This week’s blog is a little different to my usual tips and tricks. It’s more a story of my personal experience with email marketing. But don’t worry; this isn’t a dear diary moment. I will always give you something to help you write for your own business.
Let me start with a shameful confession…
I have been a copywriter for several years, helping countless business owners take control of their email lists and turn them into money-making machines. But guess what? I have never looked after my own email list – I know, I know, but it’s always hardest to take your own advice, right?
Anyway, this year, I have been working on more email marketing projects than any other type of copywriting. I have loved it and seen clients generate great results. So it gave me the kick up the arse to look at my own list.
Well, forget all the data around email marketing (of which vast amounts show how great it is); I’m here to tell you from personal experience that if you have an email list you’ve been neglecting or haven’t yet started to build an email list… Do it now, like immediately, do nothing else until you have because it will change how you do business forever!
So, how did I get started?
Well, not only had I neglected to look after my email list, but I’d also neglected to even get started on building one.
So, I put together my lead magnet. A free Ebook and checklist that explained the basics of SEO and how to implement it into your marketing. Shameless plug – you can grab it here, it has received some great feedback.
I created it in Canva and built a simple landing page using the free version of Mailerlite. I also created a little email sequence to send people their free download and welcome them to my list. After that, I then used my social media pages and my website to promote it.
Don’t worry if you’re “not techy”; it isn’t that difficult (and of course, I’m always available if you want some help).
Oh, and as a side note, Ebooks are very common. So if you have a business that could use something else as a lead magnet, the more creative, the better!
Anyway, now I have a growing list.
Your list is never too small
In another case of listening to my own advice, I stopped telling myself I had to wait to have a few hundred subscribers. From the very first subscriber, I started sending a weekly email.
Now, similar to my blogs, I pack my weekly emails full of value and tips. I want subscribers to feel more confident about writing content for their business. And, from just a small list, I regularly receive emails back saying how helpful they have been.
What did I learn (well, confirm, I already knew this, really)
As I said at the beginning, this isn’t just a confession of how bad I am at following my own advice. I want to leave you with some takeaways that might inspire you to start thinking about your own email list.
It’s one of the best ways to build relationships
Some of my subscribers are people I already know, and some are complete strangers. However, those weekly emails have generated some fantastic conversations. They’re not only helping my subscribers learn about me but helping me learn about my subscribers.
What better way to build that know, like and trust factor than through honest conversations with real people?
You’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea
Unsubs are one of the hardest things to get over when you first start email marketing. When someone decides they no longer want to be part of your list. No one likes rejection, which can feel a little like this at first, but it’s not.
The fact you weren’t that person’s cup of tea probably means they weren’t yours either. And who wants to work with people they don’t vibe with?
And, from a commercial point of view, as your email list grows, many email providers charge based on subscriber count. So, why waste your money if someone will never buy or doesn’t get value from what you send? Use that space with someone you can build a real, human relationship with.
Don’t get hung up on open rates
This is another thing that can be easy to stress about initially. Still, I’m sure you will be surprised when I tell you that, as of writing this, the average email open rate for businesses is approximately 18%. Of course, this number varies depending on industry and niche.
I nearly fell off my chair when I realised just how low it was. My open rates for myself and my recent clients have an average open rate of between 46-79% every week!
And, if you do notice open rates dropping, I have some great ways of giving that open rate a quick boost to help you clear your list and ensure only engaged readers are receiving your email.
If you enjoyed this post, please share it with your business besties. And drop me a comment as I’m thinking of making “A copywriter’s tale” a more regular feature of my blogs.
As a Virtual Marketing Assistant specialising in content and copywriting, helping businesses attract and nurture their ideal clients to grow their sales lights me up. Drop me a message today if you need help identifying your perfect client, perfecting your messaging, or marketing your services.
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