September 13, 2023 • 38 mins
This episode is another preview of content that will be included in my upcoming book.
Two episodes ago I requested that you rethink your social media marketing with the role of user-generated content in mind.
This episode I want you to rethink the role that email marketing can have in developing communication pathways and ultimately relationships of business value.
Ever thought about the untapped power of email marketing? Buckle up, because in this episode, we're blowing the lid off the incredible potency that rests in your inbox. That's right, email marketing isn't just alive and kicking; it's a heavy hitter, 40 times more potent in snagging you new customers than social media.
We're not just talking about mere promotional tools. We're diving into relationship-building resources. How, you ask? By focusing on consistent communication, lead magnets, content creation, and the art of nurturing the customer journey. The cherry on top? An overview of welcome emails and lead nurture sequences that will leave you awestruck: a whopping 80% open rate and 320% more revenue! But we don't just wow you with figures; we provide you with the hands-on tools to conjure up the perfect welcome email and lead nurture sequences.
But the episode doesn't stop there. We also delve into promotional emails - not just as a sales tool, but as a powerful relationship builder. From boosting brand awareness to generating demand and showcasing your products or services, we cover it all. We also discuss the role of time-bound discount and event emails, and how they can up your customer interaction game. Finally, we reveal how you can make each email experience unique for your customers by leveraging special occasions. So, gear up for a ride that takes email marketing to a whole new level. Let's hit it!
Learn More:
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Email is nearly 40 times more effective in
obtaining new customers thansocial media.
But there's a lot that goesinto email, not only building up
your list, but once you have alist, how on earth do you go
about communicating with yourlist on a regular basis?
What are the differentcommunication paths that you can
build between you and yourtarget audience?
(00:24):
What is going to be the subjectof this next episode of the
Digital Marketing Coach Podcast?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Hey everybody.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
this is Neil Schaefer , your Digital Marketing Coach,
and welcome to my podcast, ifyou're new here.
I am a digital contentinfluencer, social media
marketing, fractional CMOmarketing, coach, author,
speaker, educator.
I do all that, and this podcastis really my icky guy my love
(01:42):
to share what I've learned withall of you.
Now, half of these episodes aresolo episodes, like the one
today, and half of them I alsointerview experts, authors,
people that I am inspired by andI want to learn from, and
therefore I know that you'llwant to as well.
If you are a dedicatedsubscriber, I welcome you back
(02:03):
Now this podcast because itcovers a broad range of content.
That is, digital marketing.
You can understand that thereare certain topics that I tend
to talk more about and some lessabout.
Now, email marketing is one ofthese critical, critical things
that we need to do in digitalmarketing, and it's something
that often isn't given a lot oflove, isn't really talked about,
(02:25):
maybe as much as it should be.
It seems intuitive, but I thinkit's actually a lot deeper than
that.
So, in the history of thispodcast in fact, if you were to
go to podcastneilschaefercom,you can actually sample and
search for all of the 336episodes, including this one
today, including in 2013, butI've really only covered email
(02:49):
only 5 times Episode number 269,which was last year, with my
interview with Bobby Clink,author of a book on email
marketing, and then, before that, episode number 250, the why
and how of email marketing.
And then we have to go back to2020, right after the
coronavirus pandemic started thehidden power of email marketing
to scale your digital influenceand then man back to 2014 and
(03:13):
2013.
So today is an update, but alsotoday is part of my own process
of writing my next book anddeveloping and fleshing out more
content.
Now, today is really thisconcept of building paths to
communicate with our audiencethrough email messaging.
(03:35):
We are creating content,sending it through emails, and
we're building upon the trustthat people gave in us when they
became our customer or whenthey signed up to our list,
through the strategic use oflead magnets, and that is
actually something that iscovered in the book.
I don't have a separate podcastepisode for you but hopefully
(03:56):
that will entice.
You.
Don't want to read the book,but beginning with the lead
magnet and you should all havelead magnets If you go to
leadmagnetcom you'll see my leadmagnet, very popular in B2B
companies.
Even B2C companies will giveyou 10% off your first order to
get your email address.
But the problem is that thelead magnet is only the
(04:17):
beginning, and just asdeveloping relationships is
critical to being successful inother areas of marketing, so it
is in email communication aswell.
If, according to a famousMcKinsey study, email is nearly
40 times more effective inobtaining new customers than
social media, then the secretlies in the follow-up Not just
(04:40):
the fact that they're on yourlist.
But, to put it simply, unlessyou communicate with your
subscribers, you lose out on theopportunity to further develop
those relationships.
People forget why theysubscribe to your newsletter.
They change jobs and less emailaddresses.
They forget about you.
Over time, the email algorithmssee your emails not get opened
and soon you're in thepromotions tab, if not the spam
(05:02):
folder, of your recipient'semail client.
This is why many experts in thefield recommend that you need
to communicate with people onyour list on at least a weekly
basis in order to keep themquote unquote warm, while some
advocate believe it or not foras frequent as daily
communication.
Now you need to keep theconversation going, but you also
(05:25):
need to have a reason to reachout to those people that showed
interest in your lead magnets.
You need a system, a processand lots of ideas on how to
build paths of communicationthat will lead people on your
list to ultimately becoming yourcustomers and repeat customers.
The aim of this podcast episodeas it is the chapter that I'm
(05:45):
writing for my book is to doexactly that by showing you the
seven main differentcommunication paths we can have
with our list.
But before we do that, let'sfirst remind ourselves of the
importance of relationships whenit comes to email marketing,
something we often forget.
Now we know that building asuccessful business is all about
(06:07):
fostering relationships, right.
So how do we cultivate andstrengthen those connections?
The answer is simple consistentcommunication, particularly
with those who have shown aninterest in our offerings.
And we can broaden our horizonsbeyond just emails.
Social media interactions, oldfashioned snail mail or
face-to-face meetings can alsoobviously be effective.
(06:29):
The goal for any of these is tokeep our brand, our company,
our business, front and centerin the minds of our potential
and current clients.
Now re-imagine viewing email notjust as a communication tool,
but as a relationship builderand a way to secure your brand's
place in the market.
Over time, this approach willboost your sales, drawing in new
(06:54):
prospects and keeping existingcustomers coming back for more,
and it's not just about theimmediate sales.
Consistent communicationenhances customer loyalty and
promotes advocacy.
Think about it.
Aren't products easier to sellwhen customers return again and
again?
And doesn't a positiveexperience with one product
(07:15):
encourage customers to tryothers?
In a world where top-notchcustomer service seems to be
becoming a rarity, satisfiedcustomers become invaluable
advocates recommending yourbrand to friends, family and
colleagues.
So let's reframe ourperspective on email.
It's more than a marketing tool.
It is a powerful resource forbuilding relationships with
(07:38):
those who are starting to engagewith your brand.
Now.
By visualizing email marketingas a funnel, you'll better
understand the diversecommunication paths you can take
, tailored to where yourprospects are on their unique
journeys, your call to action orleveraging email as a
relationship builder.
(07:58):
Today.
So you've built that robustemail list Congratulations.
Now what the real work begins intransforming those leads into
loyal customers and advocates tofuel your sales engine.
The secret weapon, ameticulously crafted email
marketing funnel, the digitalthread of the funnel applied to
(08:19):
your email communication, is afantastic way to begin the work
of creating a variety ofcommunication pathways between
you and your customers andprospects.
Now, you've probably heard thisbefore, but they say it takes
anywhere from 5 on the low endto 20 on the high end touches to
convert a prospect.
What is the best way in adigital first world to get those
(08:42):
touches?
Well, you know the answer,hands down it is email.
