How to Retain More Clients with an Email Marketing Campaign

Posted on:

March 21, 2016

It takes more than great service to retain clients in today’s competitive business world. More than ever, it’s important to build credibility and trust with your own client base so they know that not only are you an HVAC expert, but that you care about your customers. Email Marketing Campaigns are the easiest ways to remind folks you remember them and care about having their business.

Email marketing is a fast and cost effective way to keep in touch with your clients and remind them why you’re the best choice to keep their home the right temperature year round. Sending a monthly newsletter to your clients keeps your business “top of mind,” so that the next time someone’s heating unit breaks, you’re the first company that pops into their head.

So, here are a few things you’ll need to get started with Email Marketing for your business.

Start with Your Email List – To send out an email newsletter to your clients, you will of course need their email addresses. Include a link to sign up for your newsletter on your social media page, or even your email signature. If you have a business location, set up a sign up sheet at your reception desk so that all of your clients can stay up to date on the latest from your company.
If you have a website, this is the perfect place to advertise your email marketing newsletter. Include a link to sign up, much like Noakes, Inc. has done on the bottom of their website.

Find an Email Marketing Provider (No, Not Outlook!) – In order to send out customized newsletters each month to a large number of people, you’ll need to find an Email Marketing provider. Make sure you go with someone who knows the HVAC industry well. They’ll likely be providing content for your emails (Hint: See the next section), so you need to be confident that they know what they’re talking about as it pertains to the HVAC industry. After all, the newsletters will be coming from your name and business, and you want to show your customers that you’re a leading expert!

Have a Balanced Content Plan – The provider you select should be able to provide you with great custom content to keep your clients reading, but if you choose to provide your own content, there are a few things to keep in mind. We try to stick to the “90/10 rule”, where 90% of the information you present is educational and only 10% promotional. Yes, your newsletter should “sell” your company and services, but it should first and foremost remind your client base why they’ve chosen you in the past. Provide them with interesting and educational content to help build your credibility and develop even more trust with your customers.

Write Engaging Content – You’ve compiled an email list of your clients, you’ve found a reputable provider who knows the HVAC industry well, now it’s time to create content. If you’re planning on writing your own content, it’s important to understand what makes an email “clickable.” After all, there’s no point in sending out an email every month if no one is taking the time to open and read it. Make sure your emails aren’t getting lost among advertisements and spam messages with some of our content suggestions below. Don’t cut and paste rehashed “old news”. Be seasonal and make it personal. Trust us – it works best.

As we mentioned, the main goal of your newsletter should be to educate your customers. A great and entertaining way to do this is to include a few quick and easy tips that you would want your friends and family to know about their HVAC units, indoor air quality, etc. Things like:

Clean your filters. When your filters are clogged with dust and dirt, your system will have to consume more energy while it operates. Clean filters will keep your system running efficiently, and will also help prevent long-term damage. (Oh, and you’ll breathe better air!)

Keep your family informed. Any type of fuel-burning space heater can be dangerous if the proper safety precautions are not taken. All members of your family should be aware of the importance of ventilation, and should know what steps to take in the event of a fire.

It never hurts to include a coupon or special offer to all of your loyal customers who have taken the time to open and read your email newsletter. This is a great place to include that “10% promotional” content we mentioned earlier. Try something like:

Schedule your annual air conditioning maintenance before the summer heat hits! Mention this email when you call and we’ll give you $50 off your next AC service.

Email Marketing is the easiest way to reach your entire client base in a matter of seconds. Think of all the emails you send out every month to your friends, family, clients, etc. Shouldn’t one of those emails be created to strengthen your business? If you’re not utilizing Email Marketing, you’re missing out on an affordable and effective way to reach and retain your clients.

Want to learn more about what you should include in your first Newsletter? Call Market Hardware today for a free Email Marketing Consultation and we’ll walk you through more of the Do’s and Don’ts of Email Marketing and give you personalized advice on how to start getting more repeat business today.

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Brian Kraff

President at Market Hardware, Inc.

Brian is a co-founder of Market Hardware. He is a member of the ‘club’ of Internet media executives who are tapped into the daily changes of how the internet affects all small businesses. Brian is a frequent speaker at Industry and Association tradeshow conferences. He was an integral part of the group of marketing experts who pioneered the pay-per-click model in 1996, the pay-per-lead model in 1997, and has been at the forefront of getting customers from the Web ever since. Prior to founding Market Hardware, Brian was the founder and CEO of eStudentLoan, the world's largest comparison marketplace for student loans. His role as a Founder and Chairman of 13 Colonies Software (now part of Interwoven/Autonomy) was a highlight of his experience in the Enterprise Web Content Management space. Brian has a B.A. from Cornell University and an MBA from Columbia Business School.