Email: How Much Content vs. Selling?
I enjoy looking beyond the automotive world for ideas, and would like to submit one here:
A client of mine, Stewart-MacDonald, is the premier seller of parts and accessories for luthiers (folks into building or repairing stringed musical instruments). One of the many things they’re doing right is their relatively new email program, which launched around the beginning of the year.
Stew-Mac set themselves a very aggressive goal. Though they’re not a large company, they decided to produce a helpful, fact-and-tip-filled email every week. I’m completely amazed by their ability to come up with great email ideas, week after week (this pace may be too aggressive). It helps that they have a strong creative team that’s accustomed to developing “how-to” guides.
Though I don’t repair musical instruments myself, I continue to subscribe to their emails just for the inspiration. Check it out if you have a moment; what you’ll find is a thoughtful blend of information along with Stew-Mac’s solutions to the problem or issue under discussion. Just as in our automotive/motorcycle world, the product solutions usually consist of replacement/restoration parts and tools.
These emails go beyond merely selling products, and even beyond helping customers. They’re branding pieces, setting Stew-Mac up as the friendly, go-to experts in the products they sell. I bet the company will reap the rewards for a long time to come.
technorati tags: automotive catalogs , emails, email marketing, Stewart-MacDonald, luthiers