No social media or searchengine algorithms stand in our
way, and our list is truly abrand asset that we own and have
control over.
But you have to have somethingto say and it has to have value
to the recipient.
Now an interesting stat toshare with you before I go any
(09:02):
further is that email as acommunication path becomes more
effective when you follow up.
In fact, data suggests thatsending a three email sequence
and I'm going to cover what asequence is in a moment rather
than a single email, we're earn90% more sales on welcome emails
, 75% more on reactivationemails and boast a 63%
(09:25):
improvement over singularabandoned cart emails.
Now I'm going to go into each ofthese types of emails in this
or a follow up chapter on emailautomation.
That is also going to become anintegral part of my next book.
But let's first start with thefunnel and then I will introduce
you the specific pathways andwhere they make sense inside the
funnel, regardless of whatstage your customers are in
(09:48):
their buying journey.
Now we can break the emailmarketing funnel, as you can
imagine, down to a few integralstages.
I'm going to go with awareness,interest, conversion, loyalty
and advocacy.
Now awareness is the top of thefunnel, where potential
customers become leads when theyacquire your lead magnet.
But guess what?
(10:08):
Yours is not the only leadmagnet they are downloading, and
in a world inundated withmarketing messages, how can you
make yours stand out?
Well, the answer really lies inbrand awareness.
Your first mission is tointroduce your brand, articulate
your values and highlight yourofferings by overcoming initial
skepticism or unfamiliarity.
(10:30):
You've already made significantprogress.
Now.
The best way to do this isthrough a welcome email or
sequence.
A note on those shortly.
Next, we move to interest.
It's the funnel's midsection,where leads are nurtured.
Capturing attention is just thebeginning.
Many will question is thisrelevant to me or my business?
Particularly in fiercelycompetitive markets, moving
(10:54):
beyond the stage is no smallfeat.
That is where lead nurturingcomes into play.
As you consistently communicate, your audience gains a deeper
understanding of your brand,which can and will influence
their purchasing decisions.
This is achieved through thepathway of a lead nurturing
sequence More on this to comeshortly as well.
(11:16):
We then move into conversion.
It's the lower end of thefunnel where your leads become
customers.
So now the time has come toshift from nurturing to action
oriented selling.
While we value customerrelationships on both personal
and professional levels, theultimate goal obviously here is
to drive sales.
The conversion stage aims toinspire spending by ensuring
(11:40):
customers see the value in yourofferings and feel confident
about their purchase decisions,and this can come around through
a variety of communicationpathways that I'm going to go
through, but it really comesdown to repeating for all of you
again ensuring customers seethe value in your offerings and
(12:00):
feeling confident about theirpurchasing decisions, and these
are things that we need toentice throughout all of our
communication.
The next we have loyalty.
It's the cycle of the funnelthat retains customers.
As the popular saying goes,retaining customers is more cost
effective than acquiring newones.
Your email marketing funnelshould therefore include
(12:21):
strategies for fosteringcustomer loyalty.
This could include tailoringoffers based on previous
purchases or exclusive customerloyalty sales.
It's all about customizationand exclusivity.
Some of this can be donethrough marketing automation,
which is going to be a follow upchallenge, which is going to be
(12:41):
a follow up chapter to this one, or a follow up podcast episode
, or through various promotionalmessages.
And then we get to the finalstage in the email marketing
funnel, the stage of advocacy.
It is the activation of a loyalcustomer into hopefully
becoming an influencer promotingyour brand.
So the final stage focuses onpromoting advocacy.
(13:02):
Encourage customers to leavereviews or spread the word about
your fantastic products.
Remember, personal referralsare a timeless form of
influencer marketing.
Now, if you remember my podcastepisode of just two weeks ago
episode number 334, re-imagineyour social media with
(13:23):
user-generated content.
If you remember my passionateplea because I think you're all
going to be more successful topublish more user-generated
content, your messaging here inthe advocacy stage can also help
that become a reality.
Better yet, invite them tobecome a brand ambassador for
your company, something I willdiscuss in a dedicated chapter
(13:44):
in my upcoming book as well.
So understanding the importanceof relationships and
re-envisioning our emailcommunication through the funnel
lens is crucial.
However, including storytellingat every stage can completely
transform this process.
This would be a really goodtime to actually pause.
I know you're in the middle ofthe episode, but pause and take
(14:06):
a moment to listen to my podcastinterview with Bobby Klink,
episode number 269, entitled howEmail Marketing Generates Sales
Once you Get it All right.
Well, whether you listen to itor not, I don't know, I highly
recommend you do, whether you doit now or after this episode,
if you want to dig deeper beforemy book comes out.
But at the end of the day, whatmessage do you want to convey
(14:30):
to those that have an interestin working with you?
If marketing is storytelling,email gives you the opportunity
to tell your story over and over, in a variety of perspectives
and dimensions.
Email allows you and yourcompany to become a friend and
trusted advisor through avariety of communication
(14:50):
pathways.
Let's start to dig deeper intothem as I introduce you to what
I believe are the seven primarymethods to communicate on a
regular basis with your list.
All right, number one thewelcome email, or emails.
We all know that firstimpressions matter in life.
In a similar vein, have youever thought about the power of
(15:13):
the first interaction you havewith your customers?
Welcome emails, my friend orfriends, are that crucial first
handshake in the digital world.
Did you know that welcomeemails actually boast an
incredible open rate of over 80%?
That is significantly higherthan any other traditional email
(15:34):
campaign.
In fact, it is said that morethan 70% of consumers actually
expect to receive a welcomeemail after signing up or making
a purchase.
Taking the importance of theseemails one step further, sending
out welcome emails is alsohighly profitable, because data
suggests that they bring in themost revenue on a per email
(15:55):
basis than the ones which follow.
In fact, each welcome emailearns an average of 320% more
revenue than other marketingemails.
As a business owner, you knowthe importance of saying thank
you, but in the realm ofe-commerce, specifically,
expressing gratitude and welcomeemails goes beyond just words.
(16:18):
It's about offering real valueto your customers by providing
enticing discounts or attractivesign up incentives which you
might have offered as your leadmagnet.
The result is you not onlyfoster engagement, but you also
lay a strong foundation forfuture communication.
Most more, these emails oftenincentivize larger purchases.
(16:38):
But remember, your welcomeemails are more than just a
thank you note or a discountcoupon.
They are your brand'sintroduction to the customer.
In an era where face to faceinteractions are becoming rare,
it's essential to make yourcustomers feel welcome and
provide them with all theinformation they need about your
company, products,subscriptions and policies.
(17:01):
So how do you create a perfectwelcome email?
You keep it simple, short,relevant content is key.
Make your subject line invitingand easy to understand.
Highlight the benefits ofjoining your community.
Showcase some of your futureproducts and sprinkle in some
glowing customer reviews.
Add a clear call to action atthe end and don't forget to
(17:21):
include contact details, websitelinks and social media pages
for easy access.
In essence, your welcome emailsshould be the beginning of a
beautiful relationship with yourcustomers.
So are you ready to make alasting first impression?
This is where we get to thesecond pathway of email
(17:41):
communication, which are leadnurture sequences, which are
also called drip campaigns.
And what it comes down to ishave you ever thought about what
happens after that crucialfirst welcome email?
This is where a nurturingsequence comes into play.
That's the inception of emailmarketing.
These campaigns have been amarketers powerful weapon.
(18:05):
Picture a series of emailsstarting with a warm welcome
message, designed with one goalin mind to build trust and
foster deep connections withyour audience.
Now let me first explain someterminology for those not
familiar with the term emailsequence.
An email sequence soundscomplex, but it merely indicates
a series of emails that arepreplanned and sent one after
(18:28):
another.
