How to scale your email marketing
Email marketing, we have so many questions about email marketing. Is it dead? How do I get people to open my emails, the LOT!
How do I get them to buy my products or services from my emails?
How do I build a list?
So should we get stuck into it? Let’s talk about email marketing.
What are the key email marketing struggles?
We are pretty certain nearly everyone has struggles when it comes to email marketing and creating emails. Do any of these ring a bell for you?
“What do I write about.”
“How do I improve my open rates?”
“How can I create consistently good content when I’m time poor.”
Do any of these stress you out? Well, yes, you aren’t alone, others feel the same. But don’t stress, we are here to provide you with some different thoughts around email marketing!
Is email marketing dead?
Short answer, no. But long answer...
Think about the opportunity that is there in your emails. People are joining your email list because they want to hear from you! They have signed up to get your freebie or to get your value, email isn’t dead - think about how you are marketing your email list.
Campaign Monitor provides some great stats around email marketing that will convince you email marketing is NOT dead!
An email is 40 times more effective than getting new customers than Twitter or Facebook, and for every $1 spent on emails gives you $44 on your ROI! WHAT?! That is crazy and even more evidence to suggest that emails are NOT dead! If you find your emails aren’t getting anywhere, look at your subject lines and the value you are adding!
Remember, your email list is valuable, more valuable than your followers on IG (believe it or not) so nurture them.
Tips on how to get started with amazing email marketing
Oh yes, this is what you have been waiting for right?
Personalisation is very important in subject & copy
Make sure you trial this but don’t over use it in the subject line! Of course, everyone likes it when you address them personally, just don’t make it sound fake.
Be natural and genuine
Talk how you would speak! Connect with people, we aren’t robots, we want to know you and your business and get the value from you!
Mix up your content - publish different content in your emails
Don’t be so predictable, who is guilty of just using your email marketing to publish your repurposed content from your social media etc. ME guilty! What you can do is use one theme to promote your blog and podcast.
Mix up your content, see what works and what gets you open rates. Add in the detailed content for those who love detailed content and give the short sharp content for those who skim read! Don’t just push out the same style of content ALL the time (unless it continues to work).
Give people excitement to open your emails! So they make a cuppa and take the time to read and enjoy it!
Don’t just have “top tips”
As we mentioned, mix up your content! Don’t just have top tips all the time. It gets old and stale.
One clear idea or theme (I SAY THIS A LOT)
You know I say this a lot. So try and stick to one key theme in your email. This way it isn’t too confusing, and people know what they should be taking away from your email! Of course, in an email newsletter, you might be plugging your content, but try and have a key takeaway!!
Use “Call To Actions” more than once
Use a p.s at the bottom to promote your offer and have it throughout your newsletter! Remember, people need to be reminded to take action!!
Curate content if you struggle for time
Of course, do this, and make sure you add some exclusive content so people feel valued! This will definitely save time! Repurpose what you have and extend it for some exclusivity for your audience.
Look at the data and see what you need to edit (subject lines, click-through rates)
So if your open rates aren’t great, look at your subject lines and if your click-through rate isn’t great, is your button not big enough or do you not have enough CTA’s? Have a look at what you need to tweak.
How to prevent yourself from falling into junk mail
Of course, this is the chicken and the egg type scenario. To prevent not going into junk mail, you need to ensure people are clicking on your content, but if you are starting out, that can be tough. That is why creating engaging content is so important.
But think of trigger words and don’t make exaggerated claims. There is a good tool you can use to track if your email is triggering junk mail, it can be found here.
Also, cleaning up your list can prevent you from continuing to be in people’s junk mail. Even send an email to ask people “Do you still want to be subscribed to my list, click here” and if they don’t within a certain time (send them reminders) then delete them off your list if they don’t act. This seems scary, but it helps with a fresh start!
It will help you get out of the junk mail. You can also google “email subject line trigger words” to see what words you shouldn’t use in junk mail.
