|
Email groups allow you to meet with people who share your similar interests.
You will receive emails from other group members on a regular basis. You will send your emails to the entire group. You can share photos and videos.
For example, if you have a dog bakery business, you could join any kind of group that specializes in dogs. You will find groups for different breeds or sizes, puppies or older dogs, hunting or house dogs. The list goes on and on.
The idea is not only for you to promote your business with people who will use your product or service, you should be offering them your expertise. Do not just add your business tagline to each message. Actively join in the discussions, answer questions based on your own experiences, show an interest in their lives. When you can prove to the group that you know what you are talking about, then you gain their trust. Trust will translate into sales for your business.
The first thing you will need to do is register on the main groups website. Then start your search. It can be something as general as "dogs" or specific as "poodles". You will be given a large list of groups that match your search word. Be careful... do not join every group just because it meets the search criteria. You should research any group BEFORE joining.
Here are a few things we look at when considering joining a group:
- is the group active now? Check message history. When was the last message received?
- how many members are there? A large group sounds great if translate that into dollar signs, but remember you will receive emails from all those members, too. Can your email provider handle that load? Can you possibly read all those emails? We personally use Mail2world.com
- If it is possible, read some of the messages. Are they all advertisements or are they discussing a specific topic?
- Contact the group leader, ask them these questions and any others you think may be relevant.
Remember, you can always cancel your membership if you find out the group is not what you wanted.
If you join a group that you find especially helpful to yourself and others, you can always promote it to your clients. This can show you as an expert in your field when they read your advice online. It also gives them a reminder that you and your business are still out there whenever they need it.
Some of the most popular groups are:
Yahoo Groups
Google Groups
MSN groups have changed to Multiply
|
