Last week we talked about several key design elements and functions you need to consider for your website … especially if you haven’t updated your website in a while. This week we are going to dive into integrating email marketing with your website.
We are starting with email marketing because it is not only the easiest piece of online marketing to understand and implement, it also begins a chain reaction of success. I know what you are thinking, email marketing isn’t new and shiny. But it works and that is what matters most. In fact, people who buy products through email offers typically spend 138% more than people that did not receive any email offers. (Source: Convince and Convert)
Yeah, you already want to send an email campaign and you haven’t even read the whole post yet! Enough of the small talk … let’s get down to business …
Why You Need Email Marketing
1. it is the most reliable form of communication within the online marketing world
91% of consumers check their email once a day. (Source: emailexpert.org)
You own your email marketing list from top to bottom and control the design and content of your emails from start to finish. Your email marketing list can take time to build, but each and every email address represents an actual human being who is interested in your business and wasn’t hesitant in telling you that. Talk about a warm lead!
2. everyone is or can be great at it
Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great. (Source: John D. Rockefeller Quote)
I am pretty sure you are familiar with sending emails … maybe all too familiar. Yes, email campaigns are a bit different to set up than your regular ol’ personal email, but one fact remains the same … you are communicating one-on-one with another human. Always pretend you are writing to just one individual and your emails will be golden.
3. it is very low cost to implement
For every $1 spent, $44.25 is the average return on email marketing investment. (Source: emailexpert.org)
Mailchimp is our very favorite provider … they keep their technology up-to-date, it is easy to use and they even offer a pretty amazing free account. Yep, FREE! So long as you have fewer than 2,000 email contacts you can easily set up your free account. This is a great way to grow into your email marketing and move into their paid accounts as you need more advanced features. (No, we are not affiliated with Mailchimp, we just love them and recommend them 100%!)
4. it naturally drives new content for your website
If your content is helpful enough to add to your website, it is worth sending via email. And vice versa. (Source: Brittany and Collin at lo+co)
Once you say to your visitors, “Hey, sign up for my emails, I send them every week,” it is pretty hard (and embarrassing) not to deliver. Public promises hold you accountable … and that is a good thing for your business! Even as we write this today, we know that people are not just expecting a helpful blog post, they are expecting it delivered to their inbox. That trust and relationship means everything.
5. you can automate the process
The key to any business is to create a repeatable process. Adding in automation when possible only makes you more successful. (Source: Brittany and Collin at lo+co)
This is one of our favorite things to share with clients. Everyone goes from super business professional to giddy like a child with a big grin on their face. Mailchimp … even in the free account … offers an automated rss email generator. In layman’s terms this means that Mailchimp connects to your WordPress website, pulls your most recent blog post(s) at a set time every week and automatically sends it out as an email to your subscribers. Think how awesome it would feel to know that some of your work was done for you!
6. you can get fancier as your knowledge of email marketing grows
Never stop testing, trying new things, or improving your marketing. (Source: Brittany and Collin at lo+co)
We always recommend that you start with one blog post each week and one rss email per week. This gets you comfortable with communicating with your audience, gets you writing, helps your SEO, builds trust and you start seeing results. As you get more comfortable with your website and email marketing, you can expand your efforts and get really fancy!
in closing …
Think about what content you can create for your target audience that will improve their life or business, build their trust in you and expand your online presence. Next up is how to get started with email marketing … stay tuned for more great info!