Should I do an email newsletter?
Short answer, yes! As we mentioned above, give that exclusivity in your email marketing! Your newsletter can be used to inform people and give them the tips and tricks they need around your niche. Be excited about creating your newsletter!
Your email newsletter should be that place where people can connect with you and your brand. Don't just use it because you have been told to use it. Don’t just slap together an email with all your content from other channels.
As for the frequency of the newsletter, it depends on your audience and the time you have. Experiment with your audience or ask them how often they want to hear from you and what they want! You can create a Survey Monkey to survey your audience.
Email newsletters come down to energy! The more energy you put into it, the more you will get out of it! Obviously, the more you can send out content (weekly rather than monthly) the more technically beneficial, but obviously it comes down to time!
Use your email newsletter to give a tool and an exercise so people get the value! Don’t forget ADD engaging stories too!
What is a “welcome sequence”?
So an email sequence comes when people subscribe through a form or freebie (lead magnet). It is a good opportunity to engage and build a connection, this is where you want to get people to open your email and continue to open them. So first impressions count right!
It is a time to introduce your brand and values, but of course, not one size fits all. Map out your ideal client, where are they right now and how they think, feel and know. So from there where you want them to be at the end of the sequence, what is the goal of the sequence? At the end of the emails, how do you then want them to think, feel and know?
It is always good to have a journey planned and goals for your email sequence!
What is the difference between a marketing sequence and a sales sequence in email marketing?
Now you have your welcome sequence, what is a marketing sequence, and what is a sales sequence?
Your “welcome sequence” can be both a marketing and a sales sequence. The difference between the two is, you might have a different goal.
For marketing, it is about engagement and awareness, and for sales it is well, to sell.
There will be a crossover, and your welcome email can be used as a soft sell. They both build on connection, but you might decide to do a marketing funnel for your welcome email and sell later.
It is based on what you want your audience to think, feel and know!
When should I introduce myself when a subscriber signs up?
Think about it like this...What are your audiences’ most immediate concerns?
Is it to know you are trustworthy and relatable or is it to know how to do XYZ? Do people need to know you first or can they later? It is about asking yourself “What does my community need from me”. Again, it is about user experience!
If you don’t have the audience to find this out, use your competitors, forums, and social media to find out! Do the research!!
Do long-form emails work?
Short answer, yes. But they work if they are engaging and relatable! The tone needs to be conversational and it needs to draw in your audience.
"There is a saying in copywriting, take only as many words you need to express the thing you need to express" - Anna Rogan
So don’t skim on the details but don’t use too much language if you don’t need to.
Also, when it comes to long-form content, use bullet points, headings and blog content for the people who want to get the key messages without reading it all.
Your p.s and p.p.s work here too!
Should I storytell and share stories in my emails?
Storytelling can make for really compelling emails and gives people an insight into who you are! People don’t want to do business with people, not a faceless brand, so storytelling gives a brand life! It builds connection, but it needs to have context and needs to be relevant to what you are offering!
Don’t try and twist a story so you can tell it. Don’t force it! If it is an issue you are still working out, leave it out of the public domain until you are out of the bad times.
Storytelling is a great way to connect and build up that engagement.
How to generate an email list
You need to SELL your email list! Make people want to join like they would if you wanted them to join your program or buy from you!
Ask yourself, where can you use the content in other platforms? On your socials to promote your email list. Give a freebie and not just a freebie for the sake of it! One you would sell! One you would offer someone for $$!!
People want to join your list because you add value, do add value and promote your email list, but give people a reason to join. Put the energy into!! Energy is important.
Look at where you can promote it, on your socials, on your website and in your freebie offers!
Final thoughts
Remember it is a privilege to have people on your list, not a right! So add that exclusive content you would want to receive yourself!
Build your email list and remember you will always be learning. Keep working on improving your email marketing. This should be a key focus and priority.