Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Reeling in Customers with Newsletters

You enticed someone to visit your site and maybe even buy something. What you really want, though, is a repeat customer. Studies have shown that getting an existing customer to return to your site is as much as six times more effective than getting a brand-new customer. You have to give people reasons to come back, and a newsletter gives them an added benefit of shopping with you and a reason for them to consider your business for their next purchase.

Newsletters are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to promote a business. Think of a newsletter as a souped-up church bulletin or PTA announcement, made over for the Internet. Most newsletters are a combination of articles and information, with definite plugs for, or mentions of, specific products, sales events, or company news. Figure 3-6 shows a newsletter for Lynn Dralle, the Queen of Auctions. She gives helpful tips for selling with auctions, but also plugs her books and upcoming seminars.

Having a regular newsletter that people can subscribe to has many benefits. You can

• Communicate with your customers. Newsletters give you the opportunity to share why you're in business and what you can offer your customers. Although most people have trained themselves to skip over pure advertisements, reading stories or tips can break down customer defenses so that they listen and find out more.

  Figure 3-6: Use newsletters to provide information and increase sales.

• Share information. The products ...