How to create a follow-up email series for those who opt-in
The most effective way to win with email marketing is to have an automated email autoresponder series set to do its stuff immediately after someone opts in to your list. This can save you not only gobs of time, but makes email marketing manageable. But how do you create these? It does call for a bit of work initially, but the time savings later on is huge!
What you don’t want to do is set one up with the intent of sending an email every day or two full of offers and sales pitches. This is a sure way to see your list shrink right before your eyes, leaving you in constant replenishment mode. Preferably do your best to offer value and excitement via your emails, and not just pitch fests. Let’s examine the best way to do this.
Choose your goals – Knowing the exact result you want to have is key to your success in email. Whether you’re seeking to generate sales, create long term relationships, create a buzz about an event or your company, or other aims, knowing this going in will give you a huge leg up when crafting your autoresponder series.
Find your best strategy – This will differ from business to business, and it demands some thought. Factors that play into this directly include things like trust and authority, being front of mind in your market, and being personable, likeable, fun or all of the above. No one likes boring!
Map out your email sequence – Do this on a spreadsheet, delineating each mailing in the sequence, and what its purpose is. This is where you’ll determine how long the sequence will be, and there are no hard and fast rules for this. Whether it turns out to be 12 or 200, it’s your decision and your business needs.
Writing the actual emails – Once you have established purpose and number of emails in the sequence, it’s time for you to write them. If you’re creating them yourself, take a moment and get into the psychology of selling with email, and you will be rewarded! If you’re hiring a writer, make sure they know this also.
Track and test again! – Most email service providers are able to provide you with excellent tracking stats. Use these and tweak your email