Strategy for Email Marketing
Being a new blogger and biz owner, I’ve been researching ways to connect with my readers. I’m the kind of woman who wants to do things in the most effective way possible, and I bet you are too. So after spending my time looking into what types of marketing provide the best results, I’ve discovered that e-mail is numero uno.
People have already signed up for your newsletter, so they know who you are and like what you have to offer. After all, people get so bombarded with e-mails that the last thing they want to do is sign up for ANOTHER e-mail.
But hey, they read your blog post and said “hell yeah I want to be a part of this girl’s tribe!”. So I’ve put together a list for you of 7 ways to make the most of e-mail marketing and created a free check list to make sure every one of your e-mails are fully utilized these strategies.
1.Make your e-mail as easy to share as possible –
MailChimp has a fabulous little feature that lets you add social share buttons to the bottom of your e-mails. That means that not only can your e-mail subscribers read your content, but they can share it with their business besties and then they’ll share it with theirs and, well, you get the picture! This will also help you show other potential subscribers that you only share valuable content with people who have been nice enough to let you in to their inbox. And whenever someone shares your content, they’re basically doing your marketing for you, and for free. No complaints here!
Read this – How Frequently Should You E-mail Your Subscribers?
2. Connect with your audience
When you send an e-mail, you’re making a connection with your audience. When you post on social media, you’re talking to everyone. But when you send an e-mail, you can make it more personal and tailor it to your readers. Nothing beats reading an e-mail and thinking “wow, it’s like she picked my brain and knew exactly what I needed!”. You don’t want someone to open an e-mail, skim through a couple lines and toss it in the trash. Ask your audience what THEY want to know, and then give them the information they’re craving.
Once you build that relationship with your audience, they’re more apt to purchase your products and refer you to their biz buddies. They trust you more because even when you’re sending an e-mail, you’re sending super valuable content and they can only imagine how helpful and packed with information your paid products must be.
3. Share exclusive content with your subscribers
Make them feel like they’re getting the extra attention they deserve. If your subscribers are happy, you’ll be happy. These people have gone to your website, seen your content and decided they like you enough to allow you into their inbox, so you better make it worth their while. Whether it be giving them first access to your limited spot coaching sessions, or $10 off your e-book, give them something a little extra that makes them eager to open your e-mails.
One idea to implement is to create blog posts specifically for your e-mail list. It doesn’t have to be as lengthy as a blog post on your site, but it definitely can be! Getting exclusive content will make your subscribers feel like you care about them that extra bit, that you went out of your way to write ANOTHER piece of content, tailored specifically for them.
4. Create savvy subject lines
Salesforce found that 33% of email recipients open an email based on subject lines alone. Enticing subject lines will give someone that little push they need to open your e-mail. Make it short, sweet and straight to the point. They want to know what they’ll be learning or getting from your e-mail. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen the subject of an e-mail and swiped it into the trash. And I don’t want to do that to yours! Come up with a short, yet effective way to catch someone’s attention. Jot down some subject lines and think which one would stand out to you in an inbox full of e-mails.
5. Tailor your e-mail to your recipients.
You can set up your subscribers into segments or lists based on how they got on your list.
Were they signing up for a workshop on how to increase customer acquisition?
Or did they opt-in for your worksheet on creating a social media strategy?
You can use these segments to tailor your e-mails and send content based on your subscribers interests. You can send them a little reminder that you’re holding another workshop or send them some links to past blog posts that will help them vamp up their Best Social Media Graphic Tools game.
The best part about separating your subscribers into segments is that they won’t feel bombarded by your e-mails. I know you get excited when you write an e-mail, but make sure you send it to the people who are actually interested in that topic. Some blog or biz owners will have check boxes where people can choose which type of content they’d like to receive in their inbox. It could be blogging tips or Etsy shop advice – just make sure you stick to the main topic of what they actually signed up for this way they know each e-mail you send them is just as helpful as the last.
6. Share awesome content.
I take my inbox pretty seriously, and I bet you do to. I mean c’mon, we don’t really have enough time in our day to read every single e-mail that pops in our inbox. You choose wisely, whether you realize it or not, if you want to open an e-mail and actually read it.
Sometimes, I get an e-mail and I know I have to read it because that person always sends such awesome and helpful content. Other times, I know they’re just sending something short that doesn’t really apply to me or are promoting they’re latest product. If someone promotes in every e-mail they send me, I unsubscribe. Because I know they aren’t valuing my time and taking the time to think about what product or service I need from them. This goes back to the segments. Promote when necessary – which may not be to every single person on your list.
7. Set up e-mail sequences.
Have you ever signed up for a content upgrade and started receiving periodic e-mails related to that content upgrade?
Or maybe you watched a webinar and were sent a couple follow up e-mails relating to the webinar. Well, guess what? You were put into an e-mail sequence! Setting up a series of e-mails that will be sent to a subscriber is the best way to market a product, content or your brand.
The best part is that you set it up once, and you’re done! MailChimp makes this super easy to create e-mail sequences that will launch when someone joins one of your lists. Whether it’s a few welcome e-mails that link to your most popular blog posts that your new subscriber may be interested in or to follow up on that e-book you’re selling that’s an upgraded, more intense version of the webinar they just watched.
