What exactly is this “eBlast” thing?

By Lauren Johnson, Marketing & Communications Coordinator, Alexandria Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce

Are you a Chamber member looking for a quick, easy, yet effective way to get information out to the public? If so, I highly recommend sending an email blast (eBlast) through the Alexandria Chamber!

The Chamber sends eBlasts twice a day at 10 am and 2 pm, Monday through Friday. This system is an effective way to let the public know about Chamber happenings but is also a great platform and benefit for our members to use as well. EBlasts through the Chamber cost $100 (or $65 for non-profit members). After sending your eBlast, you will receive an analytics report for how your eBlast performed to best determine the value.

We need four things: First, an approximate date you’d like the eBlast sent. Next, an 8.5” x 11” PDF or JPEG version of your flyer (this is the ideal size for our eBlast template). Include enough information on this flyer to get the details across to the viewer, but not too much that it is overwhelming. Include the “who, what, where, when” and contact details for more information.

Third, determine what you want your eBlast to link to. This can be a website URL, Facebook page/event, or an email. If it is an event you are promoting, I suggest linking to the web or social media page for that specific event. If it is general information about your business, the business website works best. If you’re sending an email blast that involves sign ups or applications, linking it to an email may be the best option.

Finally, the last important detail is your subject line. This needs to be catchy and to the point. The subject line will be the FIRST thing viewers see when it pops into their email inbox. This is the deciding factor for a lot of people in whether or not they want to open the email or just delete and move on.

The Alexandria Chamber has a high open and click rate – open rates are around 38% (the email marketing average is around 10%) and click rates are around 18% (the average is 2%). Why are Chamber eBlasts more successful? Often it is because the community trusts information that comes from the Chamber!
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For more information regarding how to purchase an eBlast, reach out to Lauren at marketing@alexandriamn.org or call 320-763-3161. If you are not currently receiving eBlasts from the Chamber but would like to, visit this link: https://www.alexandriamn.org/subscription-sign-up.html to sign up. It’s a great way to stay “in the know” about local happenings.