They are usually time, to besent out on a frequency of every
X days and dispatched to yourentire audience or a chosen
subset, irrespective of theiractions.
Note that some call these dripcampaigns, as the messages are
regularly dripped out over aperiod of time.
Now, most email softwaresolutions have this
(18:49):
functionality built in, makingit easy for you to develop these
.
The email software that I use,convertkit, has actually a menu
item called sequences, whichmakes it easy for you to create
these.
If you've ever downloaded oneof my freebies, you have
probably gone through one of mysequences.
You can understand the way thatI do.
My sequences are I generallycommunicate on a weekly basis.
(19:12):
A nurturing sequence simplyallows you to tell your story
over multiple emails and developa deeper relationship with your
potential clients or currentcustomers, one email at a time.
By nurturing your relationshipwith them.
This is where they truly get toknow your brand, its values and
the relationship they arestepping into.
By providing valuable contentin a consistent message, you're
(19:36):
not just communicating.
You are cultivating customerloyalty and driving conversions.
But the question remains how doyou create an effective
nurturing sequence?
The answer lies inunderstanding three key elements
who is your brand, who is youraudience and what value do you
offer them?
How you create.
(19:56):
You're sharing your stories andmixing those elements with
every single one of these emailsas part of your nurturing
sequence.
This is going to be art.
You're going to have to becreative.
Everybody listening is going tohave a different way of doing
it, but I really want you tobrainstorm.
What are the best stories, whatare the best ways in which you
(20:19):
can become a better friend witheverybody on your list and
deepen that relationship?
Now, while not all welcomeemails result in immediate
purchases or conversions, thatdoesn't signal the end of your
email marketing strategy.
On the contrary, it presentsmore opportunities.
You know, sometimes the personon the other end might not have
(20:39):
had time to place an order rightaway.
They might have trouble makinga selection.
Reminding them of your greatdeals through leading nurturing
emails might just provide thepush they need to complete that
sale.
Now this leads us to the thirdpathway, which is the regular
frequency newsletter.
Now the welcome email and leadnurture sequence should be the
(21:00):
first pathway as a communicationthat you build with the public.
However, after your sequenceemails end, so does your
communication.
How do you keep your brand atthe forefront of your customers'
minds?
This is where the workhorse ofemail marketing, a strategy as
old as email itself comes innewsletters.
In fact, if you were to opt into one of my freebies, you would
(21:21):
go through a welcome sequencefor that particular subject of
the freebie that you downloadedand then, once that sequence
ends, you are then tagged andmerged into receiving my weekly
newsletter.
Now, whether you opt for aweekly rhythm, a monthly update
or another regular cadence,newsletters are your way of
saying hey, we're here and wehave something interesting to
(21:44):
share.
But remember, the frequencyreally depends on how much news
you have or any otherinformation you have that is
genuinely worth sharing, becauselosing a subscriber is just one
unsubscribe click away.
So what should you include inthese newsletter emails?
Well, think of a mix ofindustry news and developments,
(22:08):
trends, blog content, curatedpieces that your audience might
find useful, interesting FAQsfrom your customer service
department, perhaps some thoughtleadership material or the
latest industry discussions.
The goal, irrespective of thecontent, is to build brand
affinity.
Remember, people like to feelconnected to a brand and I think
(22:29):
the younger the generation, themore that is the case, and they
tend to spend more when they do.
Now, while newsletters are morecommon among B2B brands and
nonprofits.
In fact, did you know that awhopping 83% of B2B companies
are said to be sendingnewsletter emails.
Don't overlook their potentialin e-commerce email marketing,
especially for newer companiesexperiencing rapid changes.
(22:51):
Keeping your audience informedthrough newsletters or when you
have new products can foster asense of connection and
encourage higher spending.
The key is to establish afrequency in format that works
for the unique needs of youraudience.
Now, from my own personalexperience, I offer my own
subscribers the ability toreceive updates of new blog
(23:12):
posts the day they are published, combined with weekly
newsletters a weekly newsletteron its own or a monthly
newsletter on its own.
I also have a format for eachnewsletter, which includes
speaking specifically of theweekly and monthly newsletter,
which includes my own personalupdates, followed by a recent
YouTube video, my latest podcastepisode and a host of news
(23:34):
article summaries and links thattranspired over the last week
or month to help keep myaudience informed and up to date
.
How you set up your own cadenceand content will come down to
your unique brand andrelationship with your list.
It might take time to perfectyour rhythm, so make sure you
test different things out andread the data in your email
(23:54):
analytics that your softwaresolution provides you to find
the perfect combination ofelements that work the best for
your audience.
So we've covered the welcomeemail, the lead, nurture
sequence, the newsletter.
The next type of content I willcall educational content, or
tutorials and tips.
(24:15):
Now, educational content couldactually be part of the welcome
email, the lead, nurturesequence, or even form the basis
of your regular newsletter, orit could be something that is
totally separate.
Remember this if your brandoffers products or services with
a creative twist, such asbeauty products or art supplies,
(24:36):
wouldn't it be beneficial toguide your customers on how best
to use these products?
Imagine an email series packedwith tips, tricks and tutorials
delivered straight to yourcustomers inbox right after they
receive their welcome email andor finished their nurture
sequence.
Or what about sending out ahandy educational guide whenever
you're launching a new product,something that seemed like a
(24:58):
practical way to keep youraudience engaged and informed.
Here's an interesting fact itsaid that customers respond
positively to detailed productinformation, so why not make the
most of this opportunity toconnect with them?
By doing so, providing themthis educational information,
you're not just selling aproduct or service indirectly,
(25:20):
you're providing a valuableresource that enhances their
user experience.
What about a win-win situationfor both your brand and your
customers?
In conclusion, talking abouteducational content, email
marketing is more than justpromotional.
It's about adding value,building relationships and
driving customer engagement.
Some emails are a prime exampleof this.
(25:43):
Now the fifth type of emailmight be the most popular type
because it is the promotionaltype, the campaign, the
broadcast, the promotional email.
And in fact, these types ofemails should need no
introduction, as I assume youare used to getting a ton of
these in your inbox.
But to give a brief definition,picture this An email message
(26:08):
with a clear, direct call toaction that lands right in your
customer's inbox and its missionis to introduce and promote a
new product or service, or acurrent product, but ultimately
the drive sales.
Think about all those enticingspecial offers you come across.
They too are part of thiscategory.
Promotional emails offer aneffective way to engage your
(26:30):
audience, showcase your latestofferings and boost your revenue
.
But remember, crafting aneffective promotional email is
an art, like everything else I'mtalking about.
It requires a delicate balanceof persuasive language, enticing
offers and a compelling call toaction, and it can be tempting
to always be sending apromotional email, and that's
(26:50):
why I waited until now tomention these, because I think
they will be all the moreeffective once you have
developed a deeper relationshipwith your target audience.
Also, if you think about it,similar to social media, what
happens when every message youreceive from a company is about
a promotion?
You either tune them out or youonly purchase when there is a
discount.
(27:11):
There will be a segment of yoursubscribers who subscribed to
your emails for promotionsbecause they only buy things on
sale, and this could work toyour advantage.
However, to maximize youropportunities in developing
relationships with your list, Irecommend that you don't limit
your messages to only thepromotional type.
Now that we have that out ofthe way, let me talk about the
(27:33):
different types of promotionalemails that exist Sales and
discounts.
The strategic use of promotionalemails can dynamically increase
awareness about the latestdeals on your website.
Imagine the scenario you'replanning a massive Black Friday
sale, offering anything from aflat percentage off your entire
website to highlighting yourloss leader.
