real Estate Agents/Hotel Operators - Host a 360 degree virtual tour of the property or specific rooms.

Software Companies - Stop being afraid of the competition getting "access" to your software. If they really want it they will surely find a way to see it. For the mac check out what we use, ScreenFlow ($100). but there is also SnapzPro ($69), and iShowU ($20). In our opinion, the higher the price the higher the quality. Take a look for yourself. For PC's check out Captivate ($600)and Camtasia ($299).

Manufacturers, Designers - Take a video of your work, how something is made or a story of how a customer uses your products.

Non-Profit Organizations - Take a video of those who benefit from contributions and how it has helped them achieve!

And any business can take videos of your customers talking about your products or services!

Resource: How to take great videos - VideoMaker , Wonder How To, CNET.

Step 2: Get It Out of The Camera and Onto The Web!

The next step is to transfer the video first to your computer, then to your website or YouTube. YouTube let's you have about a 10 minute video so it's plenty.

Resource: How to transfer your video to your computer - Google, Rick Says, Expert Village.

Resource: How to transfer from your computer to YouTube - YouTube Help.

Once it's hosted on YouTube you'll need to add your keywords so you can be found when someone searches on them. Then you can link to it from your site and you don't have to host it at all!

Still scared to take a video? Try out the Flip Camera, it's about $129 and it plugs directly into your computer so you can immediately upload your video to YouTube. Still afraid? Check out Animoto it's fun! You simply upload still photos and pick a song. They put it together in minutes!

Don't forget to tell the world about your video. A best practice is to include links in your email marketing campaigns to your video so that all of your recipients can click to view the video!

Anyone have good video stories to tell?

Subject Line Copy - This is Not Spam!

One of our Marketing Programs Managers Jess came into my office to ask if I'd received an email from one of our Partner companies. She was waiting for the email so that I could transfer "ownership" of the program over to her. I'd have to log-in from an email I got and do it myself.

"I don't recall getting an email in my inbox, let me check," I told her. I looked and didn't find it. "Wait, let me check my Junk Folder," I said. I looked for about 1 minute and there it was. Pretty important email for my junk folder I thought. Why did it go there?

 

Names have been removed to protect the innocent.

Were their hearts in the right place? You bet. But probably NOT a good idea to include the word "SPAM" in the subject line.

Just a friendly recommendation to all.

Great Email Marketing Workshop in Austin!

A few weeks ago the VerticalResponse team went on the road to Austin, Texas to the Driskill Hotel to give an email marketing workshop for our GetVertical! Email Marketing Workshop series.

Wow, did we have a blast with the fine people of Austin. We talked to you small business owners about ideas on growing your business using email marketing, and showed you how to utilize our tools to do so. You showed us some amazing hospitality.

Some highlights:

• 100 small business showed up with enthusiasm and friendly faces!
• VR customer ClickForensics got up on stage to talk about how they use our tools to send emails to their business to business clients.
• The Wine and Food Foundation of Texas talked about how they use VerticalResponse to get the word out about the great food and wine industry of Texas.
• Some great conversation was had over lunch provided by VR.
• Customers spoke up including New Reach Media. Great to see you!
  
• We announced Non Profits email for free.
• Raj, our Product Manager, gave us a kick-butt demo for our all-new product VerticalResponse Surveys.

Thanks to Austin, you have a wonderful city, amazing people and a great community of small businesses. Thanks for a really warm welcome. And don't forget to join the Austin Group in the VR Lounge to network with your local peers.

Don't live in the Austin area? Look for a GetVertical! Email Marketing Workshop in a city near you!

Panzano - Great Customer Follow-Up

We were recently in Denver for our Get Vertical Email Marketing Workshop. Huge success, thanks to all who came. We went to dinner with our customer panelists at one of our customer's restaurant, Panzano. I highly recommend it by the way. I liked it so much I filled out one of those "How are we doing?" cards in the pocket of the bill holder. I wasn't sure if I'd get anything out of it because all too often you just don't.

To my surprise I got a really nice letter from the Executive Chef thanking me for my visit.

