Email Marketing
Email marketing delivers a high return on investment (ROI) because you are marketing to people who know and trust you.
Marketing with email is extremely effective, measurable, and probably the easiest to get started with. You don't need to have your website finished, you don't need to wait until everything is perfect, just start.
There are two really good reasons to start email marketing now
- You already have a relationship
- Even if the relationship is just from someone downloading a lead magnet from your website. An existing relationship means you're much more likely to connect. Also, your existing customers are ideal targets – it's important to segment (a sub set of your email list) so you can use the right language and send the right offers.
- You get a high return compared to other marketing efforts
- Because of the exisiting relationship you can nurture a lead, via their inbox, until they are ready to buy. The cost of sending an email is virtually zero, yes there are some setup costs and, as with anything, testing and measuring the response.
-
Types of Email Marketing
Types of emails, or email sequences, include:
Curated Content
The internet is overwhelming – there's too much content and it requires a lot of effort to find high quality articles, videos, infographics, etc. So, whenever you find some useful content Tweet it, then save it to a bookmark service like Evernote or Pocket. Then, when you have 5 pieces of content write a short digest post for your website with an intro, and a link to each piece of content you've discovered. Then share that post with your email list. Notice how you've repurposed that content for social media, SEO, and email marketing.
Ask a favour or a question
People like to help. Ask your email list questions to find out what they are stuck on, what problem are they hoping to solve, what's confusing that they'd like you to explain.
We asked, in a client's nurture sequence, what was the biggest challenge they were facing with their buying process - it resulted in a phone call to ask advice. This is exactly what you want when it's a long sales process for an expensive product.
Email Nudge
This is more of a sales email than a marketing email. When you're nurturing a lead and they've indicated they're keen this is a great way to follow up without making them feel pressured. You know how often people don't get back to you because they're too busy. An email nudge is a topical piece of content to remind them you're the expert (and they were meant to do something for you). For example: if you are waiting to hear back on a proposal, email them an article you saw on a news site that's relevant to them, their business, or industry. You will get a much better response than "just touching base".
Tools for email marketing
There is an abundance of software designed to help individuals and businesses get started, or, improve their email marketing campaigns. We use HubSpot CRM for all our marketing activities (including email) but you can choose from plenty of email tools.
Double opt-in
Double opt-in is an extra confirmation step for subscribers. It is useful for generating higher-quality leads for your email campaigns. By using double opt-in, you're ensuring each site visitor wants to subscribe to your newsletters.
For a step-by-step guide on how to set up double opt-in in HubSpot, click here.
Automations and workflows
If you use a CRM or other email marketing software you'll likely have access to automations and workflows.
Automations free up time for you and your team, allowing you to spend more time on the things that require a 'human-touch'.
Automated workflows allow you to send the right email to the right person at the right time. You can create workflows to enrol marketing contacts in a nurture campaign, send new contacts a welcome email, and more. The possibilities are practically endless.
HubSpot Email Marketing Certified
Webalite is certified by HubSpot in Email Marketing.