(27:55):
The right email blasts can notonly inform your customers about
these exciting offers, but alsosignificantly boost demand for
your sale event.
Now, somewhat related to thatare time-bound discount emails.
So who said discounts are onlyfor holiday seasons?
In the fast-paced world ofe-commerce, sales and discounts
(28:15):
are not limited to specialoccasions.
Many online platforms hostregular discount events, always
with the enticing tagline for alimited time.
But here's the catch If yourcustomers aren't aware of these
opportunities, they're likely tomiss out.
After all, how many of usrandomly browse an e-commerce
site waiting for a sale?
Most people buy when they needsomething or they wait for a
(28:37):
sale notification that can bedelivered in a time-bound
discount email, and then we havethe product launch right.
Promotional emails, as you canimagine, can be a powerful tool
when launching a new product.
These emails not only offer aplatform to showcase your latest
offerings, but they also allowyou to provide practical use
cases that resonate with yourcustomers.
(28:58):
The impact of these promotionalemails can be further amplified
when combined with othermarketing strategies.
Consider this scenario You'recollaborating with an influencer
for product launch.
What could be more efficientthan augmenting this with an
email featuring the influencer'stutorial of your new product?
This strategy not only enhancesthe reach of your influencer
(29:19):
marketing, but also persuadesyour customers through a trusted
voice via your emailcommunication.
These emails also serve as anexcellent opportunity to
highlight the benefits of thesenew products, enticing your
customers to try them out.
Moreover, these emails, whendone right, can direct your
subscribers to relevanteducational content on your
(29:40):
website regarding these products, thereby reinforcing your
content marketing efforts.
We are now at the sixth majortype of communication pathway
through email that can help usdevelop relationships with
everybody on our list.
This is about holidays andseasonal promotions.
This is a different type ofpromotional email because it
(30:04):
revolves around holidays andseasons and thus can be prepared
really far in advance.
These emails are an importantcategory because timeliness in
your email marketing strategycan significantly boost your
revenue.
In fact, research from theNational Retail Federation
reveals that holiday salescontribute to 20% of total sales
(30:26):
.
However, it's important to notethat time-specific email
marketing is not confined towinter holidays or summer
festivities.
Your company should also focuson commemorating other special
occasions, such as birthdays andanniversaries.
Should you have access to thatdata, and even if you don't have
access to that data, you canstill celebrate milestones in
(30:48):
the relationship with yourcompany, like the fifth
anniversary of being a loyalcustomer.
These personalized emails oftenoutperform their traditional
holiday counterparts in terms ofrevenue generation.
By acknowledging yourcustomer's significant
milestones, you're not onlyenhancing customer loyalty, but
also creating opportunities forincreased sales.
(31:09):
We now come down to the seventhcommunication pathway, and this
is events.
Did you know that event emailsare one of the most effective
types of email marketing?
The reason is simple peoplelove to be part of special
events.
For instance, is your salesteam getting ready for the next
big industry expo?
Why not let your subscribers inon it?
(31:30):
You never know when a potentialor existing customer is eagerly
waiting to experience yourlatest product released first
hand.
Sure, they could reach out toyour sales team, but isn't it
more exciting to interact withcurrent users at a special event
?
And, of course, the power ofevent emails extends beyond
physical events.
Physical events continue tooffer a convenient way for
(31:51):
people to engage with yourproducts and services or be
educated on them from thecomfort of their own homes or
offices.
What's more, virtual events canattract individuals who may not
have the resources to attend aphysical event.
So by sending out event emails,you're giving more people the
opportunity to benefit from yourbrand's offerings, and I'm not
(32:12):
just talking about B2B events.
If you're an e-commerce company, that livestream that you do
together with an influencermight be something your audience
wants to tune into.
So remember, it's all aboutinforming, engaging and creating
opportunities for your audienceto experience what your brand
has to offer, whether it isphysically and or virtually, and
(32:34):
that is the power and value ofevent emails.
So we've covered the staples ofemail communication for any type
of business.
These seven types ofcommunication pathways types of
emails should give you a strongfoundation to build a deep
relationship over time with youremail subscribers and hopefully
(32:56):
now you will never be at a lossas to what to say to those that
have gone out of their way toprovide you their email address
to keep them in your brandaffinity, in your sphere of
influence and hopefully convertthem to becoming a customer, if
not a repeat customer.
Now, email marketing is notlimited to just these seven
communication pathways and isreally only limited by your
(33:18):
imagination.
There are also a whole host ofother automated pathways,
including transactional emails,things like abandoned card
emails, that I'm going to coverin a later chapter or podcast
episode.
But suffice to say I'm reallyhoping that this episode of my
podcast really gets you startedin this concept of relationship
(33:42):
building over email, and I knowthat your company will be all
the more successful for that.
If you are trying to figure out,hey, neil, what email software,
what email marketing solution,can help me do all this, most
email solutions will help you dothis.
I will repeat and I'll putthese affiliate links in my show
notes If you are a solopreneur,small business owner, content
(34:06):
creator, convert kit would bethe tool that I recommend you
use, and it has a lot of thesophisticated functionality.
If you are e-commerce or alarger B2B brand, you will
probably want to go to ActiveCampaign.
Although Clavio is also very,very popular in the Shopify
e-commerce community, I stillprefer Active Campaign.
Maybe that's another subjectfor another podcast episode as
(34:29):
well.
I also have some blog poststhat I will put in these show
notes as well to help guide youthrough other email marketing
tools, because there are a lotof them out there and there are
new ones emerging all the time.
And, yes, there are AI emailtools as well in terms of
writing email messages.
That might also help you if youare not a natural email writer.
(34:51):
So I'll include all those linksin the show notes as a resource
, but I hope you really, throughthis episode, similar to how in
episode 334, my mission to helpyou reimagine your social media
with user-generated content.
I'm hoping that this help youalso reimagine your email
(35:12):
marketing as a relationshipbuilding tool, not as a way of
mass spamming or overlypromoting people that may soon
lose interest, with you reallylosing out on that opportunity
and really creating a lot ofhidden losses for your company.
So I'll leave you this weekwith that message.
(35:35):
I'll be back next week with aspecial guest.
I want to make sure that if youhaven't hit that subscribe
button, you did, and if you'vealready hit that subscribe
button, I want to encourage youto leave a review of this
podcast on Apple podcasts,formerly known as iTunes.
I mentioned this in my lastpodcast episode.
This is episode number 336, andI only have 58 reviews on Apple
(36:00):
podcasts.
I'm really honored that I have58 ratings, but my goal is
hopefully, in the not so distantfuture, I can get to 100
ratings.
So for every three episodes, Ihave one rating is sort of how
the math would work.
If you decide to rate thispodcast, make sure that you
reach out to me, let me know.
(36:21):
I'd love to share it with myaudience on this podcast.
So the most recent review Iwant to share with you, it is
from Aaron.
Your tips on LinkedIn 2023 werepractical, well researched and
fun to listen to.
Well, thank you, aaron.
For those of you that mighthave missed that episode, that
episode was episode number 332,linkedin updates for 2023.
(36:42):
You need to know, I am aco-founder of level up creators,
where we help creators buildprofitable and purpose driven
businesses around their areas ofexpertise.
I'm always grateful to runacross other leaders in the
creator economy.
There are so many creators whobenefit from your advice.
I'm looking forward to divinginto more of your episodes in
the future.
Thanks again for creating suchan awesome podcast.
Yes, if you were to drop yourname in your business, I will
(37:04):
read it aloud as well, becauseI'm so appreciative of these
reviews.
So, aaron, co-founder of levelup creators, I appreciate your
reaching out.
Who knows, maybe you'll be aguest of mine on a future
episode.
