An e-mail newsletter is invaluable tools for pet shops.
Here are some tips about the hows and whys, plus some very important don’ts.Why E-mail Newsletters Are a Must for Pet ShopsLike social media marketing, e-mail newsletters enable pet shops to maintain regular contact with customers, heightening ongoing visibility. Plus, it’s a great marketing tool.What e-mail newsletters might contain:

• New pet products and/or services information.

• News about store events.
• Public service information about such topics as pet health, adoptions and pet safety tips.
• Store discount coupons.

Be sure that your e-mail newsletters include:

• A link to your company’s website
• Your business address
• Contact information
• Lots of photos, especially of products – and pets

(For more information about what to include in and how to gather content for an e-newsletter, you can refer to my article E-Mail Newsletter Ideas.) Before you begin, I advise that you sign up for e-mail newsletters produced by other successful pet shops to gain some insight and ideas about what would work best for your business.Before Creating an E-mail NewsletterFirst, you must have a website; all businesses should have one. Unless you are or have an employee who is extremely tech savvy, it’s best to have a pro handle this.I personally think that the best way to find a good Web designer is through word of mouth. Ask others in the business community who have nice sites for recommendations.

Then work with them to determine what the specific goals of the site should be.Make sure that the site has a link that enables people to sign up for the newsletter.Then determine who will handle the task. Whether a store owner decides to do this, or delegate this to an employee, it does take time. So someone has to be in charge, to ensure that the newsletter gets out on time, and is properly constructed.How to Create an E-mail NewsletterThere are tons of free e-mail newsletters templates on the Internet.Take a look at lots of them, and then choose one that best suits your pet shops’ image and your business goals.Once you begin sending e-mail newsletters, be sure to establish a regular schedule, and stick to it. I would suggest once a week. But you must be consistent. And make sure that the spelling and grammar are correct!How to Get Customers to Sign Up for the Mailing ListAs mentioned previously, your website should contain a link enabling people to sign up for your e-mail newsletter.You should also ask each customer who comes into your store if they are interested in signing up, and then have them fill out a card (preferably a professional looking one with the pet shop’s logo) with their email address, specifically authorizing you to add the customer to your mailing list.As an added incentive, inform the customers that the e-mail newsletters will keep them up to date about sales and other store specials.The larger pet shops I frequent provide laminated “club” or “rewards” cards, with bar codes on the back, that entitle customers to discounts and other privileges. In order to acquire these cards, customers are required to fill out forms that specifically ask if they’d like to be included on the pet shops’ mailing lists.Smaller pet shops may not be in a position to incorporate this practice into their businesses, so asking customers to fill out e-mail newsletter permission forms will do.Then enter this info into your email newsletter data base immediately.Email Newsletter No-NosThis is extremely important: Do not just randomly send e-mail newsletters to people! The CAN Spam Law, enacted in 2004, imposes stiff penalties and fines for those who send unsolicited emails and/or emails that do not comply with federal regulations.It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with the proper procedures.Your e-mail newsletter should also prominently display an “unsubscribe” link, for people who no longer wish to receive it. Once someone unsubscribes, remove them from your mailing list immediately.Some Other E-mail Newsletter TipsMake sure that your topics are relevant to your business, and timely. Don’t be afraid to get creative. You could add some humor (as long as it’s G-rated), cute pictures of pets who have visited your store, helpful pet health tips and other cool info.Above all, the e-mail newsletter should be informative, and fun. If the newsletter projects a fun image, your pet shops’ customers will have fun, and they’ll keep coming back.(For information on a really fun variation on the e-mail newsletter concept, check out my article: Ecards for Pet Businesses).