To keep your business relevant and top of mind, brands need to be smart about who they're speaking to and what content they're putting out. Collecting and utilizing customer email addresses is the first step.

Why collect email addresses
If you're a business that requires customers to come in to order or enjoy your goods and services, you need to have a way to contact them and keep them engaged at times they're not physically at your business, which will be the majority. Staying top of mind outside of the business is what will keep customers coming back.

How to collect email addresses
Start with your loyal customers and keep track of their emails and contact information. They are the audience that have expressed interested in your business and are deemed "qualified", so it's important to stay engaged and retain their loyalty.

There are a number of ways you can collect customer emails:

• In person

You can look to request email addresses in store. Perhaps a simple sign up sheet that you place near the checkout, or an insert to a check presenter. Coupling this with some sort of incentive would be helpful - for example, offer a sample or special offer if they enter their email address on a sheet, or put out a bowl for business cards and offer a free item to the owner of the card that you pull out on a weekly basis. Another option that is available more and more with the use of cloud-based point-of-sale systems is to offer receipts via email, which requires the customer to give you their email address - however, be aware that some POS companies will charge you to send emails to those who elected emailed receipts as it's the POS company that technically has their email address, not you.

• Online

If your customers can make online purchases, encourage them to sign up for updates when they purchase. Include a banner or page on your website that allows people to enter their email address to get updates from your business. Social Media also offers an easy method of collecting emails through a simple post. If you partner with inKind, we'll use our existing ad buying procedures to grow your email list, especially by utilising lead generation ads.

• Via referrals

Encourage friend referral emails in exchange for a promotion of the day. Offer a special promotion, sample, or discount for that day only in exchange for referring a friend. If that customer is already a loyal fan, they'll gladly refer someone and most likely include a positive review too.

There are many ways you can look to collect customer emails, so try a few out and start building up your loyal user base now!

What emails to send
Once you've started collecting your emails, it's important to think about how you use them. Remember that you want to keep all these customers engaged with your business and remain loyal and eventually, recommend you to friends and family. This data set is key for remarketing tactics as well, so look to send them content they'll want to read continuously and share with others. Think about:

• Seasonal offers
  summertime happy hour or Father's Day specials;

• Real-time promotions
  emails give you the opportunity to reach your customers in real time, quickly, so if you deliver prepared meals and you know the weather forecast is beautiful so everyone will want to eat out, you can a flash sale to improve your day's revenue;

• Event promotions
  showcase new products, dishes, or cocktails.

Content that makes your customers engage, participate and ultimately feel special, will keep them coming back for more and increase the likelihood they will recommend your business to friends. So get going on collecting those emails because a retained engaged audience is key to a happy loyal customer!