Keeping "front of mind" in industries such as real estate and other sales industries are critical to success. Though your clients may not need your services today or tomorrow, it's important to make sure that your customers think of you first when they do need what you offer.

That's why such marketing strategies as the "drip campaign" are increasingly popular, helping you stay connected with your public. Weekly custom email campaigns can keep your name in front of hundreds, or even thousands, of people, so that when they require what you can do for them, you’re the first one they think of.

These campaigns can be done in several ways. Some folks put content directly into email blasts that they send out to a database of contacts on a regular basis. Though this may keep your name in front of customers, it might not create the kind of increased web traffic you’d like to see on your site. Consider instead putting some sort of teaser in the body of the email to raise the reader’s interest, and then provide a link to the full story so that they end up on your site.

Though we sometimes get focused on “message” as central to our campaigns, keep in mind that the average customer’s attention span is not long enough to dig through a lot of text to get to your point. Make sure to use images and design in your emails and on your website that help communicate what you’re all about. That way, even if customers just glance at the content, they walk away with an impression of who you are and what you do.

Regarding content, we must walk a fine line between providing valuable information and trying to market ourselves. Remember that drip campaigns are not as much about selling as they are about informing and building relationships. Establish yourself as a permanent fixture in peoples’ consciousness, and if possible, as an expert in your field. Over time, this engenders the trust and comfort level for people to invest in your services, as well as to refer you to others.

Some folks struggle with the long-range approach to drip campaigns, unwilling to let the “slow burn” approach build into a raging fire over time. For those who need immediate results, make sure not to depend upon drip campaigns as your sole marketing strategy. Instead, keep this as a long-term cultivation tool, while employing other methods such as ads, public speaking engagements and other promotions to get commitments sooner than later.

Perhaps the best thing about drip campaigns is cost. If you have compelling content and an attractive delivery model for your message, you can execute a campaign for much less than it costs for print ads, telemarketing or other media marketing tools. The key is making sure your message is professionally written, appropriate for your audience, and that it provides them with some perceived value. If you can master this, your clients will actually thank you for reaching out to them, rather than dreading yet another marketing scheme filling up their inbox.