Email marketing solutions

I'm not pushing any particular company, just that you build your email marketing infrastructure and competency. Build your list, use your list.

List building. Offer something free on a regular basis (free lunch, free catering, new menu item). "Join our list and you could win" eliminates some of the barriers to joining.

Also, train counter and wait staff to suggest joining. Concepts that ask customers to sign up at the point of sale increase their lists faster and have better contacts.

Enable customers to join in multiple ways. A business card is the most common, but what about moms? Create a sign-up sheet with boxes for each letter - it improves readability when it comes time to enter them.

Choose a provider. There are rules and laws associated with email marketing. One of them is the ability to opt out at any time. This is not something you want to manage on your own. Constant Contact and Fishbowl are two companies that offer software.

Determine what you need from your provider. If you just need list management and the ability to send good looking emails, Constant Contact is a solid solution. You can segment your lists and send as many messages as you want for a fixed price. If you have franchisees who need access to the system, need the ability to monitor the messages of others, and maintain brand standards, a more inclusive provider, such as Fishbowl, is a better choice.

There are a bunch of providers, these are only two. Use the popular search engine Google to find one that fits your needs and your budget.

It's not all about pictures. Email gives you the ability to show food and pretty pictures. But remember that many email clients don't show images in emails by default and security settings often block them out. If your message is really a graphic add that you cut up and send via HTML, many of your customers can't read it. Use text. It works.