Hack of the Day: Engage Customers Through E-Mail

How well do you engage with your customers?

We all know that it is much easier to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one.  Yet so many businesses leave engagement up to the customer.  The customer comes in on their own, leaves on their own, and comes back on their own - if they feel like it.

But many customers are just looking for an excuse to come back.  

They want to be engaged.

Yet, how can we engage our customers if we don’t know how to contact them?  Or even know who they are?

For me, my “customers” are my subscribers - those who sign-up for my e-mail list.  That is the nature of an online business like this blog.

If I was not pro-active, I wouldn’t have a clue who is reading my blog.  Sure, I can see how many people visit my site and even their IP addresses, but I have no way of connecting with them.  Or even knowing who they are.

So, I ask my readers for their e-mail addresses.

This gives me an opportunity to follow-up with my readers.  To connect with them.  To engage them. 

Now wait - I am sure you are thinking that collecting e-mail addresses is only good for online businesses. 

Absolutely not.

Collecting the e-mail addresses of your customers is one of the best things you can do for your business.  In fact, I have heard many business owners say that not collecting e-mail addresses was one of the biggest mistakes they have ever made.

Are you making a mistake by not engaging your customers through e-mail?

ACTION ITEM: Start collecting e-mail addresses.  To entice your customers, give something away in exchange for their e-mail.