So often I read reports on the above topic and wonder why they make it sound so complex. Take the common sense approach, and you will be amazed at how much it simply makes sense! It's early Monday morning, and you beat the traffic to get in early so that you could delete the weekend's spam before the day begun. It's a grind, but you do it daily to clear the overnight garbage that bulk mail marketers send. It seems that they auto generate addresses as daily you have to boot mail to Junk Folders! It's a pity as, at times, some precious e-mails get thrown out with the proverbial "bath water!" Anyway, with the job done, you get stuck into your scheduled activities for the morning. Yip, mornings are always hectic. It's lunch time, and you have your feet up taking a break with coffee and a salad (big night tonight at Joe's Restaurant) while you doodle through e-mail. Actually, you may read some of the latest spam before booting it to your Junk Folders. Next, you review the links to the blogs and social media sites that you follow. All too soon your break is over, and you have to get back to your day. Afternoons are less hectic, and you are likely to spend time behind your computer before going home. You arrive home, and it's family time, then the evening meal and time with the family. At times, generally after about 8 pm (and on week-ends) you may spend an hour or two browsing online while your spouse is in bed with an iPad catching up on social media sites. You can Google the questions below for hundreds of thousands of search results or you can add you vote to the following common sense answers! What day of the week? Tuesday to Thursday. Monday and Friday are warm up and cool down days! What time of Day? Lunch time to early afternoon. How often? This depends on what you have to say and what the expectation of your customers is. There is a huge difference between you and the millions of spammers out there. You are not one of them and must resist the temptation to send unsolicited mail as sooner than later you will arrive at that door to find it locked or that you are automatically lead into a Junk Folder. Remember that you have two marketing communication channels. The suggested monthly e-mail (push marketing) and the, on demand Link & List App (pull marketing) that puts a button bookmark on your customer's home screens. The latter is there for when your client has a quiet moment and wants to browse your latest taste experiences that will lure her/him into getting a table together. Many hate missing out on deals and specials, but they hate a constant stream of e-mail even more. You can test but better still chat to your customers or offer a short survey form with the menu. They may just let you know what they prefer before the starter course arrives. What works? Your marketing will show results if you offer good food and a memorable dining experience. Couple this with a good deal and some event nights and you will surprise yourself. Your subscriber's list will grow as people love to share memorable moments. We're all human; we seek fun times! |