All right, everybody, let's endthere.
This signals the end of anotherhopefully you thought exciting
episode.
I'm always excited by recordingthese of the digital marketing
(37:26):
coach podcast.
This is your digital marketingcoach, neil Schaefer, signing
off.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
You've been listening to your digital marketing coach
.
Questions, comments, requests,links.
Go to podcastneilschaefercom.
Get the show notes to this and200 plus podcast episodes at
neilschaefercom to tap in to the400 plus blog posts that Neil
has published to support yourbusiness.
(37:54):
While you're there, check outNeil's digital first group
coaching membership community Ifyou or your business needs a
little helping hand.
See you next time on yourdigital marketing coach.
Email is nearly 40 times more effective in
obtaining new customers thansocial media.
But there's a lot that goesinto email, not only building up
your list, but once you have alist, how on earth do you go
about communicating with yourlist on a regular basis?
What are the differentcommunication paths that you can
build between you and yourtarget audience?
(00:24):
What is going to be the subjectof this next episode of the
Digital Marketing Coach Podcast?
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Hey everybody.
Speaker 1 (01:20):
this is Neil Schaefer , your Digital Marketing Coach,
and welcome to my podcast, ifyou're new here.
I am a digital contentinfluencer, social media
marketing, fractional CMOmarketing, coach, author,
speaker, educator.
I do all that, and this podcastis really my icky guy my love
(01:42):
to share what I've learned withall of you.
Now, half of these episodes aresolo episodes, like the one
today, and half of them I alsointerview experts, authors,
people that I am inspired by andI want to learn from, and
therefore I know that you'llwant to as well.
If you are a dedicatedsubscriber, I welcome you back
(02:03):
Now this podcast because itcovers a broad range of content.
That is, digital marketing.
You can understand that thereare certain topics that I tend
to talk more about and some lessabout.
Now, email marketing is one ofthese critical, critical things
that we need to do in digitalmarketing, and it's something
that often isn't given a lot oflove, isn't really talked about,
(02:25):
maybe as much as it should be.
It seems intuitive, but I thinkit's actually a lot deeper than
that.
So, in the history of thispodcast in fact, if you were to
go to podcastneilschaefercom,you can actually sample and
search for all of the 336episodes, including this one
today, including in 2013, butI've really only covered email
(02:49):
only 5 times Episode number 269,which was last year, with my
interview with Bobby Clink,author of a book on email
marketing, and then, before that, episode number 250, the why
and how of email marketing.
And then we have to go back to2020, right after the
coronavirus pandemic started thehidden power of email marketing
to scale your digital influenceand then man back to 2014 and
(03:13):
2013.
So today is an update, but alsotoday is part of my own process
of writing my next book anddeveloping and fleshing out more
content.
Now, today is really thisconcept of building paths to
communicate with our audiencethrough email messaging.
(03:35):
We are creating content,sending it through emails, and
we're building upon the trustthat people gave in us when they
became our customer or whenthey signed up to our list,
through the strategic use oflead magnets, and that is
actually something that iscovered in the book.
I don't have a separate podcastepisode for you but hopefully
(03:56):
that will entice.
You.
Don't want to read the book,but beginning with the lead
magnet and you should all havelead magnets If you go to
leadmagnetcom you'll see my leadmagnet, very popular in B2B
companies.
Even B2C companies will giveyou 10% off your first order to
get your email address.
But the problem is that thelead magnet is only the
(04:17):
beginning, and just asdeveloping relationships is
critical to being successful inother areas of marketing, so it
is in email communication aswell.
If, according to a famousMcKinsey study, email is nearly
40 times more effective inobtaining new customers than
social media, then the secretlies in the follow-up Not just
(04:40):
the fact that they're on yourlist.
But, to put it simply, unlessyou communicate with your
subscribers, you lose out on theopportunity to further develop
those relationships.
People forget why theysubscribe to your newsletter.
They change jobs and less emailaddresses.
They forget about you.
Over time, the email algorithmssee your emails not get opened
and soon you're in thepromotions tab, if not the spam
(05:02):
folder, of your recipient'semail client.
This is why many experts in thefield recommend that you need
to communicate with people onyour list on at least a weekly
basis in order to keep themquote unquote warm, while some
advocate believe it or not foras frequent as daily
communication.
Now you need to keep theconversation going, but you also
(05:25):
need to have a reason to reachout to those people that showed
interest in your lead magnets.
You need a system, a processand lots of ideas on how to
build paths of communicationthat will lead people on your
list to ultimately becoming yourcustomers and repeat customers.
The aim of this podcast episodeas it is the chapter that I'm
(05:45):
writing for my book is to doexactly that by showing you the
seven main differentcommunication paths we can have
with our list.
But before we do that, let'sfirst remind ourselves of the
importance of relationships whenit comes to email marketing,
something we often forget.
Now we know that building asuccessful business is all about
(06:07):
fostering relationships, right.
So how do we cultivate andstrengthen those connections?
The answer is simple consistentcommunication, particularly
with those who have shown aninterest in our offerings.
And we can broaden our horizonsbeyond just emails.
Social media interactions, oldfashioned snail mail or
face-to-face meetings can alsoobviously be effective.
(06:29):
The goal for any of these is tokeep our brand, our company,
our business, front and centerin the minds of our potential
and current clients.
Now re-imagine viewing email notjust as a communication tool,
but as a relationship builderand a way to secure your brand's
place in the market.
Over time, this approach willboost your sales, drawing in new
(06:54):
prospects and keeping existingcustomers coming back for more,
and it's not just about theimmediate sales.
Consistent communicationenhances customer loyalty and
promotes advocacy.
Think about it.
Aren't products easier to sellwhen customers return again and
again?
And doesn't a positiveexperience with one product
(07:15):
encourage customers to tryothers?
In a world where top-notchcustomer service seems to be
becoming a rarity, satisfiedcustomers become invaluable
advocates recommending yourbrand to friends, family and
colleagues.
So let's reframe ourperspective on email.
It's more than a marketing tool.
It is a powerful resource forbuilding relationships with
(07:38):
those who are starting to engagewith your brand.
Now.
By visualizing email marketingas a funnel, you'll better
understand the diversecommunication paths you can take
, tailored to where yourprospects are on their unique
journeys, your call to action orleveraging email as a
relationship builder.
(07:58):
Today.
So you've built that robustemail list Congratulations.
Now what the real work begins intransforming those leads into
loyal customers and advocates tofuel your sales engine.
The secret weapon, ameticulously crafted email
marketing funnel, the digitalthread of the funnel applied to
(08:19):
your email communication, is afantastic way to begin the work
of creating a variety ofcommunication pathways between
you and your customers andprospects.
Now, you've probably heard thisbefore, but they say it takes
anywhere from 5 on the low endto 20 on the high end touches to
convert a prospect.
What is the best way in adigital first world to get those
(08:42):
touches?
Well, you know the answer,hands down it is email.
No social media or searchengine algorithms stand in our
way, and our list is truly abrand asset that we own and have
control over.
But you have to have somethingto say and it has to have value
to the recipient.
Now an interesting stat toshare with you before I go any
(09:02):
further is that email as acommunication path becomes more
effective when you follow up.
In fact, data suggests thatsending a three email sequence
and I'm going to cover what asequence is in a moment rather
than a single email, we're earn90% more sales on welcome emails
, 75% more on reactivationemails and boast a 63%
(09:25):
improvement over singularabandoned cart emails.
Now I'm going to go into each ofthese types of emails in this
or a follow up chapter on emailautomation.
That is also going to become anintegral part of my next book.
