A beginner's guide to successful email marketing. The best and cheapest method of attracting and keeping customers in the long term buying cycle.
Why would you email anyone?
The use of email marketing is continually growing and becoming more attractive all the time. From worldwide corporations to one-man operators, businesses are finding that emails sell.
However, it is a marketing channel and needs to be done the right way or you may get lost in the noise.
What are some good examples of email marketing?
I recently moved house and rang a local courier to do the heavy lifting.
First of all, I received a welcome email detailing what was to come. I was left in no doubt.
The next day was a soft pitch offering boxes and a packing service. (a traditional upsell).
Then a reminder of the transaction date and time so that both of us were comfortable with the job required.
A thank you note for using the service.
Finally, an email that stated I was in a monthly competition to win a great prize.
Completed with a referral request.
This email sequence was all automated at the time of the order and was designed to keep me fully informed.
There are lots of parts above that need some explaining so we will come to that.
The promise of something to come
Everyday when I open my computer I will have a whole bundle of emails. Some will be for business, maybe a personal one or two or a whole bundle of marketing mail.
I quickly scan the list and delete those that don't interest me today.
I do this by the name of the sender so your job is to be in the emails that are read.
We will show you how to do this.
Find email clients
There is no cheap way, it needs some focus over time. Contact forms on your website are always a great start. If you have a physical address and walk-in clients you get the email off everyone that comes to you. Use your invoices, have a VIP discount club running a raffle or similar to collect names.
Seminars, trade fares, soliciting from target customers are all ways to get a few names.
Free list.
Spamming and email
This is a warning that in most countries you are not allowed to send emails to random people.
This can even include bought lists and random captures. You need to have had some form of contact with the recipient. If you are unsure, look up the rules for your country. Wikipedia description of Spam.
Selecting an email platform
There are plenty of platforms for sending out emails, however, they are not all the same.
Remember that this is a business decision and you will get results. Paying $20 a month for 500 emails should return you hundreds of dollars. As your list grows, so will your cost and return.
I have tried half a dozen companies and now exclusively use Constant Contact. It is easy, fuss-free and the autoresponder is included. All the training and lots more tools to use.
Plus you get a starter bonus and no contracts
Your first email
The introduction.
Tell them who you are and what you want from them. This is not a selling email other than the contact for information button.
Excite them with what is coming next. You will want them to open your email among all the others coming in.
Personalize the mail so it can be recognized and don't hide from who you are.
A beginner's guide to successful email marketing is walking you through the issues.
Automating emails
This is the next step in the process. Yes, it can be done manually but far easier with an Autoresponder.
This means that you do a series of emails that get sent when you want them to go, everyday, two days a week whenever you choose. Don't get scared to send mail everyday, if they don't want it they will bailout, the more often the better.
Generally, you do a series of emails based around giving information over time.
Introduction: About you
Attention: Bold statement
Interests: Benefits
Desire: Others that have benefited from your offer
Action or first real close.
Early on you want to build a following so don't get too hung up on the procedure.
A beginner's guide to successful email marketing, you are on a winner
Segmenting emails
Put your emails on a list that can be used to better send information.
For instance, the first email is generic. However, if someone bought from this email you don't want to keep hounding them with more information. You can put them on a new list that might be another product or upsell.
Remember newsletters are just a type of email.
Tracking emails
Your service will provide countless ways to track your activity and this should be a ritual.
How many were sent, opened or clicked on are the main parameters?
Those that opt-out and don't receive an email.
Finally, those that report spam. Don't get worried unless the number is significant. I had a spam report recently from someone that had been receiving emails for over a year. It must have been a bad day.
I also had a sale recently after 12 months of consistent mail. you never know.
Deleting emails
I sent an email recently to all those that had not recently opened an email. Simply put, was the message “if I am annoying you please use the big opt out button below”
No one opted out, buggar
Calls to action
You are emailing for business and you will never know when they are ready to buy so always have an opportunity for them to contact you. After a few emails, you may try a solid offer to solicit greater action or perhaps a soft close to gathering low hanging fruit.
Branding and best email methods
keep your branding consistent and easily recognized. You only have a second as they skim the emails on whether you are open or deleted.
Yes, your header is important but I believe your name comes first.
Monetising
Have a long term goal to get a lot of payback on your financial and time investment. The people who make the rules say that you should get a dollar return for everyone on your list every month. So 500 names should generate at least $500. However, sometimes you will see that figure as high as $8 a month.
I sell recurring billing products so I generally use one year as my value stick. The average client lasts about 4.5 years so I am conservative. Therefore, one sale a month is $1000 based on about 9000 names. Sometimes I get a lot more than that.
Testing
I have jammed this in because I nearly forgot about it.
When I am doing a bulk email I generally run it against a small number of users first. It is time to pick up any glaring mistakes and bad stats, make your changes and then blast the road ahead.
Conclusion
I have not gone too deep into this subject because there is a lot more to tell.
What I want you to do is get started and practice the rules and find your mistakes. When we meet in a more advanced format you will have a greater understanding of the need for refinement.
It is fun because it is quick, send an email work the results, make your changes and repeat
A beginner's guide to successful email marketing by Peter Hanley
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