Simon Payn's Effective Customer Newsletters

Book Review: The Contrarian Effect (and how to get some free copies!)

I read a lot of books, but I don't review many on this blog. Just the ones I think are particularly relevant to my readers - and ones I believe you should take a look at.

The Contrarian Effect, by Michael Port (he of Book Yourself Solid) and Elizabeth Marshall, is one such book.

It's about the battle that is going on right now between the "old" style of sales and the "new" style of sales.

The old style is the cold calling, the closing techniques, the sale to make targets.

The new style is relationship-building, permission-based communication, relevant and targeted offers, and your positioning as a trusted adviser rather than salesperson.

You probably know which side I come down on. After all, newsletters, as Michael and Elizabeth agree in the book, are a great way to build trust with a prospect (and client).

The Contrarian Effect is a manifesto for the new style of selling. It makes a good primer for salespeople who are finding the old ways don't work as well as the did.

Importantly, it gives examples why the new - contrarian, as they call it - sales style is more effective than the old. (I would have liked more detailed, more concrete examples, but this is a short book - two hours reading - so it wins on ideas-you-can-grasp brevity.)

For anyone still doing sales the old way (and there are many - I had one on the phone with me the other day) this will be a shocking breath of fresh air. It has that "I won't believe it until I try it" quality.

And for anyone who has already bought in to the theory because they have tried it and know it works, it provides a pocket-size reminder.

I have 5 copies to give away!

I bought a whole bunch of copies as part of an auction held to launch the book, so I have some to give away. (I'd probably still be buying a whole bunch anyway.)

I'm looking for detailed examples of how you have used a newsletter (either print or electronic) to build a relationship with your clients and prospects. I want to feature them on this blog and in an upcoming book. I'm not looking for stories about my newsletters, just any newsletter.

The first 5 I receive will get a copy. Send your experiences to me at support@readytogonewsletters.com

Is Price and Choice all People Want?

It's very easy to buy things cheaply (see Wal-Mart). It's also easy to have a huge choice (see Amazon).

But is that all people want?

And if you decide they want more, what can you do about it?

Think about this:

You want to grow your business, and the way to do that is by having customers who spend more with you, more often.

You want customers with money, and customers who will pay more for your products or services than they might if they were simply shopping by price or because of a large selection.

Indeed, you want customers who believe that low price means sacrificing quality and customer service.

And you want customers who believe that a large selection puts an overwhelming burden of choice on their shoulders.

Instead, how about having customers who:

• Value customer service and will pay a premium for it
• Want to be led - they want help from a trusted adviser when making a choice
• Want to to build a relationship over the long term with that trusted adviser

Focusing on these customers puts you in an entirely different marketplace.

And, I believe, one that you will enjoy much more.

So the question becomes, how do you attract and nurture these customers?

A Useful List of Newsletter Topics

Your newsletter doesn't just have to be about what you do.

If you're an accountant, don't just write about tax. Include info that helps people run a business.

If you're a real estate agent, don't just write about real estate, include other consumer info that people will find interesting.

If you're a plumber, don't just write about blocked pipes, write about other home maintenance topics too.

You get the picture.

Here's a great list of topics about health, beauty, lifestyle and family that would be great in any newsletter aimed at consumers.

How to Sign Up People for Your Newsletter on Your Website

I was asked yesterday for instructions about how to sign up people for your newsletter using your website.

So I figured it would be a good idea to share them on this blog.

Why You Need to Sign Up People on Your Website

I'm continually surprised by how few people, even those who use my real estate newsletters and mortgage newsletters, fail to use their website effectively to sign up newsletter readers.

This is the thing: Most people go to a website, take a look around...and leave. Don't fool yourself - they're not adding your site to their favorites and they're not making a note to visit every day. So you often have only once chance to attract people into your sphere of influence when they visit your website.

That's why it's essential to give yourself the greatest chance of starting the relationship-building process. The way to do that is to encourage people to give you their contact details to receive either a print or email newsletter (or both).

An Effective Way to Encourage Them to Sign Up

People guard their personal details very closely. After all, they don't want to get spammed. And they don't want to get junk mail.

That's why you have to sell them on the benefits of signing up for your newsletter.

And it's why you often have to give them something extra - something with high perceived value - to encourage them to sign up.

So I advise the following:

• Tell them what's in it for them to sign up for your newsletter. Tell them how they will benefit by reading your newsletter. Assure them that you are offering value and will not be wasting their time. Indicate that your newsletter contains unique information that will improve their lives...and by not signing up for your newsletter they will be missing out on something important. (After all, your newsletter does all this, right?)
• Give them something extra for signing up for your newsletters. Members of my real estate newsletter service, for example, get four special reports (e.g. "50 Essential Tips to Prepare Your Home for a Speedy, Top-Price Sale") they can send to newsletter subscribers. You can send a report like this out by email or mail.
• Put a sentence on your site assuring people that their email address won't be sold and that they won't be spammed. Link to your privacy policy. (You have one, right?)

