There are several types of e-mail you can use to market your school to prospective students. Among the most common are e-zines, flyers, school newsletters and promotional pieces. An e-zine, or “electronic magazine,” is delivered to subscribers via a Web site or an e-mail newsletter.
E-zines are sometimes referred to as “opt-in” lists because everyone whoreceives an e-zine has chosen to do so. The E-zine format is an asset for any business wishing to reach a particular audience with a small investment.
When searching for opt-in lists, localize your choices within a 3.5-mile radius of your school. You may also be able to create your list with the help of local radio and television stations and merchants and your students who may access to e-mail lists from children’s athletic teams, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, elementary school list, work associates, church members, etc.
The key to successful e-mail marketing is to make sure prospects feel like they wanted the information…
You can also include a “tell-a-friend” option for your Web site visitors.
The key to successful e-mail marketing is to make sure prospects feel like they wanted the information or that it is relevant to their needs. Include the prospect’s name in the subject field and body of the letter. Make sure the e-mail is readily identifiable as coming from you.
An example of the first e-mail a prospect receives is: “Thank you for joining the Family Martial Arts Center mailing list. This e-mail is being sent as a follow-up to a request made by you. You may be removed from our list at any time simply by clicking the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of this email.” For referral or endorsed mailings, make it obvious that the e-mail came directly from someone with whom the prospect is already familiar.
Continually e-mail your prospect once she is in your system. You are more likely to receive a response on the fifth to seventh mailing than you are on the first. Put your prospects into an “auto-responder” e-mail program. An auto-responder sends messages to people who have requested information. It can be as simple as sending one message to anyone who writes to a specific e-mail address, or it can be as sophisticated as offering multiple response messages, each one sent based on the text of the received e-mail message.
The series of mailings you create can include both valuable information and sales offers for your target audiences. For example, you can send complimentary one-month guest passes to birthday party participants, demonstration leads, opt-ins from your Web site, introductory students who didn’t enroll and after-school program leads.
Next, your copy and headlines are vital to generate a response. Too promotional and your message will be ignored. Too passive and no one will take action. It’s more effective to combine information and sales offers in one. For instance, you might send a newsletter containing parenting tips with a link to your Web site, and then follow up with a third or fourth letter inviting them to try your introductory program. Ask them to call or register at your Web site to receive future information and newsletters.
A word of caution: In the offline world of marketing, many of us have sent direct mail to targeted lists. Rarely did any of them complain nor did we worry much if they did. The online world of marketing is much different. People become very upset when they receive unsolicited e-mail (SPAM) and the consequences for you can be quite damaging.
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