Lesson learned:

1. Ask your customers how you're doing - Be prepared for the good, the bad and the ugly. These guys did it with a nice piece of paper in the bill holder, you can also use VerticalResponse Surveys to do it as well.

2. Follow up - I got the letter just a week after I visited the restaurant. You can bet next time I'm in Denver I'll go again. You can also bet I'll tell people about it just like I'm doing now.

3. Incent your employees - Give your employees a spiff for getting information from your customers. Now Panzano has my information for them to email me.

It was a great experience all around visiting a customer and dining with them!

Do you do anything like this? Let's hear it!

9 Cheap Marketing Ideas to Put to Work For Your Business Now

Every now and then we'll write about ways to market your business on the cheap.  In this economy we all need to think about ways to be creative. Here are a few more ways to add to the ever-growing list.

Gas Gift Cards - Have a promo where your customers need to purchase over a certain amount and they'll get a gas gift card from you! 

SVM Cards has small denominations. You can buy $5 and $10 cards in 10 packs.

Cost: The cost of the card you choose. For example, $5 cards in a 10-pack is $55.
Benefit: You'll get people who might drive to come to your store!

Hand-written Thank-You notes - When you ship out a product, include a nice note that you hand write to your customers. They'll be shocked you did it!

Cost: The time it takes to write a note.
Benefit: Your customers could tell their friends about this amazing thing you did which will potentially spread positive word of mouth.

Selling to a Business? Scour BizJournals in your area for new business listings, there are hundreds of them. Also see InfoUSA or DemandBase for business addresses nationally or locally depending on your zip code.

Cost: A Bizjournals Subscription is around $50-$100/year (depending on your local area) for 52 editions. Plus you get the Annual Book of Lists (which is huge) for free.
Benefit: You can call/direct mail the businesses on a weekly basis and enter them into your contact management system or your VR account. I counted about 500 businesses listed with all contact information in a single week.

Swap - Ask a neighboring business if you can put your business card stack on their counter and vice versa.

Cost: $10 to print business cards.
Benefit: You may get some new business from people that didn't know about you.

Advertise On Your Car - If the cost of gas hasn't got you riding your Schwinn around town, why not put a magnetic sign with your logo, phone number and website address on it. Great for sitting in traffic! While you're at it buy a license plate frame with your info on it too. I've been thinking about putting a VR sign on the ole' Yellow Mini Cooper.

Check out: LogoMagnet, Vista Print, Magnet Signs

Cost: $20-30
Benefit: Doesn't take much and who knows? That person riding you on the highway might just take note! Make sure you find visible parking spots too!

Tradeshows - See if a colleague who owns a business would want to share in a tradeshow booth or sponsorship. NetBooks asked us if we would co-sponsor the Small Business Development Center Technology Bootcamp and we did!

Cost: Your time and the actual sponsorship.
Benefit: For half the price you can both get new business.

LinkedIn - If you don't have a LinkedIn account create one, it's free. Then fill out your profile as much as possible. Also, answer questions in the categories you choose to. It turns out to be a great way to get known as an expert in your field. Also when people search on your business name or your name, often times your LinkedIn profile comes up on the first page.

Cost: Free
Benefit: You get your name out there for potential new business.

Contests & Awards - Have people submit their favorite picture of their smile (dental office), favorite dog picture (groomer/kennel/vet) or favorite pose or strut (retail clothing).

Have them post the video or picture to picasa, flickr, or YouTube so you don't have to host anything. You've got a gig or two of free storage at most of these. Then send an email campaign to tell your customers about the contest. They'll upload their content, then send their friends to see it. As an offshoot you'll get more traffic. Then reward them with discounts or cash.

Cost: Free.
Benefit: Your customers drive more traffic to you.

Post Videos of Customers - When a customer walks into your business or you visit one at their offices, why not take a Flip camera (cheap) and ask them to talk about your business. Then simply plug the Flip into your computer (it has a built in USB!) and upload the videos right to YouTube. Don't forget to tag the video with your company name and some keywords so you'll come up high in the search engine rankings.

Cost: Free if you have a camera. Flip is $99.
Benefit: There's no better advertising than you're customer testimonials. Then you can get ranked in the search engines more as well.

Let's hear any other creative ideas!