Managing your mailing list

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="05bfd5a3.jpg"> <div> <B>Managing your mailing list</B></div> <div> <B>347-LOVE-ART  (347-568-3278)   Toll Free 1-877-512-3333</B><B>    Email: </B><A HREF="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:mike@mikealbin.com"><U><B>mike@mikealbin.com</B></U></A></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="05cd2043.jpg"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Mike Albin.Com "><U>Mike Albin.Com </U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="wd.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Web design"><U>Web design</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="ma.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Articles"><U>Marketing Articles</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="sr.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Show Reviews"><U>Show Reviews</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="mt.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Marketing Tools"><U>Marketing Tools</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="l.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Links"><U>Links</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#777777" TEXT="#080000"> <bR> <div> Managing your mailing list</div> <div> In my last article I discussed starting and growing your mailing list.  Now I want to explain how to manage it and what to do with it.  You want to find the best way to keep your name in front of your potential customers.  You are going to need two computer programs, one for email and one for hard mail.  The email software you should already have from your internet service provider ie. Mindspring or AOL, I use the address book in Outlook Express 6.  It works perfect for storing all the information I need.   </div> <div> The other is a mailing list program for storing and organizing hard mail addresses.  "My Mailing List" or "My Labels" are both inexpensive software choices and are available at Office Depot, Best Buy or similar stores.  They should cost around $50.00.  With either of these two Mailing programs you can print address labels and stick them onto your newsletters.     </div> <div> This is going to be the time consuming part of your marketing program.  Remember you need to dedicate several hours a day or one day a week to this and it will pay off for you in the long run.  You know why some artists do very well while other struggle?  Marketing.  You don't have to be the best at what you do, you just have to market yourself.  Does McDonalds make the best hamburgers you've ever eaten?  No, but they sure sell a lot of them.  They spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to keep their name in front of their customers.  You can do the same thing on a much smaller scale, with a lot less money using your mailing list.  </div> <div> So now you're going to get all of these names, addresses and phone numbers of people you just signed up.  Make sure you get all of this information from the people that buy from you too.  </div> <div> Start with your e-mail address book.  <B>Create folders based on geographic regions for the art shows you do.  </B>My local shows are divided up into three counties with a separate folder for each, Dade, Broward and Palm Beach.  Then I have a central Florida folder which includes areas around Orlando, west Florida for the Tampa area and so on.  Enter the names, e-mail addresses, hard mail addresses and phone numbers in the folders based on where the people live and what show they signed up at.  Some people will have their names in two folders.  If they live in Michigan but met you in Orlando, ask them if they visit Orlando often and should you send them information for those shows also.  I also include what they bought from me and any other personal information that might be useful. Information such as plans to remodel or buy a house in the future.  I know it seems like a lot to do but the more information you put here the more efficient you will be later on.   I also have a USA folder for people that live in areas I will probably never go to for a show.  These people you still need to mail at least twice a year with new work updates, specials and any other news. </div> <div> For your hard mail lists you need geographic folders also but you only need to enter addresses into it.  Chances are when people move, their phone number changes too.  If you mail them at least once a year you should get forwarding information if they move.  You can add people you have e-mail addresses for if you like.  I put an "X" in front of their name so I don't send them both.  This saves on postage later on as your list grows into the hundreds.  Some people will argue with me here and say you should send them both e-mail and hard mail letters.  If you do it several weeks apart then that is probably a good idea.  Several of my lists are over 700 strong so if I can cut the number of stamps down two or three hundred I usually do not send both.  </div> <div> Once you have all the information entered into the folders it's time to start mailing.  If you have another show coming up in their area mail them one to two weeks before the show.  If you do not have another show in their area wait one to two months and mail them a thank you note for singing up for your newsletter.  Why wait a month or two?  If they were waiting to close on a house or for the remodeling to be done then chances are if you mailed them the week after the show they are still not ready.  If you wait a month or two the work is probably finished or they've moved in and now they are ready.  If you can get your name in front of them when they are ready to buy then you've got the sale.  I'm not sure what happens to all those cards we hand out at shows but very few people actually hang on to them and remember where they put them two months later when they're ready to buy.  There are a few organized people that will put them into a file and actually call you when they are ready but those people are few and far between.  So it's up to you to mail them at least four times a year with news on shows or your latest pieces or announcing big personal things that happen in your life such as marriage, births or the like.  Yes, you do want to include information like this in your newsletters.  If your customers can relate to you more personally they are more likely to buy from you.  My next column will discuss in detail how and what to write.  </div> <div> As you send out e-mails you start to get back the Mailer Damon or Permanent Fatal Error messages for people that have changed their internet service providers.  This is when all the other information you entered about them comes in very handy.  Look up their information and give them a call.  I usually say something like this: "Hi, this is Mike Albin.  You bought a piece from me at the Winterpark Art Show.  How do you like your piece?  Where is it hanging?  I was sending you an e-mail newsletter and it came back.  We're doing a show in your area in two weeks and I wanted to send you the information on where we will be.  What's your new e-mail address?  While I have you on the phone are you in the market for anymore artwork?  I have some great new pieces that I'm very excited about."  Remember these are people that have either bought from you or taken the time to write their information down because they love your work.  When you call them they are usually honored you took the time to do so and very happy to hear from you.      </div> <div> If you keep your list up to date and keep your potential customers informed about your work and where they can find you good things will start to happen for you a lot sooner.  Your main goals are to find people that will buy from you and DON'T LET THEM FORGET ABOUT YOU!  Keep your name in front of them.  </div> <div> Once you get a routine down this will all go a lot faster and smoother.  You will get good at it and the rewards from it will be more sales and more successful art shows.  I get 10 -20 people at almost every art show we do that tell me thanks for the newsletter, we love reading about you.  They do not always buy from us but some shows we do, as much as 2/3rds of our sales are directly related to the newsletters.  It's just like everything else in this business, hard to predict!  </div> <div> If you have any questions, comments or suggestions about this article or a marketing topic you would like to see written about please e-mail me at mike@albinarts.com.  Sell your artwork for what it's worth not what others are charging for theirs. </div> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>