But let's first start with thefunnel and then I will introduce
you the specific pathways andwhere they make sense inside the
funnel, regardless of whatstage your customers are in
(09:48):
their buying journey.
Now we can break the emailmarketing funnel, as you can
imagine, down to a few integralstages.
I'm going to go with awareness,interest, conversion, loyalty
and advocacy.
Now awareness is the top of thefunnel, where potential
customers become leads when theyacquire your lead magnet.
But guess what?
(10:08):
Yours is not the only leadmagnet they are downloading, and
in a world inundated withmarketing messages, how can you
make yours stand out?
Well, the answer really lies inbrand awareness.
Your first mission is tointroduce your brand, articulate
your values and highlight yourofferings by overcoming initial
skepticism or unfamiliarity.
(10:30):
You've already made significantprogress.
Now.
The best way to do this isthrough a welcome email or
sequence.
A note on those shortly.
Next, we move to interest.
It's the funnel's midsection,where leads are nurtured.
Capturing attention is just thebeginning.
Many will question is thisrelevant to me or my business?
Particularly in fiercelycompetitive markets, moving
(10:54):
beyond the stage is no smallfeat.
That is where lead nurturingcomes into play.
As you consistently communicate, your audience gains a deeper
understanding of your brand,which can and will influence
their purchasing decisions.
This is achieved through thepathway of a lead nurturing
sequence More on this to comeshortly as well.
(11:16):
We then move into conversion.
It's the lower end of thefunnel where your leads become
customers.
So now the time has come toshift from nurturing to action
oriented selling.
While we value customerrelationships on both personal
and professional levels, theultimate goal obviously here is
to drive sales.
The conversion stage aims toinspire spending by ensuring
(11:40):
customers see the value in yourofferings and feel confident
about their purchase decisions,and this can come around through
a variety of communicationpathways that I'm going to go
through, but it really comesdown to repeating for all of you
again ensuring customers seethe value in your offerings and
(12:00):
feeling confident about theirpurchasing decisions, and these
are things that we need toentice throughout all of our
communication.
The next we have loyalty.
It's the cycle of the funnelthat retains customers.
As the popular saying goes,retaining customers is more cost
effective than acquiring newones.
Your email marketing funnelshould therefore include
(12:21):
strategies for fosteringcustomer loyalty.
This could include tailoringoffers based on previous
purchases or exclusive customerloyalty sales.
It's all about customizationand exclusivity.
Some of this can be donethrough marketing automation,
which is going to be a follow upchallenge, which is going to be
(12:41):
a follow up chapter to this one, or a follow up podcast episode
, or through various promotionalmessages.
And then we get to the finalstage in the email marketing
funnel, the stage of advocacy.
It is the activation of a loyalcustomer into hopefully
becoming an influencer promotingyour brand.
So the final stage focuses onpromoting advocacy.
(13:02):
Encourage customers to leavereviews or spread the word about
your fantastic products.
Remember, personal referralsare a timeless form of
influencer marketing.
Now, if you remember my podcastepisode of just two weeks ago
episode number 334, re-imagineyour social media with
(13:23):
user-generated content.
If you remember my passionateplea because I think you're all
going to be more successful topublish more user-generated
content, your messaging here inthe advocacy stage can also help
that become a reality.
Better yet, invite them tobecome a brand ambassador for
your company, something I willdiscuss in a dedicated chapter
(13:44):
in my upcoming book as well.
So understanding the importanceof relationships and
re-envisioning our emailcommunication through the funnel
lens is crucial.
However, including storytellingat every stage can completely
transform this process.
This would be a really goodtime to actually pause.
I know you're in the middle ofthe episode, but pause and take
(14:06):
a moment to listen to my podcastinterview with Bobby Klink,
episode number 269, entitled howEmail Marketing Generates Sales
Once you Get it All right.
Well, whether you listen to itor not, I don't know, I highly
recommend you do, whether you doit now or after this episode,
if you want to dig deeper beforemy book comes out.
But at the end of the day, whatmessage do you want to convey
(14:30):
to those that have an interestin working with you?
If marketing is storytelling,email gives you the opportunity
to tell your story over and over, in a variety of perspectives
and dimensions.
Email allows you and yourcompany to become a friend and
trusted advisor through avariety of communication
(14:50):
pathways.
Let's start to dig deeper intothem as I introduce you to what
I believe are the seven primarymethods to communicate on a
regular basis with your list.
All right, number one thewelcome email, or emails.
We all know that firstimpressions matter in life.
In a similar vein, have youever thought about the power of
(15:13):
the first interaction you havewith your customers?
Welcome emails, my friend orfriends, are that crucial first
handshake in the digital world.
Did you know that welcomeemails actually boast an
incredible open rate of over 80%?
That is significantly higherthan any other traditional email
(15:34):
campaign.
In fact, it is said that morethan 70% of consumers actually
expect to receive a welcomeemail after signing up or making
a purchase.
Taking the importance of theseemails one step further, sending
out welcome emails is alsohighly profitable, because data
suggests that they bring in themost revenue on a per email
(15:55):
basis than the ones which follow.
In fact, each welcome emailearns an average of 320% more
revenue than other marketingemails.
As a business owner, you knowthe importance of saying thank
you, but in the realm ofe-commerce, specifically,
expressing gratitude and welcomeemails goes beyond just words.
(16:18):
It's about offering real valueto your customers by providing
enticing discounts or attractivesign up incentives which you
might have offered as your leadmagnet.
The result is you not onlyfoster engagement, but you also
lay a strong foundation forfuture communication.
Most more, these emails oftenincentivize larger purchases.
(16:38):
But remember, your welcomeemails are more than just a
thank you note or a discountcoupon.
They are your brand'sintroduction to the customer.
In an era where face to faceinteractions are becoming rare,
it's essential to make yourcustomers feel welcome and
provide them with all theinformation they need about your
company, products,subscriptions and policies.
(17:01):
So how do you create a perfectwelcome email?
You keep it simple, short,relevant content is key.
Make your subject line invitingand easy to understand.
Highlight the benefits ofjoining your community.
Showcase some of your futureproducts and sprinkle in some
glowing customer reviews.
Add a clear call to action atthe end and don't forget to
(17:21):
include contact details, websitelinks and social media pages
for easy access.
In essence, your welcome emailsshould be the beginning of a
beautiful relationship with yourcustomers.
So are you ready to make alasting first impression?
This is where we get to thesecond pathway of email
(17:41):
communication, which are leadnurture sequences, which are
also called drip campaigns.
And what it comes down to ishave you ever thought about what
happens after that crucialfirst welcome email?
This is where a nurturingsequence comes into play.
That's the inception of emailmarketing.
These campaigns have been amarketers powerful weapon.
(18:05):
Picture a series of emailsstarting with a warm welcome
message, designed with one goalin mind to build trust and
foster deep connections withyour audience.
Now let me first explain someterminology for those not
familiar with the term emailsequence.
An email sequence soundscomplex, but it merely indicates
a series of emails that arepreplanned and sent one after
(18:28):
another.
They are usually time, to besent out on a frequency of every
X days and dispatched to yourentire audience or a chosen
subset, irrespective of theiractions.
Note that some call these dripcampaigns, as the messages are
regularly dripped out over aperiod of time.
Now, most email softwaresolutions have this
(18:49):
functionality built in, makingit easy for you to develop these
.
The email software that I use,convertkit, has actually a menu
item called sequences, whichmakes it easy for you to create
these.
If you've ever downloaded oneof my freebies, you have
probably gone through one of mysequences.
You can understand the way thatI do.
My sequences are I generallycommunicate on a weekly basis.
(19:12):
A nurturing sequence simplyallows you to tell your story
over multiple emails and developa deeper relationship with your
potential clients or currentcustomers, one email at a time.
