Successful entrepreneurs always talk about their email lists.
Why isn't it working for you? Simple, it's hard.
Here are 5 secrets that email wizards always leave out.
1. Every great email list starts and grows with a great audience development strategy
Most email marketing tips and tutorials start with how to send a great email or build a fabulous sequence.
Who are you sending these spectacular emails to?
Too many buy an email list and start blasting - disaster!
Email lists should be the most engaged and loyal members of your audience. So, if you want a great list start building an audience on Twitter, Linkedin, on Reddit, in a Slack community, on your blog, or wherever else your people hang out.
2. Reciprocity is the key to engagement and evangelism
Cialdini, in his book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, outlines 6 weapons of influence.
You should read this book.
Reciprocity is the one most great email marketers use first. If I give you something that you perceive as valuable, you'll feel an obligation to return the favor.
This is how lead magnets work.
Give your audience a gift of great content and the promise of more to come to encourage them to subscribe and start opening your emails.
3. Simple, and personal is always better
Most newbie email marketers overthink everything.
In my experience, the best-performing subject lines fall into one of two categories:
- They look like they come from your crazy friend that sends out irresistible nonsensically fun emails, or
- They look like the super straightforward, but seemingly urgent emails you get from your boss or workmates.
One of my best subject lines ever was: "Oh no you didn't"
I stole that one from another email marketer. Bonus tip: subscribe to a lot of email lists, save them into a swipe file folder, and steal mercilessly.
4. People hate surprises and love predictable
Stop trying to be spectacular. Create a template and use it for every email.
It makes your job easier and subscribers love it. They know exactly where everything is and can open, scan, and process your emails in seconds.
They'll open most of your emails because they know it's easy to scan for the occasional gems you'll deliver.
5. Consistency trumps content
Stop trying to be spectacular. Can I say that again? Stop trying to be spectacular. Just show up when you said you would.
Create a rhythm to your email marketing and deliver the email you promised.
The amazing content will come. Not, every week. But, the more you send the more frequent the hits will come.
What do you think? Do you enjoy this kind of straightforward sales and marketing advice? If that's a "yes," then you'd like my weekly email newsletter: Selling Attention