If you’ve ever got on one of ‘those’ marketers lists you know that you can count on at least one email daily – sometimes more than one. They’re all trying to give you useful information, but it’s like a deluge. Too much information just switches your brain into overwhelm – and you don’t get ANY of it.
It’s hardly surprising that so many people are nervous about embarking on email marketing, but there are a few things that you should know that might change your mind.
- It depends on how people got on your list.
If they signed up via your website in order to download an information document that they wanted, they have already shown that they are interested in what you’re offering.
If you put them on your list because you met them networking somewhere, then you’ll need to check they want to stay on it – and maybe encourage them to download your free document so they actively opt-in. This will ensure that you are compliant with GDPR (when it becomes law in May 2018) and also that they want more of the same value.
If they’re on your list because they’re a customer or a former customer, they already know and like what you deliver.
If they’re on your list for any other reason, they probably shouldn’t be on it at all. - Email marketing is not all about selling
A good email campaign is about building your reputation for delivering great value. Then people are interested in paying for what you sell. If they like the free stuff, they’ll be more than happy to pay you for the paid-for service/products.
This means that your email campaigns need to deliver a combination of value and promotion, ideally in the ratio of 2:1, so every third email is promotion.
Value can include tips, articles, formats for business processes, worksheets to simplify something, comparisons between similar products, opportunities to join something free, recommendations for books, webinars, websites, blogs, articles, video content, courses, etc. - Know your audience
When someone has already shown an interest, you know they are looking for more of the same kind of thing. That means that you need to continue to deliver similar content of value.
Also you will need to know how often your audience will tolerate receiving information from you. Some people are happy to get a daily email, some would find weekly too often. It might be worth asking a few people that already know you (existing clients, perhaps) and giving them examples of the kind of content they can expect. - Make it personal
Most people respond better to emails that sound like they’ve been written by a human being rather than a marketing copywriter (although a good copywriter doesn’t sound like one). Write in the way you would to someone you know personally and use an informal style so they feel like you’re actually talking directly to them.
Leave out the corporate stuff – you can’t have a conversation with an organisation – and make it about them.
Get your head around these things and you’ll find email campaigns are nothing to get nervous about!