For an example of the way I do it, see this page.

The Technical Bit: How to Collect Names on Your Website

There are two ways to collect names. One way is OK if you are collecting just a few names or if you are only sending print newsletters; the other is the best way if you are serious about building a large list of contacts that you wish to contact by email.

a) Put a form on your website that automatically sends the information your subscriber has entered to your email or puts it on a spreadsheet. If you don't have a programmer, you can find one using a service such as RentACoder who will do it for you cheaply. Alternatively, use one of the third-party form-building services, such as Wufoo (I haven't tried Wufoo, and there are lots of others available.)

You can also try using Google Docs - my favorite method right now. With Google Docs, you create a form, paste some code into your website, and then the responses appear in a spreadsheet.

However, I only recommend these methods for collecting a small number of addresses or if you are only sending a print newsletter. If you are sending an email newsletter, I highly recommend...

b) Using an email-sending service. These services specialize in collecting names and allowing you to send emails to these names. They have several benefits:

• They make it easy to collect names by giving you code for forms you can paste into on your site.
• They help you avoid your email getting caught in spam filters because they are careful to manage the sending process, using as many methods as possible to ensure your emails are delivered.
• They help you comply with email best practices, including the United States CAN-SPAM law. (There's a danger, for example, that if you don't include a method for people to unsubscribe from your list that you will be breaking the CAN-SPAM law.)
• They provide templates that you can use to send attractive HTML/graphical emails.
• They make the whole process a whole lot easier.

The email sending service I use is Aweber, but there are many others, including Message Slinger, Constant Contact and Get Response.

If you are sending a newsletter by email, I sincerely recommend you use one of these services.

But aside from the technical stuff, the most important thing to do is send a newsletter that contains valuable information that meets the needs of your clients and prospects - and to promote that newsletter effectively on your website.

Are You Nice Enough?

Niceness is much underrated, especially in business. After all, it's difficult to put a dollar value on a smile.

But you know what? Niceness pays.

I'm choosing between two satellite TV providers right now. One is my current supplier - and I really like their customer service. The people on the phone are friendly.

They're nice.

But the other is considerably cheaper.

You know what? I'm leaning towards the nice company.

Because they're nice.

Then there's my bank. After a recent visit I was called by the bank's telephone survey company for feedback on my experience in the branch. They asked me if would I recommend the bank to my friends, and if so, why? I said yes -  because all the people in the branch are friendly.

They're nice.

Then there's the hardware store. I needed to buy wood stain, but I would only consider buying it from one of these stores. Why? Because the people in the other two stores are surly.

But in this store they're nice.

So, I ask: are you being nice?

Are you nice to your customers?

And are you being nice in your newsletter?

Are you putting your customers first? Are you providing value that enriches their lives? Is your newsletter about them, not you? Does your newsletter show your nice, friendly personality?

Niceness pays.

What Links Dell, Your Business, Blogs and Newsletters?

Dell has launched a content-rich website called Digital Nomads. It's aimed at people who, thanks to technology, can work and play wherever they like - people who aren't tied to an office location.

Here's why Dell is being so smart.

Dell is creating a community based upon a common passion. It's serving that community on a daily basis with well-written, interesting and up-to-date content - articles that inform, entertain and engage that community. Digital Nomads will be the go-to publication for people who share that passion.

Of course, it's no coincidence that Dell offers the tools that digital nomads need.

Dell will sell more computers by creating a long-term, deep relationship with its clients and prospects.

It's setting out its stall as the go-to people for information about being a digital nomad - becoming a trusted adviser rather than simply a vendor of computers. It's building a relationship for the long term through regular contact with content that meets the needs of its community. And it's employing reciprocity by giving a tonne of value before expecting anything in return,increasing its future sales by putting cash (in the form of value) into the relationship with its community.

And you can do the same.

Maybe not on the same scale, but the same principles apply to your newsletter or blog:

1) Focus on a customer niche.

2) Provide value to that niche through content that is focused on that niche's needs.

3) Create a long-term relationship with that niche by keeping in touch on a regular schedule for the weeks, months and years to come.

So when you come to create your newsletter, consider this:

1) What niche am I serving? What makes the people who buy from me different from the people who buy from every other company out there?

2) How can I provide value to that niche? How can I serve that niche better than anyone else out there? What kind of information are they looking for? How can I connect with that niche by creating an engaging personality?

3) How will I encourage people to agree to receive this information, and how will I deliver that information over the long term?

Maybe you're not Dell. But there's a lot you can learn from Dell to market your own business.