Guide to Inexpensive but Powerful
E-Mail Strategies for Small Business Owners

Discover all you need to know about e-mail marketing!

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Bob Leduc:
I've had an extremely high closing ratio on those initial replies. It was one out of four or one out of five, and that's unusually high compared to what everybody else is telling me that they're accustomed to getting. I've picked up another 50% as a result of my follow-ups with those people over time. About fifty percent of my business comes from following up periodically with people who initially requested information from me, but did not place an order when they initially received that.

Wanda Loskot:
Can you share the process with me?

Bob Leduc:
I have a two tier follow-up approach. When people first request information from me, I usually give them a special offer and a period of time under which they can take advantage of that special offer. That special offer usually will expire in about ten days, maybe two weeks. Exactly five days before that expiration I send them a reminder and then the day before that expiration date I send them another reminder. And that ends Tier One of the follow-ups.

About sixty days later or the next time I have another special offer available on what they requested information, I send them a brief one paragraph e-mail message saying: "Remember me? You requested information about my manual on building your business with postcards - I have another special price offer. For more information."

Then I give them an e-mail address so they can request information, too. Currently all those inquiries go to an autoresponder. So I now know again who inquired and who didn't, because I'll send those follow-ups out every sixty days for eleven months.

In almost a year they'll get about six more offers from me, and if they don't take action, then I no longer follow-up with them. Incidentally, if they do request information, then the clock starts all over again. They'll stay on the list for another eleven months.

I had an order just Friday, just yesterday, from somebody who had trouble with the server online so she called me on the phone. She placed an order and when I asked where did she find out about my manuals she said, "I requested information from you years ago."

I happen to like personal inquiries. Even though I just can't bounce back my cut-and-paste letter, there's a sweet side to it. I know when I take the time to answer somebody's question, if they are also sending the question to me after ...