Most people have a love-hate relationship with the ‘ol email inbox.
And depending on your personality (and your job), those relationships will vary.
Are you the kind of person who has 13,572 unread emails? (and it doesn’t bother you... how can it not bother you…how are you not freaking out right now...for the love of all that is good and decent, please check your email and make that badge icon go away…)
Or is your email game as tight as the butt of a pro NFL football player...with every last email read and sorted into its proper folder?
No matter what, at the end of the day, out of those hundreds of emails we get, some of them feel spammy or we’re simply not interested and immediately hit delete.
BUT then, there are those emails we LOVE to open and can’t wait to read, like the newsletter from your favorite life coach (wink!) or an email from your favorite essential oils gal (double wink!).
But seriously, we all have brands and companies we love to hear from and if their email marketing game is on point, we grow closer and more loyal to their brand.
If you’re running a business, big or small, email marketing can pave the way to new customers, customer retention, brand awareness, increased sales and a new platform in which you can launch products and services to an already engaged audience.
Not to mention, compared to other marketing tools, it’s cheap cheap cheap! The average return on investment with email marketing is around $45 for every $1 spent. That’s some pretty good ROI.
And while email marketing can feel like a chore, it can also be FUN.
I love the email marketing game. It’s been essential in helping me for growing my business in a way that’s scalable and sustainable. My newsletter alone has given me a massive ROI and it can do the same for you.
How can YOU use email marketing to grow your business?
It’s all about the funnel, baby.
An email marketing funnel works with the steps of becoming a customer, also known in marketing jargon as “the buyer’s journey”.
What’s a funnel in a nutshell?
At the top of your funnel, you capture people’s attention through your website or social media channels.
You start by making them aware of your product or service, they become engaged with what you’re offering and then they reach the bottom of the funnel where the goal is to turn this engagement/interest into a conversion or purchase.
In the end, if you’ve nailed it, you have a loyal customer who shares their love of your product and service with the world.
Wham bam, thank you ma’am (or mister).
To create an effective funnel, every email counts. There’s no need to overload people’s inboxes, it’s all about letting your personality shine through and making each one matter.
Let me walk you through it. My fave email marketing is dating, stick with me here and I’ll walk you through exactly what you need to do to create a high-converting email funnel.
The First Date
- Ahhhh...new romance, butterflies, the start of something new! Introduce your date (potential customer) to who you are, what you’re all about.
Gently let them know what you have to offer and how it can benefit them. What product or service are you selling and how will it benefit the customer? Don’t come on too strong...you just got to dinner and are still enjoying that first drink.
The Second Date
- You’ve landed a second date and the conversation is flowing. So it’s time to sweeten the pot. Engage with your date and start really SHOWING them why you’re such a catch.
Create a need for your product or service, give your potential customer some tangible resources like some tips and tricks or a link to your blog, and step things up a notch.
The Third Date
- You really like this person and want to take things to the next level. They are definitely relationship-material and the sparks are flying! If you’ve done things right, your date feels the same. It’s time to convert this potential lead into a sale.
Going Steady
- You need to continue to grow your relationship with your new customer, errr I mean new squeeze. Send some follow-up emails, give them some added-value...let them know they’ve made the right decision. Every relationship requires maintenance, and email marketing is no different.
Meeting the Family
- Things are going so well with you and your new beau, they want to tell all their friends and family about you! PERFECT! Hopefully your new customer is so satisfied, they want to share their excitement about your brand, product and/or service on social media and with their friends and family.
Whew, you did it. Email marketing can be fun and rewarding and can seriously boost your business at the same time. If you make each email worth reading, you let your personality shine through and you’re clear and concise, those conversions will start rolling in.
And as part of a well-rounded marketing strategy, email marketing can work with and complement all the other ways (ahem, social media!) you’re attracting new customers and growing your business.
I’m so stoked for you, now go out there and get ‘em!
Email marketing can be a bit tough if you’re first starting out (ha, just like dating!) so if you have any questions, ask me in the comments! I’d love to help you out.