How to Get Your Phone to Ring More Often

I know marketing. I study what works, and what doesn't. I teach techniques for getting more calls. And then I watch my clients put these strategies into practice, and I gather their results. Want to know what I hear over and over again? "I get calls for new business every time I … …send out an email newsletter." I have found this to be the most effective way to increase your design business: sending an email newsletter - an article or simple tip that you send through email to your clients, friends, and prospects on a regular basis. If you can write an email, you have the ability to dramatically increase your success. Writing an email newsletter helps you:

* Achieve expert status
* Increase sales
* Gain new clients
* Improve customer relations
* Get more referrals
* Make More Money!

It's true. Writing just one simple email, as little as once a month, can do all that for you. But here is the challenge: It has to be done right, or you won't see these spectacular results. It took me several years - and thousands of dollars - to learn the most effective way to launch a successful email newsletter campaign. And within one year of doing it the right way, my business tripled! Ever since, I have been on a mission to teach designers about this incredible business-boosting strategy. Here are some basic tips to assure that your email newsletter helps boost your business quickly:

* Send your newsletters regularly. Once a month, twice a month, weekly mailings? The most important aspect of a successful email newsletter is being consistent. Stick to a schedule!
* The main part of your newsletter - your article or tip - needs to be useful information for the reader. You should certainly put in some promotion about your company, but keep this to a small percentage of the entire newsletter. Any more than that will turn off readers and cause deletes and "un-subscribes."
* Use an email contact manager. If you try to manage your email newsletters from your regular email account, you will get very frustrated. The one I like gives a free 60-day trial, and they have loads of great templates that make it so easy to get started: www.DecoratorContact.com
* Keep It Simple! Multi-column newsletters - with many articles and loads of photos - may look pretty in print, but an email newsletter is easier to read when it is short and simple. Studies show that you get more sales when your newsletters are concise. Stay with one column, and use just one or two photos to get your point across.

The most common reason that designers stop doing an email newsletter (or never get started) is they make it too complicated. Don't fall into that trap. The simpler your newsletter, the more effective it will be, and the more likely you will keep up with it. Some of the secrets I've learned seem to go against all of our instincts as designers and business owners, but they work! When I began to use all of this advice, my sales went through the roof. I know it can work for you, too.

Lifestyle entrepreneur Nika Stewart combines spiritual ideas with proven marketing strategies to empower creative entrepreneurs to achieve their business goals and dreams. Her weekly ezine, To Your Success, includes inspirational articles showing you how to use your business to create your ideal lifestyle. Grab your free subscription at: www.NikaStewart.com