When it comes to the basics of Email Marketing, here is where to start and how to proceed with this form of marketing.
The Basics Of Email Marketing
Why Do We Do Email Marketing?
I am sure that you have heard the cheesy term quite often that ‘the money is in the list.’ Well, it is true, because if you have a list to whom you can send your information and promotions, you stand a much higher chance of getting sales than just waiting to get random visitors to your website.
You can create personalization, as you can add the person’s first name which makes your readers feel a bit closer to you. If people enjoy reading your content, they will open your emails.
So the trick is to keep building trust and provide interesting information when writing letters, rather than try and promote something to them each and every time you email. This helps to build trust and ultimately conversions.
When Should You Start Email Marketing?
The sooner the better. As soon as you have a website up and running I would put up an opt-in form and start to build your list, even if you have nothing to sell as yet. I wish I had done that, then imagine how big my list would be now.
If you don’t have a website, you can even use a service like Leads Leap to start building that list for you. They have a great selection of opt-in pages you can direct your traffic to.
What Is An Email Marketing Funnel?
This normally starts from an opt-in form on your website or a landing page where people can leave their email addresses so that they can receive your emails. You need to have an offer to entice people to join your list. You could offer them a free download or you could make it a club or tribe that they are joining. You could also offer to update them when you post new content on your website. Make sure your opt-in form has a reason why they need to subscribe.
Once people have signed into your email list, they will normally go into a funnel. It normally starts with an email to confirm their subscription.
From there you can feed them into a drip feed of your emails, or a special offer, or simply just email them when you have interesting information to share with them.
What Is An Autoresponder?
This is a platform that you normally have to pay a monthly subscription for so that you can send all your emails. They also store all your leads in a safe place so that you can access them easily.
This is an essential tool for any internet marketer to have. There are some free options to start off with, but remember if you change to another autoresponder service when you need a better one, your existing list will need to opt-in again, and you may lose a lot of subscribers.
You can read more about autoresponders here.
There are many autoresponder platforms out there and I advise you to do your due diligence when shopping around. Here are a few that I have tried and enjoyed.
Aweber is free until you have 500 subscribers which is great, but they do get rather expensive from there. I use Flodesk because the price stays the same no matter how many subscribers I may gain.
What Is A Drip Campaign?
This is a set of emails that you set up within your autoresponder to be sent out automatically over a period. You set this up once and then it runs for you automatically without you having to do anything else.
You set this up directly in your autoresponder and you can set up how many days to wait between sending emails.
To set this up in your autoresponder, you would need to create a new list.
You would then need to write your set of emails and tell the system how many days in between you would like your letters to go out.
Understand Your Audience?
This is one of the most important aspects of email marketing. You need to send your subscribers relevant information. If they signed up to receive more information on your doggy website, then they won’t be interested in hearing why you think they need to start a website.
Always keep your emails relevant to the reason that your subscriber signed up in the first place. Otherwise, you will confuse them and they will unsubscribe from your list.
What Is An Unsubscribe Button?
Every email that you send out should have an unsubscribe link at the bottom that enables your audience to opt out of your campaign if they so wish. Most autoresponders will have this automatically placed at the bottom of every email you send out.
A good idea is to find out why your subscriber wants to unsubscribe and your autoresponder will offer you options for this. I like to ask why they are unsubscribing so that I can learn from my mistakes.
Well there you have it, the basics of email marketing in a nutshell!
Great article and useful for my new website. There is no doubt that building an email list over time is crucial to expanding your online business. I have not used but have heard that email funnels are a great way to engage your audience and get an email address for future use. The convenience of the autoresponder takes a lot of the work out of your hands. I appreciate the article as this is something I hope to be using in my very near future as I gain a following online. Brian
If you’re a small business owner, then the Basics of Email Marketing webpage is a fantastic resource to help take your business to the next level. This comprehensive guide covers everything from email design and optimization tips to strategies for increasing open rates and driving more qualified leads. Plus, it’s packed with loads of helpful illustrations and screenshots so you can easily follow along.
But what made me love this webpage the most is that it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The content is written in a humorous, light-hearted tone and provides helpful real-world examples to make complex concepts seem easy to understand. I also appreciated how generous they were with their recommendations, which makes it perfect for someone who’s new to email marketing.
And if you’re feeling overwhelmed at any point, don’t worry—they provide lots of great resources and tools to help you along the way. Whether you need a template for your next newsletter or ideas for boosting open rates, their comprehensive guide will have something for everyone! So grab your favorite beverage and get ready to learn all about email marketing—in a fun and accessible way!
Thanks for that advice Terry.
This is a very easy to understand explanation of how email marketing works and why every online marketer should start gathering their list as soon as they have a website. In a nutshell, as it were. This site is reminded me that I should get going and make my list. Thank you.
I have been an affiliate marketer for some times. My email list is one area in which I have fallen down. Initially, I built a great list and diligently sent out info. on specials, etc. Then I let it slide. I really appreciate the little push your post has given me. Part of the reason I let things slide is that I was not making use of automated email. Your suggestions here are valuable. I am going to begin to build my email contact list again. Thanks.
In these busy times, it is impossible not to have automation in our lives, especially when it comes to email marketing. Having the autoresponder work for you instead of the other way around is key to building list.