Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

[Oh Bob Saget!!]

How do you find it best to reach your clients with notice of upcoming events: email, postcards, or letter-in-an-envelope? If you email, how do you do that? I mean, I want to know how you create a "wow" email; obviously it would take html to create an eye-catching email with images, colors, etc.; how does one accomplish this?

Is evite a good choice for inviting folks to, say, an open house; or is there something else I ought to know about?

Thanks.

 

[shashou]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

Renee,

I started using Constant Contact a year or so back. I use it for my quarterly newsletters and occasional updates. While not full of WOW features, it allows you to use templates to create professional looking newsletters. It features a permission-based database that you can add to. All new clients have been given the option (on their intake forms) to opt-in. I've been able to create a sizable database this way. I also ask existing clients if they would like to opt-in.

While infrequent mailing may be cheaper, having the convenience of an approved mailing list via email is much easier for me. www,constantcontact.com

 

[Pompal 09.]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

I send postcards for open house announcements and emails for other events. The postcards work well for me - I tend to get a good response rate from them (I leave enough room on the back of the card for a hand-written note if I have time). E-newsletters have worked marvelously for the last five years for my business. I send a monthly e-newsletter and an occasional e-card or e-blast of some kind if I have something extra to share. I keep rather specific subscriber lists and try to target any extra emails to certain lists instead of blasting everyone with another email in the same month. Like Walt, I too use Constant Contact and have been a pretty happy customer with them.

 

[o batido de leite]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

Thanks, Y'all!

My problem is, with working on so many different projects at the same time (and of course all with time limits on them), I've not gotten my invitations for the Open House we're having for our first anniversary ordered yet. I usually get postcards from VistaPrint, but can't afford "rush shipping" at this time- not if we're going to actually have a budget for the party itself! It's not too late to send out emails- although it does mean I get to go through our client files to search for emails. And they will not have previously given permission for me to email them like this.

I kinda feel like dropping it altogether- but your first anniversary comes around only once, right? I mean, this is a MILESTONE, and we want to celebrate it (and next time I open a business, it won't be during tax season )

Do y'all think it's a good idea to go ahead and email our clients about the anniversary thing, or would it be "spamming" them since I haven't got an "opted-in list" yet? If "spam". what else can I do QUICKLY to get the word out? Our anniversary is April 1st, so we have exactly 2 weeks.

 

[Pandora T.]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

Emailing them personally should not be considered spam, though it may also be a time to ask permission to email them in the future. This will give you an opt-in list starting point. If you switch to constantcontact or similar, you need to adhere to the spam rules.

 

[koolcat]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

That sounds like a good idea, Walt. Thanks.

 

[Babak Kratosbbm]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

I would say only if you were using your own email/server. If you use one of the commercial products, they are stricter with the demands.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

Renee,

I started using Constant Contact a year or so back. I use it for my quarterly newsletters and occasional updates. While not full of WOW features, it allows you to use templates to create professional looking newsletters. It features a permission-based database that you can add to. All new clients have been given the option (on their intake forms) to opt-in. I've been able to create a sizable database this way. I also ask existing clients if they would like to opt-in.

While infrequent mailing may be cheaper, having the convenience of an approved mailing list via email is much easier for me. www,constantcontact.com

I've been using Constant Contact for some time now also and I really like it and think its worth the price.
I pay about $20 (this includes the extended picture pack option) per month. Every time I send out an email, I always get a few bookings from it. I usually try to include my online booking link as an incentive. Recently I sent out an 'out of office' notice and got 9 online bookings from it! I also have a family & friends list that I use for personal invites, for example, my sons 17th birthday is this coming weekend and I created a nice invite with his school picture and sent that out. I got so much positive response. Its nice because you can make different lists of recipients- family, massage clients, etc.
I know for myself, sometimes regular mail gets over looked, or thrown away, but I do always look at my email!

 

[MommaYoga]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

Iwould email them too. At the bottom of the email you can give them the option to reply unsubscribe in case they really don't want any emails from you.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

For future events, you might try mixing it up, sending emails sometimes and postcards sometimes, and sometimes both. What catches one person's eye might not catch the other's. It sounds like you've already done some postcard mailing. Are you tracking the response? You really want to find out what's working.

I think simple emails are the best. There's so much spam and flashiness out there already.

 

[neutreno 3000]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

We use Constant Contact and get anywhere from 20% - 30% "open" rate, which translates into about 1/2 that in participation rate

 

[Superdave]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

For future events, you might try mixing it up, sending emails sometimes and postcards sometimes, and sometimes both. What catches one person's eye might not catch the other's. It sounds like you've already done some postcard mailing. Are you tracking the response? You really want to find out what's working.

I think simple emails are the best. There's so much spam and flashiness out there already.

I did send out some postcards to our clients regarding our open house that is next week (eek! that's too soon!). We haven't heard back from any of them that they're planning to come, but then again I didn't ask for RSVP. Funny, though- TWO people we haven't seen lately have booked for tomorrow. I'm imagining that we'll see more of an influx of folks booking, that we haven't seen for a while, than actual folks coming to the open house (who haven't been in for a while)- if that makes any sense. Like, my invitation to the open house/anniversary party will get us more bookings than attendees at the event.

I'm seriously considering making my own "guestbook" for the party, than buying one, and having a column for folks to tell where they heard about the event (postcard, any of our networking groups, email/announcement through the Chamber, or one of the flyers I'm hanging up around town.

 

[CHATZILLA]

Informing clients of events- email, postcards, or letter?

I'm seriously considering making my own "guestbook" for the party, than buying one, and having a column for folks to tell where they heard about the event (postcard, any of our networking groups, email/announcement through the Chamber, or one of the flyers I'm hanging up around town.

Timedess,

If you are doing the book in order to find out how they heard of the event, I would suggest making little check boxes with the place/notification you are wondering about, next to each box (see an idea below). I am sure you can come up with a little better wording though.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

1. __________________________ heard about the event via:
☏ postcard
☏ networking groups
☏ e-mail/announcement
☏ Chamber
☏ town flyer


1. __________________________ heard about the event via:
☏ postcard
☏ networking groups
☏ e-mail/announcement
☏ Chamber
☏ town flyer