How Email Can Fit into Your Small Business Strategy

As a small business owner, you likely use email to communicate with vendors or employees, but are you using it to its full marketing potential? Email can support your day-to-day operations and, when used strategically, can also become a valuable tool to connect with customers as you build brand awareness and encourage repeat business.

This post outlines ways to incorporate email into your business strategy and make it an effective part of your growth plan. We cover how:

• Welcome emails can leave a positive customer impression
• E-newsletters can help build stronger customer relationships & brand awareness
• Emails can help convert at different buying stages

Welcome Emails Can Leave a Positive Customer Impression

If you’ve ever signed up for a business’s newsletter or opted in to receive emails after making a purchase, you have likely received a welcome email. These messages are typically designed to introduce customers to a business, thank them for signing up, and help encourage future engagement.

As a small business owner, welcome emails can be a great opportunity to make a strong first impression on prospective customers, as they can allow you to introduce your business and showcase your brand’s personality while also conveying a polished, professional image, adding to the impression. If one of your goals is to help convert potential customers into actual customers, a welcome email can be a great first step in starting the customer relationship and help you stand out.

Because welcome emails are sent in response to a potential customer’s action (them signing up) and when their interest in your small business is high, they are likely to generate strong engagement, with an average open rate of 83.63%, making them a valuable addition to your overall marketing strategy.

Make the most of your welcome email by including:

• A welcome promo/discount code
• An introduction to your small business
• Product suggestions to get a prospective customer started (ideal if you run an e-commerce business)
• Links to your website and /or social media account(s)

E-Newsletters Can Help Build Stronger Customer Relationships & Brand Awareness

If one of your goals is to retain customers and nurture lasting relationships, regular e-newsletters can be a valuable addition to your small business’s strategy, as they can provide a consistent way to stay connected with your audience.

Your weekly or monthly newsletters can focus on a variety of topics, including new products, special promotions, business updates, or upcoming events. They also let you communicate directly with those who have expressed interest in your business, so you can share your brand’s personality and reinforce what sets it apart to an interested customer base, helping them continue to engage.

With 64% of small businesses already using email marketing to reach customers, e-newsletters remain a popular and effective communication tool. By sending regular, relevant communication, you can help keep your business top of mind, making customers more likely to think of your brand when they need your products or services.

Tip: To maintain brand recognition, keep your small business’s branding, tone, and style consistent across your newsletters so they feel like an extension of your website, social media, and other digital materials you already have.

Emails Can Help Convert at Different Buying Stages

Every customer’s journey with your small business is unique. Some may be ready to make a purchase shortly after discovering you, others may need more time to research before deciding, and there are some who have made a purchase, but it has been some time since they last engaged.

Email can help you stay connected with current and potential customers throughout this process by delivering relevant information at the right time. These emails could highlight your product range, offer in-depth details about the products/services you offer, provide personalized recommendations, or send timely reminders.

By aligning your email content with where customers are in their buying journey, you can help encourage first-time purchases and create opportunities for repeat business over time.

Depending on the size and type of your small business, such as whether you operate online, from a brick-and-mortar store, or through a combination of both, you may choose to track customer activity manually or use marketing tools that automate email communication based on specific customer actions or timelines. For example, a customer who has not made a purchase in several months could automatically receive a personalized re-engagement email featuring a special offer, product recommendations, or a reminder about your business. These tools can help you remain connected while reducing the time and resources required to manage communications manually.

Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) Guidance

While emails can be a valuable tool for small businesses, it is important to keep in mind the CASL guidelines when sending commercial electronic messages to make sure your emails are sent to willing recipients. Click here for the guidance around implied consent.

The UPS Store’s Small Business Solutions

As a small business, often juggling several responsibilities, it is important to have a trusted service you can rely on for a range of business needs. At The UPS Store, we offer Small Business Solutions, including professional printing, mailbox services, shipping solutions, and more. Reach out to a location near you for support so you can focus on building stronger customer connections and growing your small business.