How to use email marketing

There are a number of methods to increase online traffic to your website but these are only effective if they become leads (a customer is happy to give you their contact details) and previous to this ‘qualified’ (they fit your segmentation target).

Tactics include search engine optimization, social media promotion and making a website that converts visitors to buyers – as well as generating leads using lead magnets and email campaigns.

Create lead magnets

Once your website is optimized to bring in traffic, it’s essential to turn those visitors into leads with ‘lead magnets’.

These require less of a commitment from a website visitor than giving you a call or booking an appointment but still provide you with a way to get their contact details so you can start building a relationship. A great method is to give away some valuable content in exchange for their email address.

Some types of lead magnets you might consider using are:

• Guides or reports that have insights or research that’s of interest to the potential customer
• Videos to demonstrate a new product or service you have for sale
• Free trials for subscription services
• Discounts or free shipping

Many marketing automation tools use lead magnets to gain leads.

You can also automate the advertising space on your site with ad services like Google AdSense.

Develop email campaigns

This is a method that shouldn’t be overlooked, even if it does seem a bit old-fashioned. The reason is that it works – it’s a really effective tool that actually outperforms other methods of online marketing, and that’s due to its return on investment.

The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) estimates that you’ll get a $38 return for every $1 spent. Not only that, but it’s one of the most time-effective methods as well.

Building a qualified list of email addresses through your website and social media platforms is essential. Email might not have the ‘cool’ factor of social media or the flashy ‘tech’ appeal of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), but the fact is that it’s still the most effective.

E-newsletters

Not only are you letting people know what you’re up to, what you’re offering and what’s happening in your industry, but it’s a vital way of keeping the lines of communication open. It’s a good idea to have one newsletter for your current clients providing useful information on ways you can help them and another for prospects that are similar but has offers and incentives.

Make sure you send them out regularly and that you use proper email marketing software like MailChimp or Constant Contact. Don’t just rely on Outlook. Keep the content snappy, interesting, and entertaining.

Email blasts

An email blast is sending a one-off email to promote a limited time offer or to inform your database of a current event or issue. These are great for highlighting promotions and events since they’re one-off emails that focus on a specific topic, whether it’s a new product or an industry event. What’s important here is your list; don’t fire the blast at everyone on your list of contacts.

Send multiple emails

There’s a fine line here between trying to keep your message in the first page of your client’s inbox and becoming a nuisance. Essentially, what you’re trying to do is make sure your message gets across before the email moves out of sight but sending it more than a couple of weeks in a row could cause annoyance.

Automated emails

Otherwise known as ‘drip marketing’ or client converters, this is a set of emails that are automatically sent out to a list of subscribers in a sequence over time.

You’ll attract leads if you get your message out consistently and offer value. Whether its sharing insightful tips in a video, offering a free 30-day trial, or using an email blast to invite your customers to an exclusive event, think carefully about what your customers and prospects want and use digital marketing to give it to them.

Summary

Sign up for email marketing and marketing automation software to start communicating with your own digital content to post on your website as a free download in exchange for an email address.