Now that you have some insight on the top social media Web sites, the following tips are sure to help you get started!

Learn it and Embrace it
To start off, create a profile for yourself so that you can see how it works from a consumer’s point-of-view. Check out how your favorite companies and businesses are using social media, and take notes on how they engage customers and prospects. For example, many companies like to conduct referral contests to increase their fan base to help gain awareness, credibility, and additional sales. Similarly, if you own a restaurant you can post your special promotions and events on your page and draw people in with contests or information they are sure to seek out.
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E-mail marketing is by far one of the most successful and cost-effective ways of marketing your small business.  According to the Direct Marketing Association, in 2009, commercial e-mail returned a whopping $43.62 for every dollar spent.  Talk about return!

As small business owners, it is vital to take advantage of e-mail marketing given that it is an easy and affordable way to grow promote your business.  But don’t just take our word for it -below are some helpful tips to get you started:

Given the CAN-SPAM act, each e-mail you send will need to include an opt-out so recipients can easily opt out of all future mailings .  E-mail marketing companies such as Reachmail, Vertical Response, and Mailchimp are designed for the small business, providing cost effective tools for you to add an opt-out, as well as construct, design, send, and track your e-mail marketing campaigns.  Take a look around to see which best suits your needs.

Building your target list
To stay within the parameters of the CAN-SPAM act, you need to make sure you have permission to send e-mails to your mailing list.  Which begs the question, “how exactly DO I build my contact list”?  Well, the path of least resistance is by creating an e-mail opt-in form on your Web site or, if you are an e-commerce company, adding one during check out process.  For additional ways to grow your target list, click here.

Develop your message and offer
Now that you have a list of contacts, the next task at hand is developing your first e-mail’s offer and/or message.  Whether promotional in nature offering a discount on a future service/purchase, or a newsletter keeping your customers abreast of company happenings, the key is to provide information your customers find valuable and worth their time.  Remember:  e-mail boxes are apt to be crowded with competing messages, so you need to make yours stand out from the pack.

Target your customers
Depending on the content and intent of your e-mail, you’ll need to select who to send it to.  Some e-mails are applicable to your entire target list.  Others are not.  Be aware that sending an e-mail that’s not relevant to your audience is a quick way to lose that customer and/or have them opt-out of all future e-mails.

Beware of spammy language and over e-mailing
E-mails chock full of sales related content are unlikely to make it to the inbox.  To ensure the highest level of deliverability, use a spam checker to identify and remove any red flags.  Additionally, don’t send e-mails to your target list whenever you feel like it as over e-mailing frustrate your readers, causing them to unsubscribe or report you as spam.  Rather, create a roadmap for your campaigns well ahead of time.  And stick to it!

Make it useful and fun with a message or offer
Subscribers really appreciate receiving e-mails that are valuable and informative.  Not surprisingly, coupons and helpful guidance tend to be winners.  For example, a makeup company can send an e- newsletter to their subscribers about fun makeup tips for the season or new makeup trends. Or a heating and cooling company can give their customers tips on how to save energy during the winter and summer seasons.  From a design standpoint, make sure the e-mail is easy to read, fun, and interesting with images that relate to your business.

Have a catchy subject
Many people tend to delete e-mails quickly at after reading the subject, so make sure yours is relevant and catchy!  For example “receive an additional 20% off ” or “free shipping of your next order” are great subject lines sure to grab your customer’s attention.  Of course, watch out for spammy language.

Guide your customers effectively
If your e-mail is promoting a certain product or service, make sure images and relevant text are hyperlinked to the appropriate landing page for that product or topic.  For example, if a florist is promoting red roses for Valentine’s day, the images should link directly to the red roses page.  The goal here, of course, is to create a path of little resistance so your audience accomplishes the action you desire…be it make a purchase, send you an e-mail, complete a survey, etc.

Measure your results
The e-mail marketing companies mentioned above give you the ability to measure results, allowing you to gauge how well (or poorly) your campaign was.  From how many people (and who exactly) opened your e-mail, clicked on a link, and forwarded it to a friend or colleague, these results will help optimize all future e-mail campaigns.

We hope this helps you get started with your e-mail marketing efforts!  Stay tuned for additional posts on cost effective ways to grow your small business.

As the official magnet of the Backstage Artist Lounge, a private area backstage at major music festivals, we get to showcase our magnets to some of music’s biggest names.  Papa Roach, Godsmack, and Seether, anyone?  Without further ado, here’s some images fresh from Houston’s Buzzfest.

Whenever the food in the fridge and pantry is scarce or a bit of laziness ensues, how do you make sure your hungry customers call you versus the other restaurant or pizza place around the corner?  If you’re looking for an easy and cost effective solution do read on…

Be seen at the right place and right time
We probably don’t have to tell you:  mass mailers and other gimmicks get lost, thrown away, or simply ignored.  Talk about a waste.  With custom promotional magnets your restaurant’s name and contact information is sure to be seen day in and day out, right where your hungry customers are bound to scour around for food:  the refrigerator.

Sharing is caring
Whenever you have deliveries to an office, make sure you bring along a handful of magnets that satisfied workers can keep and reference for their next order.  Of course, ease of access trumps other options especially when your hungry customers are pressed for time.  .

Stick ‘em everywhere
When delivering to apartment buildings, go ahead and stick your business card magnets to doors and mailboxes –an easy tactic that’ll take just a short moment or two.

