In today's world full of countless resources and tools for becoming a successful entrepreneur or business owner, many people are becoming marketers for their own brand.
In recent months, I've talked to many of these entrepreneurs about their email marketing campaigns and have been asked the same questions time and time again. Email marketing is one of the most successful and easiest ways to brand yourself and grow your business. So, I've decided to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and share a few tips I've picked up over the years.
Here are the top three frequently asked questions about email marketing you've been itching to have answered.
How do I make time to focus on my email campaign?
I get it. You have a life. It's not easy to work productively for eight, undisturbed hours a day. But try to remember that you have the same 24 hours in your day that Bill Gates has in his. So use a few time-saving hacks to keep yourself going. For starters, it's all about prioritizing. Consider the Pareto Principle which says 80% of effects come from only 20% of the causes. In other words, only 20% of what we do accounts for 80% of our success. Make a written list of your goals for the day or week to help you focus on the important things. (Don't try relying strictly on memory. Having your thoughts organized on paper will be helpful in the long run). Then, use the 80/20 rule to prioritize the high value tasks. You may want to create an email sign-up form or integrate your email marketing with a few of your social media channels, while the end goal for the week may be to gain 50 new subscribers.
Once you have your weekly or daily goals, find a balance between tasks you've identified as most important and those you can get done the fastest. Also, discipline yourself by following a schedule. But don't be afraid to take breaks either. Working in 30 minute bursts with a snack or walk break in between can often yield the most productivity. Or, try following the two minute rule. Have a tweet to post or Facebook update about your latest e-newsletter? Anything you can do in two minutes or less, do now. You'll see that balancing your time will become easier once you find what routine works best for you.
Next question: When should I think about automating my emails?
Here's my best answer: Always, early, and often. You should start thinking about automation the moment you decide to set up an email campaign. An automated welcome email should be first in the bunch, followed by a few who, what, where, and why emails. Tell your audience who you are and what you have to offer, whether it be a product, service, or expertise on a certain subject. Set their expectations by revealing how often you plan to appear in their inbox and what you might send. Let them know why your content is worth subscribing to. You may also want to try a survey asking them why they decided to sign up.
As for the "where", think about attending or even hosting an event in your field. Look out for conventions and trade shows and let your audience know you'll be there. Whether you have a booth or just want to attend, the face to face engagement you'll get with existing and new subscribers will help to build stronger relationships.
Once you've covered these automation basics, get creative and send out birthday coupons, weekly inspirational quotes or whatever else is relevant to your business and the audience. The possibilities are endless.
Need help getting started with automation? Read my previous post to find out what to write in your welcome email.
So what's the last email marketing FAQ business owners have been dying to know? You guessed it.
When is the best day and time to send an email?
Everyone wants the secret formula to making sure their emails are being sent at the best possible moment to ensure high open, click-through and conversion rates. The truth is that your email campaigns won't magically turn into a success as the clock strikes 12, or any exact time for that matter.
Regardless of what you may have heard about the most optimal time for sending, you need to choose the times and days that work best for your particular audience needs and wants. This will require some rigorous testing, but it will be well worth it over a short period of time. Start somewhere. Try out different days and times of the day. Here's another thought: ask your audience when they'd prefer to receive messages from you. Trusting your own results and surveying your subscribers is going to be your best option.
Looking ahead, you'll want to focus on sending when your customer has purchased something or performed a specific action. There may not always be a perfect time and day to send. Instead, that perfect moment will be based off of customer actions and attributes.
Ultimately, your email campaign is your own. It's up to you to decide when you want to send your emails, how much time to devote to the process and how to use automation. The key to long-term success is to learn as you go. You're always going to have questions about the process, but if you continue to innovate and tweak your style, you'll end up finding your way through each experience.