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Email Marketing: The Money is in the List
Updated: Jan 6, 2023
LEADS…
Don't you just love 'em?
Maybe you get excited and do a little happy dance when a potential client calls. (I know I do.)
"Hey, I need… can you help me?"
"How soon can I get a quote?"
"I want to get started right away. Are you available?"
Those questions are music to our ears because if you play your cards right, cash is soon to follow.
There's just one problem. For most of us, generating leads – good leads, isn't that simple and the phone calls don't come as frequently as you'd like.
If your business doesn't have an email marketing strategy to build brand awareness, why not give it a try? Learn more here about how to get started.
Table of Contents
What is Email Marketing and Why Do I Need It?
Using Email marketing to promote your products and services may be just the thing to kick-start your business.
There was a time when I was not a fan of email. My inbox represented work - some of which I never signed up for because I didn't recognize many of the people in my box.
Every day I'd go in there clicking, deleting, unsubscribing, and moving things to spam trying to stay organized.
Who has time for all that?
This continued for years until I started training in email marketing and learned how it works.
If done correctly, it can grow your business and create greater ROI than most traditional platforms, e.g., Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and social media marketing.
"Webinars, video campaigns, and social media posts are relatively new channels for marketers to reach their customers. But, … shouldn’t distract you from one of the oldest, yet most effective, strategies — email marketing. In fact, email ROI is an impressive $36 for every $1 spent. – HubSpot
Fascinating, right?
I learned that there is an art and strategy to successful email marketing that encourages long-term results and repeat business.
Establishing an email marketing system in your business keeps the lines of communication between you and your customer open and provides many benefits:
1. Email marketing is not a one-shot deal where you complete a job and hope the customer will call you again. This is an ongoing connection and pipeline between you and the customer.
2. You stay top of mind with your customers, so when they're ready to buy they think of you, not your competitor.
3. Email marketing is a great way to keep customers in the loop about special offers, promotions, sales, new products and services.
4. You own your email list, not Facebook, Google, or some other platform because if they shut you down, you're toast.
Email Marketing Strategy Tips
Acknowledge the fact that "the money is indeed in the list." Many business owners mistakenly believe that if they launch a website the money will automatically flow.
Recognize the importance of consistently building your email list – a database of current clients and potential new leads.
Create an Opt-In Form for your website, or link for social media posts, that collect leads automatically. (You'd be surprised at the websites I've visited with no opt-in at all. Is yours one of them?)
Develop pertinent content to nurture leads. This is a great form of engagement and promotes a strong online presence. (Your website and Google My Business page is just the beginning.)
Provide significant value by answering customer questions, solving their problems, and establishing yourself as an authority in your industry.
Design a useful, relevant, lead magnet to speed up your lead generation efforts.
Understand how content such as blogs, videos, and podcasts contribute to a successful marketing strategy.
Oh, and just for the record, "Contact Us," "Get a Quote", or "Reach Out with Questions" forms do not equate to "opting in" to your email list.
Leads - The Core of Business Sustainability
If you're a business owner, having to continually search for leads isn't fun and how you generate them matters because every lead is not a good one, and all leads don't convert.
If you're a home remodeler who relies on third-party sources like "Angi," "Houzz," or "HomeAdvisor," I'm sure you all know those leads are not provided exclusively to you.
If you pride yourself on generating leads through referrals and word of mouth, you may want to consider creating additional marketing tactics.
"Word of mouth is not a strategy. Word of mouth is not a marketing plan. Word of mouth is not a predictable system. The goal is to build the email list." – Tom Reber, The Contractor Fight
Creating an Opt-In Form for your website is a much more effective way to obtain leads because that person is deliberately connecting to you.
This is your opportunity to promote your brand, tell your story and distinguish yourself from competitors.
Nurturing Leads vs. Your First Romantic Crush
To keep things simple, I like to compare email marketing and nurturing leads to dating, marriage, and relationships.
Remember your first romantic crush?
I'll bet your heart's melting just thinking about it.
You wanted so much for that person to notice you, smile, and show they were feeling you too. You'd do just about anything if they'd give you a chance to get to know them.
Well, nurturing leads is quite similar.
Let's break this down into steps…
1. As a business owner you see something you want (a good lead). You put your best foot forward in appearance (website and online presence) and prove (through Google Reviews) that you're a "great catch."
2. Your goal is for the lead to give you a chance (opt-in) and come on board.
3. Once someone opts-in to your email list they become a "warm lead" because they've voluntarily signed up. They've "noticed" you and are intrigued...
4. The ball is now in your court. Take the time to learn all about your new lead. What they like, what makes them happy, and how they like things done.
5. You want to woo them with your products and services ̶ provide an amazing customer experience.
6. Your hope is that they stay with you and live happily ever after in a mutually beneficial business relationship.
Keep riding this train and you're in good shape.
Unfortunately, many businesses don't see the value in email marketing and don't do it consistently or at all.
You may have an email marketing platform in place and start slacking up.
You get comfortable or busy and don't engage with your customers as much as you used to.
You don't reach out to say "Hey, how's it going? I've been thinking about you." You don't even bother to send an automated "Happy Birthday" email.
That, my friend, is when the "relationship" between you and your customer starts to crumble.
Lead Generation Tools
MailChimp and Constant Contact are among many CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platforms to help you stay connected to customers.
They have options to automate your emails which you create in advance and send any time, day, or night, with no extra effort from you – a great time-saving feature.
Using CRM tools to support your email marketing efforts keeps you top of mind with existing and future customers resulting in more consistent work – and business revenue.
Conclusion
Don't give your customers a reason to unsubscribe and delete your emails. You want them to look forward to hearing from you.
The key is consistent engagement, valuable content, and professional customer experience.
Do these things and your customers will gladly refer you to their family, friends, and anyone else who asks about the type of services you provide.
Building an email marketing list is certainly worthwhile and can produce positive, lasting effects.
Want to get a MailChimp email marketing account set up for your business? Thinking about running campaigns? Contact Word Processing Diva.
Let's talk about your marketing goals and put a strategy in place to get you moving forward.
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