Valentine’s Day. Some people love it, and others not so much. But regardless of how you feel on a personal level, it’s a great opportunity to use email marketing to let your customers know you appreciate them. In addition, there’s some lovable tactics you can use all year long to keep top of mind with your customers.

5 ways to help your customers fall in love with your business:

1. Ask their opinion (and use it!): We hear a lot about engaging customers by asking for testimonials, reviews, and survey responses. If you have a good relationship with your customers, they’ll likely give you what you’re asking for, especially if you’re offering a nice incentive like free shipping or a discount on their next order. But once you get this info, what do you do with it? How about putting it in an email and use it to sell more! I received a fun Valentine’s Day email with the subject line: Customers Kiss and Tell their Favorites! This is a great idea because people buy from people.

2. Communicate Clearly: Another Valentine’s Day email I received had a subject line that wasn’t quite as good (imo): Go South for VD – Fares from $9 Each Way. The discount on airfares is great, but they should have thought twice about using the acronym VD. And it wasn’t clear that the email was about Valentine’s Day until it was opened. It’s better to cut to the chase and say what you mean in the subject line, rather than playing with double-entendres that have possible “ick-factors.”

3. Get Personal: Using personalization such as first name or company name can make your customers feel special and unique. This is something you can test in your subject line or the body of your email. But be careful to make sure your information is accurate since no one likes being called the wrong name!

4. Use Flattery: I received an email from a make-up company a while back that said, “You’ve got a fabulous flair for beauty.” They were engaging their customers and asking for product reviews. And you know what? Flattery got them everywhere. Their compliment made me feel great and I wrote a glowing review for them.

5. Give Breathing Room: According to “The Social Break-Up,” the number one reason people unsubscribe from opt-in emails is over-mailing. It’s best not to smother your email recipients. Instead, monitor unsubscribe rates and find a frequency that works well for your business.

What tactics do you use that keep your customers falling for you all year long?

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