Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Excel print outs for these or any other straightforward forms. Do not put the
goal for the first
2
weeks too high: having
100
customers on your e-mail list
within
2
weeks is fine for a small business. After the first
100,
go for the 250,
and build from there.
Most people want to know 'What's in it for me?' So you need to make
clear what the benefits are of signing up. A small incentive will help, like a
herb or a $2.50/£2.50 coupon. You can also do a monthly prize draw with a
product or gift voucher from your business. If you just ask them to sign up so
you can send them your latest offers you should not be surprised that most
people will not be interested in your newsletter!
After adding your list to your e-mail marketing tool, you can start send-
ing out your first newsletter. We sometimes receive newsletters with a title
like this:
XYZ Business special offers January
Why would we want to read this newsletter? Is it inspiring? Is it inviting?
No, it is only commercial. Do not do this! Be a bit more creative.
You need to make the recipients curious about your newsletter. You
should also include links from your newsletter to your website and do not
add too much text to it. Keep it plain, straightforward and have multiple
messages in your newsletter.
Smartphone and apps
Team members in your business who have never seen a person using a
smartphone while travelling probably do not exist anymore. Over 1.8 billion
people around the world are using their smartphone to share ideas, to ask
relatives for advice, to compare prices or get directions when they are trav-
elling. The smartphone is the one and only device customers go home for if
they forgot it and, together with their money and keys, the only thing you
can be sure they have in their pocket while they visit your attraction, farm
or centre.
So how do you turn this device into your most successful marketing
tool? There are plenty of things you can do.
Be aware most people use their smartphone to go online and socialize
via Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. Using social media keeps your brand in
their mind even while they are on the run. The second thing you should do is
having a responsive website. Consumers tend to search Google for 'Business
in XYZ' if they are on the road. Have a website which resizes automatically if
visitors open it via a smartphone, a so-called responsive website.
You can also develop your own app for iPhone and Android, which is
not too expensive anymore. You can add your loyalty card to this app or
you can send out coupons for specific discounts. Having your own app
helps to keep your brand visible and it gives you a unique opportunity to
interact with your customers. Share news items, culinary tips and promo-
