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The Guru will answer your questions about how you can increase your sales with better marketing, advertising and public relations.
The Guru recently received this inquiry:
Dear Guru:
I’ve heard so much about using the Internet and email for new business. I own three stores that sell office furniture and supplies. What can I do to help increase sales?
(Signed) Office Sales
A. Dear Office Sales:
Every time you make a sale, try to get the customer’s email address. Tell him/her that you will email every month offering special discounts on furniture and supplies. Inform him that the discounts will not be available to the general public, but only to customers who have opted to be on your email list.
Let the customer know that the discounts will be up to 35 percent on file cabinets, chairs, bookcases, office supplies and other special offerings.
Make note of the day and the products purchased. About three weeks later, send the first email, which will say something like this:
Dear Mr. Wilson:
Thanks for your recent visit to our store and for purchasing two computer stations. We appreciate your business, and if you were satisfied, perhaps you will tell a friend or two.
I also want to let you know that for the week of August 3rd, we are offering a special 35 percent discount on a big selection of office furniture and supplies. These discounts are not available to the general public. They are exclusively for customers on our email list!
These special discounts will apply to four-drawer file cabinets, a large selection of beautiful conference tables; bookcases, and a very large selection of office supplies. You can order on-line, by telephone, or stop in at any of our three locations.
Just (click here) for more information.
We hope to hear from you again soon.
Sincerely,
ABC Office Supply
John Howard
The use of email to reach your customers will work for any business, whether retail, wholesale, banking or industrial. People like to be thanked for their business and everyone enjoys getting discounts on goods and services.
If your email list becomes too big for you to handle, there are services who will send out up to 10,000 personalized emails for only $25.
Don’t send email to people unless they agree (opt-in) to be on your list. Otherwise it’s “spam,” or unsolicited email, and tit’s illegal in 26 states, including Washington.
Schedule your email messages about a month apart, and keep it going throughout the year.
Make new offerings, change the message, and talk about special purchases and discounts only for customers on the list. Motivate them to forward your emails to friends and associates who can also opt-in to be on your list.
Some graphics and color will help enhance your message.
The use of email in this manner is the most targeted, and the least expensive advertising you can do, and will produce results that will astound you.
You must realize that this sort of promotion only works with existing customers. In order to insure a steady flow of new customers, other forms of promotion will be necessary.
(Editor’s Note: The Guru, Mort Barish is President of Barish Associates, Inc. a marketing and advertising firm located in Gig Harbor. Call or email the Guru with your questions at (253) 857-0157 or email mkbarish@earthlink.net.). | 
