Email Marketing: 7 Reasons Why It’s Cool, 3 Reasons It Sucks, 7 Tips To Make It Work

Why are you attracted to the idea of “email marketing”?

7 Reasons Why Email Marketing Seems Cool

1. Because sending emails is cheap (or free). It’s a cheap way to keep in contact with your customers
2. It’s scalable – if you double or triple the number of customers on your email database there is no extra effort for you
3. Because it reminds your customers about what you can do for them – it keeps your brand in their minds, it builds familiarity, relationship, trust
4. Because you could sell something directly
5. Because it’s fast. You can get your first response within minutes
6. Because it’s measurable. You can test various headlines and offers
7. Because it’s easy. You can do it yourself

3 Reasons Why Email Marketing Actually Sucks

1. Because most email software is actually hard to use (despite what they claim!)
2. Because it’s hard coming up with ideas for new content every week/month (exhausting!)
3. Because building up your list of subscribers is slow (and why do people keep unsubscribing anyway? Annoying!)

7 Components to Make Your Email Marketing Work For You

My philosophy with email marketing is very simple:

1. Make it obvious why someone should subscribe
   • Don’t expect sign-ups just because your email newsletter exists!
   • Provide at least 3 reasons why they should subscribe. If you can’t think of 3 good reasons, pack up and go home, email marketing is not for you
2. Make your emails really plain
   • Which types of emails do spend most attention to: Ones with fancy graphics and big logos, or ones that are plain text? Plain text! You always read those first and leave the fancy newsletters for last, if you have time
   • No header graphics. No logo. You have your “from” address and your email signature to remind them of your brand. That’s enough. (Remember, this email is about them, not about you!)
3. Make your emails really personal
   • Make the email a 1 on 1 conversation between you and your customer/client
   • Use the recipients first name at least 5 times. Not just “Hi Bob” at the beginning!
4. Make your emails as long as they need to be
   • State your point in the subject line, expand on the point in the body, close with a call to action
   • Tell a story that can be read from start to finish
   • Use subheadings and bullet points so readers can scan for things that interest them
   • Include a photo or 2 if you can. Even better, a short 30 second video summarising your message
5. Make it really easy to subscribe. Make it even easier to unsubscribe
   • Create links to your sign-up form everywhere: on your website, in your email signature etc
   • Put your unsubscribe link clearly at the bottom, or even better, as the very first sentence of your email – you only want people who are really interested in what you have to say so let the others go
6. Brainstorm 12 months worth of content ideas before you send your first email
   • Get your friends, family and existing customers to help you generate a huge list of ideas
7. Make your emails really cheap
   • My favourite email marketing software is MailChimp. It’s not super-easy to use but it is super cheap: completely free up to 1000 subscribers and 6000 emails per month

Your Thoughts?

So have you tried email marketing yet? If not, why not?

If so, are you getting the results you want?

What do you think of these tips?

Share your thoughts below.