By nurturing your relationshipwith them.
This is where they truly get toknow your brand, its values and
the relationship they arestepping into.
By providing valuable contentin a consistent message, you're
(19:36):
not just communicating.
You are cultivating customerloyalty and driving conversions.
But the question remains how doyou create an effective
nurturing sequence?
The answer lies inunderstanding three key elements
who is your brand, who is youraudience and what value do you
offer them?
How you create.
(19:56):
You're sharing your stories andmixing those elements with
every single one of these emailsas part of your nurturing
sequence.
This is going to be art.
You're going to have to becreative.
Everybody listening is going tohave a different way of doing
it, but I really want you tobrainstorm.
What are the best stories, whatare the best ways in which you
(20:19):
can become a better friend witheverybody on your list and
deepen that relationship?
Now, while not all welcomeemails result in immediate
purchases or conversions, thatdoesn't signal the end of your
email marketing strategy.
On the contrary, it presentsmore opportunities.
You know, sometimes the personon the other end might not have
(20:39):
had time to place an order rightaway.
They might have trouble makinga selection.
Reminding them of your greatdeals through leading nurturing
emails might just provide thepush they need to complete that
sale.
Now this leads us to the thirdpathway, which is the regular
frequency newsletter.
Now the welcome email and leadnurture sequence should be the
(21:00):
first pathway as a communicationthat you build with the public.
However, after your sequenceemails end, so does your
communication.
How do you keep your brand atthe forefront of your customers'
minds?
This is where the workhorse ofemail marketing, a strategy as
old as email itself comes innewsletters.
In fact, if you were to opt into one of my freebies, you would
(21:21):
go through a welcome sequencefor that particular subject of
the freebie that you downloadedand then, once that sequence
ends, you are then tagged andmerged into receiving my weekly
newsletter.
Now, whether you opt for aweekly rhythm, a monthly update
or another regular cadence,newsletters are your way of
saying hey, we're here and wehave something interesting to
(21:44):
share.
But remember, the frequencyreally depends on how much news
you have or any otherinformation you have that is
genuinely worth sharing, becauselosing a subscriber is just one
unsubscribe click away.
So what should you include inthese newsletter emails?
Well, think of a mix ofindustry news and developments,
(22:08):
trends, blog content, curatedpieces that your audience might
find useful, interesting FAQsfrom your customer service
department, perhaps some thoughtleadership material or the
latest industry discussions.
The goal, irrespective of thecontent, is to build brand
affinity.
Remember, people like to feelconnected to a brand and I think
(22:29):
the younger the generation, themore that is the case, and they
tend to spend more when they do.
Now, while newsletters are morecommon among B2B brands and
nonprofits.
In fact, did you know that awhopping 83% of B2B companies
are said to be sendingnewsletter emails.
Don't overlook their potentialin e-commerce email marketing,
especially for newer companiesexperiencing rapid changes.
(22:51):
Keeping your audience informedthrough newsletters or when you
have new products can foster asense of connection and
encourage higher spending.
The key is to establish afrequency in format that works
for the unique needs of youraudience.
Now, from my own personalexperience, I offer my own
subscribers the ability toreceive updates of new blog
(23:12):
posts the day they are published, combined with weekly
newsletters a weekly newsletteron its own or a monthly
newsletter on its own.
I also have a format for eachnewsletter, which includes
speaking specifically of theweekly and monthly newsletter,
which includes my own personalupdates, followed by a recent
YouTube video, my latest podcastepisode and a host of news
(23:34):
article summaries and links thattranspired over the last week
or month to help keep myaudience informed and up to date
.
How you set up your own cadenceand content will come down to
your unique brand andrelationship with your list.
It might take time to perfectyour rhythm, so make sure you
test different things out andread the data in your email
(23:54):
analytics that your softwaresolution provides you to find
the perfect combination ofelements that work the best for
your audience.
So we've covered the welcomeemail, the lead, nurture
sequence, the newsletter.
The next type of content I willcall educational content, or
tutorials and tips.
(24:15):
Now, educational content couldactually be part of the welcome
email, the lead, nurturesequence, or even form the basis
of your regular newsletter, orit could be something that is
totally separate.
Remember this if your brandoffers products or services with
a creative twist, such asbeauty products or art supplies,
(24:36):
wouldn't it be beneficial toguide your customers on how best
to use these products?
Imagine an email series packedwith tips, tricks and tutorials
delivered straight to yourcustomers inbox right after they
receive their welcome email andor finished their nurture
sequence.
Or what about sending out ahandy educational guide whenever
you're launching a new product,something that seemed like a
(24:58):
practical way to keep youraudience engaged and informed.
Here's an interesting fact itsaid that customers respond
positively to detailed productinformation, so why not make the
most of this opportunity toconnect with them?
By doing so, providing themthis educational information,
you're not just selling aproduct or service indirectly,
(25:20):
you're providing a valuableresource that enhances their
user experience.
What about a win-win situationfor both your brand and your
customers?
In conclusion, talking abouteducational content, email
marketing is more than justpromotional.
It's about adding value,building relationships and
driving customer engagement.
Some emails are a prime exampleof this.
(25:43):
Now the fifth type of emailmight be the most popular type
because it is the promotionaltype, the campaign, the
broadcast, the promotional email.
And in fact, these types ofemails should need no
introduction, as I assume youare used to getting a ton of
these in your inbox.
But to give a brief definition,picture this An email message
(26:08):
with a clear, direct call toaction that lands right in your
customer's inbox and its missionis to introduce and promote a
new product or service, or acurrent product, but ultimately
the drive sales.
Think about all those enticingspecial offers you come across.
They too are part of thiscategory.
Promotional emails offer aneffective way to engage your
(26:30):
audience, showcase your latestofferings and boost your revenue
.
But remember, crafting aneffective promotional email is
an art, like everything else I'mtalking about.
It requires a delicate balanceof persuasive language, enticing
offers and a compelling call toaction, and it can be tempting
to always be sending apromotional email, and that's
(26:50):
why I waited until now tomention these, because I think
they will be all the moreeffective once you have
developed a deeper relationshipwith your target audience.
Also, if you think about it,similar to social media, what
happens when every message youreceive from a company is about
a promotion?
You either tune them out or youonly purchase when there is a
discount.
(27:11):
There will be a segment of yoursubscribers who subscribed to
your emails for promotionsbecause they only buy things on
sale, and this could work toyour advantage.
However, to maximize youropportunities in developing
relationships with your list, Irecommend that you don't limit
your messages to only thepromotional type.
Now that we have that out ofthe way, let me talk about the
(27:33):
different types of promotionalemails that exist Sales and
discounts.
The strategic use of promotionalemails can dynamically increase
awareness about the latestdeals on your website.
Imagine the scenario you'replanning a massive Black Friday
sale, offering anything from aflat percentage off your entire
website to highlighting yourloss leader.
(27:55):
The right email blasts can notonly inform your customers about
these exciting offers, but alsosignificantly boost demand for
your sale event.
Now, somewhat related to thatare time-bound discount emails.
So who said discounts are onlyfor holiday seasons?
In the fast-paced world ofe-commerce, sales and discounts
(28:15):
are not limited to specialoccasions.
Many online platforms hostregular discount events, always
with the enticing tagline for alimited time.
But here's the catch If yourcustomers aren't aware of these
opportunities, they're likely tomiss out.
After all, how many of usrandomly browse an e-commerce
site waiting for a sale?
Most people buy when they needsomething or they wait for a
(28:37):
sale notification that can bedelivered in a time-bound
discount email, and then we havethe product launch right.
