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The Fresh Twist Newsletter — July 2007 | Issue 27

Want to Start an E-mail Campaign but You Don't Have Much of a List?

By Barbara Zaccone

I hear it many times from clients, "I want to do an e-mail campaign but I don't have a list put together". I say, yes you do. Even if you can gather 100 names of your existing clients, you have the beginning of your first list. E-mail marketing to an in-house list is just plain smart.

When we talk about an in-house list we are talking about permission based e-mail campaigns. Those on your list should be prospects, customer or clients, vendors, sources of influence and business associates, in other words, people who know you. Sending unsolicited e-mail hurts your brand.

How to build your in-house list:

  1. Add a sign-up box on your web site and be clear to let subscribers know exactly what they will be getting. Keep your email sign-up forms short. Ask only for what you need to get started. Put your sign-up box on multiple pages to increase your chances of getting new subscribers.
  2. Your sales and marketing database. Whether you are using Outlook or any other e-mail program, you can export your contact list.
  3. Current customers. Even QuickBooks provides you with a field where you can e-mail invoices and estimates. Export your list from QuickBooks and begin filling in the blanks.
  4. Former and inactive customers. Going back a few years can reap many benefits.
  5. The Trade Show fishbowl. Perhaps you've collected business cards at a trade show and promised prospects you would send them some information as well and enter their name into a contest. Take a look at those stacks of business cards.
  6. Add your employees to the list. Referrals are a great source of business.
  7. Take advantage of word of mouth marketing by adding "Forward to a friend" in each of your campaigns.
  8. You could drive traffic to your sign-up page on your web site by adding a blurb about your e-newsletter in your e-mail signature file.

Successful email marketing begins with a quality in-house email list. Campaigns sent to your house list will regularly out perform almost any list you can rent or buy. Continually building your list over time will reward you in the long run.

In closing, make sure that all opt-out requests are honored within ten (10) business days of receipt. The best method is to utilize software (installed or hosted) that automates the reply, unsubscribe and global unsubscribe process.

 

BZA Launches Big Green Egg

We are so EGGcited to let you know of the launch of the BigGreenEgg.com. Just in time for the barbeque season, the Big Green Egg, the World's Best Smoker and Grill, web site will be a hot online destination this summer. Complete with videos, recipes, and lots of product information. The Big Green Egg has a following like no other. The site receives thousands of unique visitors per day who are looking to get information about EGGs, Eggessories, Recipes, and even Eggtoberfest. BZA designed this EGGceptional web site with a user interface that is easy and logical to navigate and where any piece of information is no more than two clicks away. The graphics are bold and use of photography is sure to inspire any EGGhead (that's what they call BGE fans).

The site is viewed by The Big Green Egg, headquartered in Tucker, Georgia, as an invaluable resource for everyone from professional dealers to seasoned EGGheads to consumers who are still kicking the tires. BZA built the dealer locator so potential buyers can quickly find the closest EGG in their neighborhood. In order to keep the dealer list current at all times, BZA provided the client with the ability to update dealer information through a password protected administrative area.

The site also contains an animated Flash movie integrated into the home page that quickly communicates the unique features and benefits of cooking with the Big Green Egg. We also create a Flash animation on the "Press is Hot for BGE" page. The animation highlights the national coverage they have received from the most recognizable names in Home and Food magazines.

We encourage you to not only check out this web site because we know it's awesome, but also because we know if you are into grilling and healthy eating and cooking you're going to love the EGG. Enjoy.

News

Meeting the Famous


On July 3, 2007 I met something very famous. The iPhone. Around a big counter at the Apple store in Atlantic City I was able to secure my space. After months of hype and media hysteria I finally had this long awaited beautiful piece or art and engineering in my hand. Now what should I do? I immediately launched the Safari web browser, used the on-screen keyboard and entered http://www.bza.com. I could not believe I was viewing our web site on a phone. I could easily navigate the site by tapping each tab and visiting whatever pages I wanted. With intuitive touch screen motion I could zoom each page and clearly view the page content. It was a WOW moment. What does this mean to our clients? Lots. Simply stated, increased visibility and expanded reach. As posted on MacRumors.com "Shaw Wu claims that 250,000 units sold over two days, while Gene Munster estimates 500,000 and Trip Chowdhry says 525,000 for the weekend...5th Avenue's iPhone sales alone on opening day reached 5000 units." According to the Wall Street Journal Online afternoon report: Goldman Sachs pegged weekend sales at least 700,000 units -- double its prediction of 350,000 -- and raised its 2007 projection for iPhone sales to 5.3 million from four million.

All these consumers who spent $500 or $600 on a phone now have internet shopping ability in their hands. What better demographics could you ask for?

BZA Video Now on YouTube


The BZA video that appears on the home page of www.bza.com has made its debut on YouTube. YouTube is the leader in online video, and the most popular destination to watch and share original videos worldwide through the web. "We encourage all our clients to take advantage of this powerful tool to increase their marketing reach", claims Barbara Zaccone, President of BZA LLC. YouTube is a great marketing tool to post corporate, how-to, demonstrations, presentations and so much more. Check it out now at YouTube.com