If you own an online business, you are probably always on the lookout for new forms of Internet marketing. As you have no doubt discovered, there are many different ways to market your business online. One of the best is direct email marketing. Direct email marketing is a simple, but effective form of Internet marketing. It allows you to reach your customers, and provide them with information that you want them to see.

Direct email marketing can be used before and after a sale. You can utilize this form of Internet marketing to promote products, provide news, and to send confirmations and thank-you notes. If you don’t have time to send the emails yourself, you may choose to use email autoresponders. Email autoresponders are triggered when an email is sent to you. If you are unavailable, email autoresponders can contact the customer for you, providing order confirmations, etc.

If you’re not sure where to start, here are five tips that will allow you to easily incorporate direct email marketing into you Internet marketing strategy:

   1. Use a Professional Email Signature

This is an important part of direct email marketing. Every time you send a business email, you should include a professional signature at the bottom. Your signature should include your name, business name, and full web address.

   1. Find an Affiliate

An affiliate (or signature buddy) can step up your Internet marketing campaign and allow you to reach more customers. Simply ask someone to include your web address below their own signature every time they send an email. In return, you can add their web address to every email that you send below your signature. 3. Create a Newsletter A newsletter or e-zine should be included in your Internet marketing strategy. A free newsletter takes a bit of time every month to create, but it is well worth the effort. Newsletters are an effective form of direct email marketing, and can be used to promote your products and services.

4. Send Coupons Everyone loves coupons. Make them part of your direct email marketing campaign. Send coupons for your products and services to your customers on a regular basis.

5. Send Thank You Notes Using an email autoresponder to send thank you notes to your customers after the sale is a polite gesture—it’s also Internet marketing at it’s finest. Thank show your appreciation and should be incorporated into your direct email marketing if at all possible.

About the author: Cliff Posey, owner of CRP Marketing, owns and operates http://webbusinesstoolsonline.com. Cliff Posey has also operated several other successful web businesses including Love Song Cards and Radio Career Consultants. The content in this article was developed from his experience in these businesses and his continual research into further business improvements.