# It normally takes around 5 to 7 exposures to a product before most people will buy!



## peteVA (Nov 11, 2007)

An earlier was entitled "Legal SPAM" and related how it is perfectly within the confines of the CAN-SPAM Act and similar regulations to have a series of "Transactional or Relationship" messages. It discussed using order acknowledgements, shipping notices and follow-ups to not only maintain customer contact, but to develop additional sales.

I am going to build on that previous article and disclose ways you can maintain continuing customer contact by email. There is nothing sinister in what I'll discuss and you can use it to help grow your business with email, while remaining a good guy in the eyes of your customers (or prospects) and regulators.

I can actually define the entire article with one word - "autoresponder". Most of you are familiar with it. Many have one available as part of their email package. You know, where you can go in and say "I'm out of the office today, but will return on Monday the 27th" or some similar message. Then everyone who emails you during the period before the 27th automatically receives the message soon after sending theirs.

If you don't have one, or never used one, I'm sure you have received a reply from one somewhere along the line. Well, that's not the type of autoresponder I'm going to be discussing. Sorry, there is actually another type of autoresponder, one that is properly called a "Sequential Autoresponder". It also sends out "pre-recorded messages", but it doesn't send just one. It sends an entire series of them, on a schedule that is pre-determined by the sender. 

And an autoresponder (I'm going to use that term for the sequential type, as that is what they are generally called) of this type is as essential to anyone selling online as their keyboard.

Most of those messages I mentioned in the previous article can be sent automatically by an autoresponder. Here's a bit of an overview. You get a new order in and it's run through the payment process. At that point your payment provider 
(PayPal, etc.) is going to send an email to your customer, acknowledging the purchase. Great! But, that same purchase process can trigger your first "thank you" message to your customer. It will add their name and email address to your autoresponder list and the spaced messages will follow.

Three days after purchase a "follow up" message may go. "Thanks again for the order, just want you to know we are actively working on it and it will ship in a few days. By the way .........." A week later a "hope you've received your order" message, with a new sales item. Then a week or so later another "Is your order satisfactory, we want to make sure you are happy" message with another suggestion of items happy customers buy.

Now there is something common to all of these, that was discussed in the earlier article. They all are clearly marked as being from your company. There is nothing misleading about the return address, in the Subject or From areas and there is full contact information for your company. All required by CAN-SPAM. Full disclosure, no deception.

And, there is one more thing included. At the tail end of each is an "Opt-Out" link for them to use to remove themselves from your mail list. You make it clear that they can leave any time they choose. This "keeps you legal".

Since they came to you and bought, you do not have to have them "Opt-In", they did that when they bought. But you are offering them the chance to leave with every message, so staying is their choice.
Since they've chosen to stay, you can continue with your "Permission Based Marketing." 
It is important to do this because it normally takes around 5 to 7 exposures to a product or service before most people will buy! That means that a single message now and again will not do the trick.

A well planned, continuing marketing plan geared not only to sell a single product, but to keep your "brand" in front of a willing audience can result in significant sales increases for your business. 

This applies also to others who ask to be included. If you are not presently capturing at least the first name and email addresses of your visitors, you should begin today.

The best way to do this is a free offer of some sort. If 
you are selling games, a free book on cheats. 
Selling clothing, a course on color blending or seasons. Computers, how to childproof your Internet connection, etc. There any number of ebooks, texts, newsletters and more that you can offer as an incentive to simply give their name and email.

All autoresponders come with a "form maker" that will let you make the sign up block. There are a number of templates for adding the form to your page, or you can simply have a block with the form inside. "Sign up for our free newsletter and you can instantly download the entire plays of William Shakespeare."

As mentioned above, this type of sign-up will require the Double Opt-In method where they are sent an "I agree" email, and once they click the I agree link they are then sent to the download site and added to your autoresponder list.

Is this complicated? Not really. You will not set up your first series in five minutes. And, you'll stumble a bit and end up sending yourself a dozen or so test messages before you get it straightened out in your mind. But, once you have an understanding of the process, the next set will come much easier.

And there is always help available. Online help is just a click away and helpdesk or email help is usually quickly handled. 

Quite frankly, the main task will be putting together some good sales messages. You can have simple text messages, like many emails are now, you can use HTML to have messages that look like web pages and with some autoresponders you can even have audio and / or video messages.

Quality copy writing is a must. If you are going to be 
sending out messages with poor grammar, improper spelling and bland content you will not get much in the way of results.

However, with properly done messages you can definitely expect an almost instant increase in sales. As mentioned above, it normally takes 5 to 7 contacts, but you have had some already with current customers. They are familiar with your site and your services, so just a few well designed messages should begin to show results.

Autoresponder services are available for as little as $ 5.00 per month. Copy writing is also inexpensive. And for those who are intimidated by any thought of setting up an autoresponder, the entire process can be hired out for a very reasonable fee.


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## bwattsup (May 11, 2008)

Nice article Pete. I'm learning something new everyday. I noticed in another post that you lived in Newport News as well. I'd love to pick your brain sometime for more of your outstanding insight.


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## mathcasey (May 19, 2008)

Very good article and very useful information. Thanks for putting this up!


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## CottonCombed (Mar 6, 2011)

This is really useful article for me, because it is give me insight how to keep in touch with current customers. It is harder to acquire new customers rather than those who already done business with before.


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## 4C Print Shop (Sep 8, 2010)

This article is a great one. Thanks!!!


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## ShootingStarGirl (Jun 7, 2011)

Great article! As usual, so helpful, keep them coming! Very soon, I will be too smart for my own good. LOL.


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## ishredbanez (May 14, 2011)

Keeping tabs on this thread. Thanks!


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