Promotional emails, as you canimagine, can be a powerful tool
when launching a new product.
These emails not only offer aplatform to showcase your latest
offerings, but they also allowyou to provide practical use
cases that resonate with yourcustomers.
(28:58):
The impact of these promotionalemails can be further amplified
when combined with othermarketing strategies.
Consider this scenario You'recollaborating with an influencer
for product launch.
What could be more efficientthan augmenting this with an
email featuring the influencer'stutorial of your new product?
This strategy not only enhancesthe reach of your influencer
(29:19):
marketing, but also persuadesyour customers through a trusted
voice via your emailcommunication.
These emails also serve as anexcellent opportunity to
highlight the benefits of thesenew products, enticing your
customers to try them out.
Moreover, these emails, whendone right, can direct your
subscribers to relevanteducational content on your
(29:40):
website regarding these products, thereby reinforcing your
content marketing efforts.
We are now at the sixth majortype of communication pathway
through email that can help usdevelop relationships with
everybody on our list.
This is about holidays andseasonal promotions.
This is a different type ofpromotional email because it
(30:04):
revolves around holidays andseasons and thus can be prepared
really far in advance.
These emails are an importantcategory because timeliness in
your email marketing strategycan significantly boost your
revenue.
In fact, research from theNational Retail Federation
reveals that holiday salescontribute to 20% of total sales
(30:26):
.
However, it's important to notethat time-specific email
marketing is not confined towinter holidays or summer
festivities.
Your company should also focuson commemorating other special
occasions, such as birthdays andanniversaries.
Should you have access to thatdata, and even if you don't have
access to that data, you canstill celebrate milestones in
(30:48):
the relationship with yourcompany, like the fifth
anniversary of being a loyalcustomer.
These personalized emails oftenoutperform their traditional
holiday counterparts in terms ofrevenue generation.
By acknowledging yourcustomer's significant
milestones, you're not onlyenhancing customer loyalty, but
also creating opportunities forincreased sales.
(31:09):
We now come down to the seventhcommunication pathway, and this
is events.
Did you know that event emailsare one of the most effective
types of email marketing?
The reason is simple peoplelove to be part of special
events.
For instance, is your salesteam getting ready for the next
big industry expo?
Why not let your subscribers inon it?
(31:30):
You never know when a potentialor existing customer is eagerly
waiting to experience yourlatest product released first
hand.
Sure, they could reach out toyour sales team, but isn't it
more exciting to interact withcurrent users at a special event
?
And, of course, the power ofevent emails extends beyond
physical events.
Physical events continue tooffer a convenient way for
(31:51):
people to engage with yourproducts and services or be
educated on them from thecomfort of their own homes or
offices.
What's more, virtual events canattract individuals who may not
have the resources to attend aphysical event.
So by sending out event emails,you're giving more people the
opportunity to benefit from yourbrand's offerings, and I'm not
(32:12):
just talking about B2B events.
If you're an e-commerce company, that livestream that you do
together with an influencermight be something your audience
wants to tune into.
So remember, it's all aboutinforming, engaging and creating
opportunities for your audienceto experience what your brand
has to offer, whether it isphysically and or virtually, and
(32:34):
that is the power and value ofevent emails.
So we've covered the staples ofemail communication for any type
of business.
These seven types ofcommunication pathways types of
emails should give you a strongfoundation to build a deep
relationship over time with youremail subscribers and hopefully
(32:56):
now you will never be at a lossas to what to say to those that
have gone out of their way toprovide you their email address
to keep them in your brandaffinity, in your sphere of
influence and hopefully convertthem to becoming a customer, if
not a repeat customer.
Now, email marketing is notlimited to just these seven
communication pathways and isreally only limited by your
(33:18):
imagination.
There are also a whole host ofother automated pathways,
including transactional emails,things like abandoned card
emails, that I'm going to coverin a later chapter or podcast
episode.
But suffice to say I'm reallyhoping that this episode of my
podcast really gets you startedin this concept of relationship
(33:42):
building over email, and I knowthat your company will be all
the more successful for that.
If you are trying to figure out,hey, neil, what email software,
what email marketing solution,can help me do all this, most
email solutions will help you dothis.
I will repeat and I'll putthese affiliate links in my show
notes If you are a solopreneur,small business owner, content
(34:06):
creator, convert kit would bethe tool that I recommend you
use, and it has a lot of thesophisticated functionality.
If you are e-commerce or alarger B2B brand, you will
probably want to go to ActiveCampaign.
Although Clavio is also very,very popular in the Shopify
e-commerce community, I stillprefer Active Campaign.
Maybe that's another subjectfor another podcast episode as
(34:29):
well.
I also have some blog poststhat I will put in these show
notes as well to help guide youthrough other email marketing
tools, because there are a lotof them out there and there are
new ones emerging all the time.
And, yes, there are AI emailtools as well in terms of
writing email messages.
That might also help you if youare not a natural email writer.
(34:51):
So I'll include all those linksin the show notes as a resource
, but I hope you really, throughthis episode, similar to how in
episode 334, my mission to helpyou reimagine your social media
with user-generated content.
I'm hoping that this help youalso reimagine your email
(35:12):
marketing as a relationshipbuilding tool, not as a way of
mass spamming or overlypromoting people that may soon
lose interest, with you reallylosing out on that opportunity
and really creating a lot ofhidden losses for your company.
So I'll leave you this weekwith that message.
(35:35):
I'll be back next week with aspecial guest.
I want to make sure that if youhaven't hit that subscribe
button, you did, and if you'vealready hit that subscribe
button, I want to encourage youto leave a review of this
podcast on Apple podcasts,formerly known as iTunes.
I mentioned this in my lastpodcast episode.
This is episode number 336, andI only have 58 reviews on Apple
(36:00):
podcasts.
I'm really honored that I have58 ratings, but my goal is
hopefully, in the not so distantfuture, I can get to 100
ratings.
So for every three episodes, Ihave one rating is sort of how
the math would work.
If you decide to rate thispodcast, make sure that you
reach out to me, let me know.
(36:21):
I'd love to share it with myaudience on this podcast.
So the most recent review Iwant to share with you, it is
from Aaron.
Your tips on LinkedIn 2023 werepractical, well researched and
fun to listen to.
Well, thank you, aaron.
For those of you that mighthave missed that episode, that
episode was episode number 332,linkedin updates for 2023.
(36:42):
You need to know, I am aco-founder of level up creators,
where we help creators buildprofitable and purpose driven
businesses around their areas ofexpertise.
I'm always grateful to runacross other leaders in the
creator economy.
There are so many creators whobenefit from your advice.
I'm looking forward to divinginto more of your episodes in
the future.
Thanks again for creating suchan awesome podcast.
Yes, if you were to drop yourname in your business, I will
(37:04):
read it aloud as well, becauseI'm so appreciative of these
reviews.
So, aaron, co-founder of levelup creators, I appreciate your
reaching out.
Who knows, maybe you'll be aguest of mine on a future
episode.
All right, everybody, let's endthere.
This signals the end of anotherhopefully you thought exciting
episode.
I'm always excited by recordingthese of the digital marketing
(37:26):
coach podcast.
This is your digital marketingcoach, neil Schaefer, signing
off.
Speaker 2 (37:33):
You've been listening to your digital marketing coach
.
Questions, comments, requests,links.
Go to podcastneilschaefercom.
Get the show notes to this and200 plus podcast episodes at
neilschaefercom to tap in to the400 plus blog posts that Neil
has published to support yourbusiness.
(37:54):
While you're there, check outNeil's digital first group
coaching membership community Ifyou or your business needs a
little helping hand.
See you next time on yourdigital marketing coach.
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