Lure them with a shape
Restaurant related magnets come in a variety of shapes and sizes –what best suits your business?  Pizzerias can bring in extra dough with pizza slice shaped magnets.  Asian restaurants can spread good fortune with, well, fortune cookie shaped magnets.

Make them a part of your transaction
Keep some magnets by the register or stick them in check booklets when your servers are giving a check to a table. This makes a great parting gift for customers and this tactic will definitely give you some brownie points for customer service. It is a fun and unique approach to keep your customers coming back.

Do a simple online search (read:  Google…) for ‘Promotional Products’ and you’re bound to find hundreds of companies literally pushing thousands and thousands of different products.  From pocket knives to Band-Aids, petroleum derived ‘green’ plastic mugs to actual live plants, which product has the longest shelf life and is most effective?  Which is bound to stay well within your budget?  Which resonates best with customers?  Many questions without obvious answers.  That is, until you see the distinct advantages of custom promotional magnets.

 Your promotional efforts won’t be a waste
You can rest assured that magnets will stick around longer than flyers and ordinary business cards.  If your Pavlovian reaction to junk mail and ordinary business cards is to tear them in half and throw them away, as it is ours, what business benefits from that?  Talk about a waste of money. 

Your message will always be seen by customers and prospects
When it comes to ordinary business cards, those that don’t get tossed away typically get stashed away in a box or drawer where they rarely see the light of day.  Magnets, on the other hand, are sure to be seen day in, day out on the cherished refrigerator.  Talk about exposure!

Magnets are cost effective
A custom business card magnet can cost as little as 8 cents.  With promotional pens running no less than 40 cents each, water bottles at least 90 cents each, and mugs not cheaper than 99 cents, magnets are a budget friendly, obvious choice. 

Magnets are useful
What pen or promotional stress ball is collectable and able to keep important reminders, lists, drawings and receipts on the fridge?  Answer:  none, why of course.  Not only are magnets ideal for reinforcing your company name, they are also a useful item that’s sure to build awareness for your business or service. 

If you can dream it, it can be made
With magnets you can be as creative as you want!  From a limitless choice of colors, designs, shapes, and functions, the sky truly is the limit.  For example, clean/dirty dishwasher magnets, used to communicate whether the dishes are, well, clean or dirty, are an outside the box magnet that’s trendy with real estate agents and other professional service firms. 

Magnets are light enough to be sent using regular postage
Turn regular invoices, statements, newsletters, brochures, holiday cards, and quotes into a useful promotional piece.  What’s more, direct mail pieces accompanied with a magnet are 60% more likely to be opened and read than a mailer without a magnet.  That just can’t be done with hand sanitizer or branded t-shirts. 

All of our magnets are made in America
Not surprisingly, the majority of promotional products on the market today are produced in China. While it may save a few cents here and there, if at all, it comes at the expense of turnaround, local jobs, the environment, and national pride.  Our magnets –from the magnetic material to the printed paper to the laminate finish– are completely American made.  And will continue to be so.

Have you ever wanted a handful of magnets of, say, your dog, baby, or favorite photograph? Or maybe your garden or a lovely sunset? Your wish is our command: starting today, simply post your image of choice to our Facebook wall and we’ll print and send you a handful of magnets with your photo –completely FREE! Heck, we’ll even cover the shipping!

Free magnets -just one more reason to stick with Magnets.com.

We’re huge supporters and fans of all types of music -from local to large scale, loud to mellow.  Heck, we even have several musicians on staff.  So, when presented with the opportunity to become the official magnet of the Backstage Artist Lounge, a private lounge installed backstage at major music festivals where sponsors connect with bands for product sampling and relationship building opportunities, we jumped at the opportunity.

By major music festivals, we mean events like Sonic Boom featuring Weezer, Rise Against, and Bad Religion, and the KROQ Epicenter Festival featuring Eminem, Kiss, and Blink 182.  So, if you attend a show and happen to see some awesome magnets scattered about, chances are they’re from Magnets.com.

Stay tuned for pics. of our magnets on the road with these famous music acts!

The entire Magnets.com staff and our team of vendors have been hard at work designing and developing our new Web site, scheduled for launch later this year.  Filled to the brim with the newest online and e-commerce goodies, many of which our customers have asked for, some highlights include being able to:

• Track the status of your order
• Design your magnets online
• Choose the thickness of your magnet
• Easily place reorders
• Share your design with friends, family, and colleagues alike

Of course, it’ll also be easier to use and much prettier.  But don’t just take our word about the whole pretty thing –why not take a sneak peek and let us know what you think!?  What’s more, while taking a look you’ll come across a promo. code that is good for 10% off your next order, if used before 8/31/2010.  Just a little token of appreciation to all our loyal customers.

Save some money (and time), and make your message stick with Magnets.com.

We’re unleashing our inner Willy Wonka: *any and all* orders placed today through Tuesday, August 3 2010 will be shipped with your very own Golden Ticket (an actual magnet, why of course), good for 20% off your next order. Pretty sweet, huh?

To redeem your savings simply use the promo. code found on your Golden Ticket when placing your next order. It’s that easy!

Note: The Golden Ticket promo code expires on 12/31/2010, and is only good for one order.   Savor the sweet savings, and make your message stick with Magnets.com.