How do you stay in touch with your customers and visitors to your website?

You could try sending personal emails to all of them - if you're like me you don't have the time for that.

A bulk email could be easier. Problem here is that most small businesses use an internet service provider (ISP) who will limit the sending of bulk emails. Also, a bulk email doesn't explicitly target people who are in different stages of the research and buying process.

Your website isn't bound by the bulk email limitations your ISP applies to your broadband account, so why not use it to manage your mail outs.

You may also use your website to send automated emails to the visitors who register. This is called an auto-responder system. You can set up a series of emails to be sent to a visitor at set intervals after they register.

The emails you send via your auto-responder system should be informative and useful to your website visitor. The aim is to help build the relationship, not annoy them.

By keeping in touch with your website visitors, you build a relationship with them ensuring you are high on their list of prospects when they are ready to buy.

The aim of this process is to turn a visitor to your website into a paying customer or client of your business.

So far we have only spoken of new customers. What about existing customers?

You must stay in touch with your customers to maintain your relationship with them and keep them coming back to your business.

One effective way to achieve this is through a newsletter mail out. This could be produced periodically, or only when something big occurs in your business. Just be careful not to send them out too often, or your newsletter will be considered junk mail.

Your website is the ideal tool for the production of your newsletter.

Some newsletter do's and don'ts:

• Do use a creative title  -  People scan the email titles when deciding which email to open first. If your title reads 'August Newsletter', you will go to the bottom of the list. Your title should speak to the desire of the reader, offer them something.
• Don't send email to someone unless they have agreed to receive it  -  One way to annoy someone is to start sending them you promotional emails just because they gave you their card at a networking event. Anti-spam laws require that you get the recipient's consent before sending them an email of a commercial nature. Make sure that you clearly state that you will be sending emails to people who register on your website.
  
• Do include unsubscribe instructions with every email  -  Also required by the anti-spam laws. Easiest way is to let your website handle this with an automated unsubscribe facility.
• Do test the links you include in your email  -  Nothing is more frustrating than receiving an email which includes some teaser information which gets you hooked, only to find out that the link to the whole story doesn't work. Test them first. Send your email to yourself and make sure it looks right, reads right, and all the links work.
• Don't just send out a sales letter  -  If you draw someone in with a great email title for them to find nothing but a sales letter when they open the email - you've lost them, the first thing they will do is unsubscribe. If you promise them something they want in the title, follow through with your text.
• Do set a single goal for each newsletter  -  This keeps your email short and more likely to be read and doesn't provide too much choice which could lead to indecision and no result. Make this goal clear to the reader.
• Do ensure you have a call to action in the newsletter  -  There is no point sending out business correspondence if your reason for doing so isn't clearly defined. If you want people to take a particular action, ask them to, ask them early, and ask them more than once.
• Do use a template consistent with your branding  -  Make sure that as soon as someone opens your email, they can clearly identify that it is from your business.

Now that you have encouraged people back to your website, make sure you reward them for returning. Keep your website fresh and up to date. Step 7 will show you how.