Repeat customers contribute 60% of annual revenue to most companies but when I speak with clients about their marketing campaigns they are usually focused on getting new customers, reaching broader audiences and getting market share away from their competitors. While constantly attracting clients is important to every business, your existing customers are a source of consistent, profitable sales---if you forget them, theyll forget you.

There are many tactics that make marketing to your existing clients easy, affordable and effective but one of the most successful is an e-letter campaign. Our business sends an e-letter to all of our existing clients, vendors, collaborators and many potential clients every month with excellent results---we generate additional business after each issue is distributed. However, unless you plan to follow two cardinal rules of marketing this is not the right approach for you.

Rule #1: Repetition. I Repeat, Repetition Sending email marketing or an e-letter on a regular basis is a great way to get your message out there. As with all marketing, success is contingent on your commitment to delivering the newsletter consistently. You can decide the frequency of your letter by how often your customers make purchasing decisions in your product or service line. A dentist may deliver an e-letter quarterly with great results while a hair salon may want to deliver monthly. Whatever frequency you decide on, you have to commit to it and follow thru.

Rule #2: Write Something Worth Viewing Crafting a meaningful message and supporting your brand with great graphic elements is imperative. Your email campaign can offer expert advice, entertaining features and even special discounts or offerings available only via your e-letter---preferably a combination of features. If you dont have someone on staff that can write and produce your material, outsource it. Quality counts and you want every marketing tactic to positively support your brand.

If you think email marketing may be right for your company do some research, review your marketing plan and then get right on it. Remember, your current clients are potential new clients that another company is working hard to win over.