Maximizing Customer Connection with Easy Newsletters

[cathyskitchen]

I just spent 2.5 hours responding to emails from the April Newsletter I sent out through my PWS last night! I got a catalog show, two orders and someone looking for a replacement part, plus some others asking for catalogs!

I love that Customer Connection - gotta love easy newsletters! :thumbup: :love:

 

[dannyzmom]

Did you add anything special info-wise to the newsletter you sent out?
Which template did you use?

 

[pamperedpals]

Okay, color me stupid, , but how did you do a newsletter from your PWS?

 

[krzymomof4]

Well,,,do tell. What in the world did your newsletter say?????
I sent mine out without a thing. Maybe I need to learn from a master:love:

 

[cathyskitchen]

I used the April Host Special template, then added the following in the "free form" text area:"Of course, if there's no time for a cooking show, I'd be happy to do a catalog show with you! It's easy - just pass the catalog to your family and friends and you get free and discounted products - what could be easier!Is money tight? Gas prices causing your wallet to feel too light these days? Call me about our business opportunity - you can start earning money right away doing something FUN and easy - I'll show you how!And, don't forget to check out my website to see who the Host of the Month was for March, the NEW recipes I've posted for April, and some fantastic specials for May and June!"I also titled it "Pampered Chef Newsletter - April 2008" - nice and simple. I send the same thing (basically) every month. I add every person who is invited to a show on my website to my customer list, and sync it with P3. Every month, I go to "Customer Connection", select every customer, and choose "send email". Then, I pick the template, type the stuff (like above) and that's it! I have over 1700 emails at this point (in business for 5 years), so I typically get a lot of responses at the beginning of the month. Every little bit helps, right?

 

[ted122781]

How exciting! I hope to one day spend 25 hours responding to e-mails. I know it's a lot of work, but it's a sign of a thriving, awesome business!

 

[wadesgirl]

Thanks for reminding me I need to send out my newsletter. Way to go on all those shows!

 

[ccarp]

That's a good kind of exhaustion......huh?! I can't wait to feel that way I'm only finishing my 30 days tomorrow. You are my idol!!!

 

[cathyskitchen]

How exciting! I hope to one day spend 25 hours responding to e-mails. I know it's a lot of work, but it's a sign of a thriving, awesome business!

Holy Tamales - 25 hours in one day! I hope you don't strive for that! 2.5 is much more "balanced"! Thanks for the compliment, though!!

 

[jbachen]

Cathy, how do you work your host of the month promo?? TIA!

 

[cathyskitchen]

Cathy, how do you work your host of the month promo?? TIA!

It's not really a promo - it's just for hosts to see their name on my website if they were the "top host". Some people only want recognition and like to see their name in print somewhere. I had actually stopped doing it one month, and a past host called me on it and told me she looks forward to seeing who the top host of each month was! Go figure!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

Love the wording Cathy, I am going to borrow it!! I havent emailed my list lately!! LOVE IT!

 

[krzymomof4]

I might think of doing this instead of the big newsletter I do every month.

 

[pamperedharriet]

Wow, that is great Cathy! Thanks for sharing. It seems to be working for you so maybe we should try it too! I sent out my newsletter last night and only 1 bite so far.

 

[jrny2001]

I never get responses from my newsletters. :cry:

 

[cathyskitchen]

I never get responses from my newsletters. :cry:

Hang in there - you have to keep doing it every month. Market research shows that you have to put yourself in front of people 7 - 11 times before they will even consider doing business with you!! So, repetition helps (but not every day!). Once a month seems to work well for me. More often than that seems to annoy people, so I try not to do that unless there's an AWESOME special that I just have to let people know about.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Hang in there - you have to keep doing it every month. Market research shows that you have to put yourself in front of people 7 - 11 times before they will even consider doing business with you!! So, repetition helps (but not every day!). Once a month seems to work well for me. More often than that seems to annoy people, so I try not to do that unless there's an AWESOME special that I just have to let people know about.

I have an example of this - I had a lady who had attended one of my very first shows (like one of the first 6 shows I ever did). I had no contact with her after she attended the show, except that she had indicated she would like to be on my email list. Every month she got the email - and I had no idea if she read those email newsletters or not. Fast forward 4 years - I sent out an email about HWC month, asking people to book shows and help support the cause, and I got an email from her asking me to give her a call. I called her, she talked to me like we were old friends (because I had been communicating with her for 4 years!), and about how important breast cancer research was to her, and she booked a show! She had a $700 show! 4 YEARS!!!

 

[linojackie]

The only responses I ever get is "Take me off your email list":thumbdown:

 

[sfdavis918]

The only responses I ever get is "Take me off your email list":thumbdown:

That's what I get too. I may try sending out a HWC email towards the middle of the month from my website and see if that makes a difference. Why don't I have any impulse shoppers on my mailing list???

 

[jkinak]

I send out a monthly newsletter and have started sending out a short email when the update the outlet specials. In a year and a half I have gotten 2 outlet orders and one outside order. It may not seem like much, but I think that persistence will pay off. I would love to have just one customer like Chef Becky D's-even if it takes 4 years!

 

[scottcooks]

Wow. I'll have to start using that. I've done another newsletter, but it has only resulted in "take me off your mailing list" replies from 1 percent, and no anything other than occasional compliments from folks who receive it.I'd sure be careful sending to "anyone who was invited to a show" - that's abusing a trust to me -- the host didn't give me contacts to build my business, but to build her show. ...to anyone who ATTENDED a show, yes - but not who was invited. That seems an invitation to tick people off. -just my thought.

 

[Flamingo]

Why did I not know about this before.... Why reinvent the wheel when you don't have too. That email is great.....:thumbup: :chef: I just sent out an email for help whip cancer and hope to get at least $3000 in sales..... I hope.....

 

[cathyskitchen]

Wow. I'll have to start using that. I've done another newsletter, but it has only resulted in "take me off your mailing list" replies from 1 percent, and no anything other than occasional compliments from folks who receive it.

I'd sure be careful sending to "anyone who was invited to a show" - that's abusing a trust to me -- the host didn't give me contacts to build my business, but to build her show. ...to anyone who ATTENDED a show, yes - but not who was invited. That seems an invitation to tick people off. -just my thought.

I know - I wasn't sure about doing that, but they can just remove themselves from my mailing list if they don't want it (and some do). I usually send an email to just my "preferred customers" (those who have given me their email address and permission to send them a monthly email), but I tend to get better responses when I send it to everyone.

 

[Kathie's Kitchen]

I personally like my PWS since I have family and friends in Maryland, DC and Virginia and I live in Colorado. All my customers love the availability of the product since my store is open 24/7.