How to Succeed With Email Marketing

By Gail Goodman of Entrepreneur.com

Tammy Rosen, a certified pet dog trainer and founder of Fur-Get Me Not, a pet-sitting and pet-training service that offers products for pets in the Washington, D.C. area, exemplifies an entrepreneur whose business thrives despite today's economy. Entrepreneur.com's Gail Goodman recently spoke with Rosen to understand more about her business and the important role email marketing plays in her success.

Gail Goodman: How long have you been using email newsletters to reach out to your customers?

Rosen: We started sending official emails from Fur-Get Me Not in 2002, but at the time, we were sending plain text emails. I immediately realized I could be more effective if I used something that was more design savvy, competitive and professional. After our first mailing, we immediately received positive feedback on our newsletter. Our customers loved the look and appreciated the content.

What types of newsletters do you send out, and what kind of information do you include?

My main email communication is a monthly newsletter that goes out to 1,800 subscribers. I include details of upcoming local events we are sponsoring, highlight a partner or nonprofit we work with and share important updates like holiday closings. I also share pet training tips and include a section for the "Employee of the Month" because our customers like to hear about our employees. Perhaps the most popular section of our newsletter is the feature on our customers' pets. We have people write in all the time wanting their dog or cat to be in our newsletter -- this is a fun way to keep our customers engaged.

What are you hoping to achieve with your newsletters?

I want to instill loyalty in our customer base and remind my customers that I'm here when they need me. The newsletter lets me highlight the expertise of my staff and the quality services I offer. It's also fun!