How can a small business win in an increasingly competitive market?

That’s the question Matt Juszczak had to answer in his early days as a business owner.

“When we first got started in 2013, there wasn’t a lot of competition,” says Turnstyle Cycle’s founding partner, Matt Juszczak. “But as we were opening, a bunch of studios started popping up.”

With increased competition, Matt knew he needed a way to transform his studio into a booming business. That’s when he got serious about using Constant Contact’s email marketing to grow and engage his customer base.

“If we didn’t have Constant Contact, we might not still be in business,” Matt says. “2014 and early 2015 were really tough times for us. We were kind of breaking even or losing money for a while…Now, we’re much more stable, we have four locations — but back in the day Constant Contact was really crucial to get us there.”

Let’s take a look at how Matt used email marketing to reach record-breaking sales and drive repeat business for his studio

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1. Start with a professional email template

When Matt sends an email to his subscribers, he wants to make a great impression in the inbox. Using one of Constant Contact’s customizable, mobile-responsive email templates he can quickly create an email that looks great on any screen size.

“When I’m sending an email, I really just want to get in and out,” says Matt. “Other solutions I’ve tried are overcomplicated. Constant Contact makes it so simple. If I’m tired, or I’ve had a long day, or it’s 3 AM — it doesn’t matter. I know I’m going to be able to log in, draft an email, and get it sent.”

After choosing an email template, Matt personalizes it with Turnstyle Cycle’s logo, website, contact information, and social channels.

Here’s what the final product looks like:

Tip: Use these tips to brand your emails so you look like pro in the inbox!

2. Write a short and compelling message

Matt’s most persuasive emails provide a single, compelling action for readers to take — while also maintaining his brand’s personality.

In the example above, Matt sent a timely snow-day-themed email as a way to boost sales for winter classes. By including a deadline and offering a mystery discount, Matt piqued interest and spurred his readers into action.

“With our Constant Contact marketing, we try to be fun with it,” Matt explains. “In this recent promotion, I changed the discount amount every few minutes, just as a customer delighter,” he says.  “We made $20,000 in sales in one night.”

Tip: How can you connect with customers and drive action in your emails? Use these tips to write a persuasive marketing email.

3. Track results with real-time reporting

After sending an email, Matt reviews his recent results. From opens and clicks to the most engaging subject lines, and opens on mobile devices versus desktop — he’s able to track his results and gain valuable insight into what works for his audience.

Most importantly, Matt can see sales come in directly from his emails. With a median ROI of 122 percent, email marketing continues to be one of the most cost-effective ways for small businesses to increase sales, awareness, and repeat business.

“We can post on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, but that’s not going to get us anywhere near the level of engagement that an email will,” says Deepak Mishra, Turnstyle Cycle’s instructor and social media marketing expert. “Sending email is really the only thing that can bring in five-digit sales for us.”

What can email marketing do for your business?

Looking back on some early challenges, Matt sees email marketing as an essential part of growing his business and thriving in a competitive environment.

Now with four studio locations, he continues to use Constant Contact to send regular emails and connect with his growing customer base.

“I just want email marketing to work,” Matt says. “Constant Contact’s new editor is so simple and I don’t have to worry about how my email is going to look on different mobile devices. It’s a relief knowing that everything is going to work and I’m not going to have any problems.”

Want to see how Constant Contact’s email marketing can work for your business? Try email marketing free for 60 days!

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The post How to Keep Your Business Competitive With Email Marketing appeared first on Constant Contact Blogs.