Whether you're selling owner builder construction loans, collectible stamps, or a lawn care service, you can generate very large numbers of prospects through email marketing. But, you have to do it correctly. Even though you are marketing through email, you still need to build a relationship with your prospect in order to get the sale.

Build strong relationships with your leads over time and establish your credibility as an authority in your field.

By sending your leads useful information that helps them make a buying decision, you can reduce their purchase anxiety and give them the comfort level needed to work with you.

For instance, if you do happen to be in the owner builder construction loan business, you should be sending your potential clients regular tips and tricks of the trade that most people wouldn't know about owner builder construction.

In fact, you can automate the entire process, so you spend less time dealing with customer service - though it will look like you're putting twice as much time into it!

One key is to over-deliver free, useful information and create a sense of obligation so your leads feel compelled to buy from you.

This same philosophy works just as well in the offline world. Using the same owner builder loan example, you can send an entire series of audio CD's on equity and wealth building to your prospects. Send one per week for 12 weeks without ever selling your specific owner builder construction financing. Your prospects will love you for it. And, they will grow to trust you.

Even though you're not selling your owner builder loans, your CD's can be labeled with your website address and your contact info. And, they might include a free bonus that can only be accessed by going to the website.

Guess what happens at your owner builder website? You get a chance to sell your owner builder loan program without pressuring your prospects. After several weeks of enjoying the free gifts, when your prospects are ready to buy, you will be the first person they call.

Of course, this marketing strategy doesn't just apply to owner builder construction. It doesn't matter what you sell. The strategy will be effective for any business in any city.

So, to automate your email campaign, here are four tips that will make you more successful:

1. Use a good email marketing software program, also called an autoresponder. Do not shop for the cheapest one, but look for the best one you can afford.

Be sure the program allows you to merge multiple pieces of information into the body of an email, so you can customize your messages as much as possible.

You can include personalized details such as...
* First name
* Last name
* Email address
* City
* State
* Country
* Date of information request
* Products purchased
* Date of product purchased
* Answers to survey questions (more about that in a moment!)

... And so on.

2. Use a survey to collect as much information from your leads as you can.

The more information you can gather, the better! This allows you to personalize your emails and make sure they target your leads' specific needs.

A good idea is to set your auto-responder program to send out a survey to everyone who requests information and receives it. Be sure to ask questions that will help you give the best, most personalized service to your customers. The more specific your emails are to their particular situation, the better.

For example, in the owner builder case, you may want to know what your prospects' biggest concerns are about the owner builder process. Or, you may ask them how much money they plan to save by being an owner builder versus hiring a general contractor.

Then, you can use your automated email to send responses that fit your prospects' needs.

3. Divide your list of leads into multiple sub-groups.

This is where you can put all of that survey information to good use. You can group your leads according to the criteria that allow you to send them the information that best addresses their needs. Then you can send them highly targeted offers that speak directly to each group.

For the owner builder example, you may want to send different messages to people who are concerned about building permits versus emails to people who are concerned about the construction draw process.

4. Finally, keep those emails coming!

Don't just send your leads a few targeted emails and call it quits!

You've got to provide them with regular emails offering valuable information, in order to keep the lines of communication open. You want to train them to open your emails -- so when you do have an offer to present them, they'll jump at it.

Deliverability is a big issue with email marketing. Because of the proliferation of spam in recent years, nearly everyone has some sort of spam blocker. When you email market this way, you are not spamming. Why? Because the prospect asked you to provide information, you have a new relationship with that person.

As such, be sure to use an email program that allows for your prospect to not only request information, but to "double opt-in" to your list. This is a simple second email that asks for the prospect to verify their email address by clicking on a link you provide. Double opted in email addresses will be have a much, much higher rate of successful delivery.

And, your emails need to be interesting enough that they get opened and read - just like any good sales copy.

Automated email marketing is one of the most powerful marketing tools there is. But, you must use it properly, as you would any other marketing tactic.

So, if you're not selling owner builder construction loans, make sure to apply these email strategies to whatever product or service you do sell. And, you'll truly see the power of building relationships with automated emails.