Improve Email Marketing by Planting Seeds

Posted on April 13, 2011 by Jodi Kaplan

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We usually think of seeds as something we plant in a garden. There’s another kind of seed you may not know about. And, you can use it to improve your email marketing.

In direct marketing (paper!) seeds are names you add to make sure your mailing gets delivered. If you don’t get your “seed” mailing when you should, it’s time to check on your campaign.

How to use email seeds

The same principle works for email too. Add your own email address to your newsletter sign up list. If you set up an email broadcast and nothing happens, you know something went wrong. Once, I thought I had scheduled something (and didn’t set it up properly). When no email showed up, I went to check and realized what had happened.

Bonus tip: if you’re setting a broadcast up in advance, set an alarm to alert you when it’s supposed to go out.

Place seeds on several email services

Add one or addresses on Yahoo!, Google, and Hotmail. Send a few test messages to yourself at those addresses. This checks several things: one, whether they’re delivered; two, how they look; and three, whether they get sent to the spam folder. Naturally, if your message is stuck in a filter, nobody will see it, or read it, pulling down your opens, clicks, and response rates.

So, go plant some seeds.

How to Write Email Newsletters That Work

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Jodi Kaplan

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I signed up to a top, brand-name newsletter a few months ago. The blogger’s posts were really helpful, and I thought that his newsletter would be too.

It turned out to be useless. The newsletter was composed entirely of links back to that week’s posts. There was no extra value to subscribing at all. I could have just used an RSS feed and gotten the exact same content.

It felt as if he couldn’t be bothered to spend a few extra minutes to create something special (and incidentally nurture his email list).

Send your readers fresh content

If you want people to read your newsletter, tell them something extra. Give them articles you don’t post on your blog. Or, add additional links or resources that they can’t find easily elsewhere.

If you don’t have fresh content, curate some useful tools or links (not necessarily your own). Group them together with a theme, such as “15 web design hacks” or “5 expense tracking tools.”

Give subscribers special treatment

For instance, when I publish a free ebook, I offer it to my newsletter subscribers first. That gives them a chance to look it over before anyone else sees it. If you create a new course (paid or not), or schedule a webinar, tell your readers first.

This serves two purposes: first you have a chance to get feedback and update the course or product based on what your subscribers think; second, your subscribers will feel special because they’re first in line for new products.

Offer your readers bonuses and extra goodies

Another tactic is to put together special discounts or offers that aren’t available to the general public. Send an email offering a deal on your ebook or services. Or, arrange to offer them an extra bonus or discount on someone else’s product.

Five Essential Pieces Every Email Newsletter Needs

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Jodi Kaplan

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Even in these days of RSS, Twitter, Facebook, and social media, the “old-fashioned” email newsletter is still a reliable way to connect with your readers, build your tribe, and sell your products.

In order to do that, you’ll need to follow these five essential steps.

1) Reflect your brand

Put your logo on it. Or your smiling face. Use the company colors. I like to keep mine fairly simple (so that it’s readable both on phones and computers), just my face, the copy, and some HTML links. This also helps keep it out of spam filters.

2) Short copy

One or two “screen scrolls” should do it. Don’t write five printed out pages of text. It’s too hard to read. Keep it short, personal, and chatty. My newsletters are about two paragraphs (plus links back to the blog and an occasional P.S.). Quick, short, and easy-to-digest.

3) Minimal Images

Too many places to look gets confusing. Readers are drawn to images — too many and they don’t know where to look first. This can also be another spam trigger. Keep the layout linear – don’t jump all over the place – it’s too hard to follow.

4) Consistent calls to action

Hold off on the call to action until you’ve explained the benefits of whatever you want the reader to do. Some need more information than others, but don’t make it the first or second sentence. Click here now (why? I don’t know what I’m getting into yet). Keep the call to action consistent – use the same wording and anchor text (the text that shows up in the link rather than the url).

5) Answer readers’ questions

Think about what concerns your readers may have. Are they worried about the price? The quality? Getting a refund if something goes wrong? That the product will be hard to use? If they worry about price, point out what a great value it is. If they’re concerned they won’t be happy, emphasize your great guarantee. If they think it’s hard, include testimonials from happy customers showing how easy it is to use.

Five Ways to Stop Your Email Subscribers From Leaving

Posted on March 15, 2011 by Jodi Kaplan

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If you’re building an email list (and don’t forget to build your list and back it up regularly) you want to make sure that subscribers don’t leave. Email can be one of your most profitable marketing channels. You worked hard to get those signups, and you definitely don’t want to lose them after all that effort.

How to reduce email unsbscribes

While you can’t prevent all email unsubscribes, and some email list churn is inevitable, there are a few things you can do to reduce the number of people who unsubscribe from your email list.

1) Be upfront about how often you will email them

If you promise to email once a week, but start sending twice a day, your subscribers will get frustrated, and annoyed, and leave. Don’t send long newsletters if you promised short ones (or vice versa).

2) Tailor your newsletters to your audience

If they signed up for information about yak shaving, send that. If they wanted gardening and landscaping tips, send information about caring for azaleas.

If you have different groups of people, or businesses, on your list, and it’s big enough, separate your messages. Send tips about the azaleas to the home gardening folks and information about new tree care tools to the arborists.

3) Stick to one theme per newsletter

It can get confusing if you’re talking about flowers one minute, then going on to protecting your bird feeder from squirrels, and then on to lawn care.

4) Ask for feedback

Invite them to ask questions, give feedback, and talk to you. Include a note at the bottom inviting feedback, and promising that all replies go to your personal inbox. Send out a survey every once in a while asking them what they like best (more azaleas!), and least (fewer squirrels – it’s hopeless!).

5) Get permission

Don’t sign people up because you met them at an event, exchanged business cards, or sent them some promotional material. These are some of the worst ways to grow your newsletter. Plus, people who got on your list without consent are more likely to leave (and leave quickly).

My Biggest Online Marketing Mistake

Posted on March 7, 2011 by Jodi Kaplan

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Inspired by Michael Martine’s confession, I thought I’d share my biggest online marketing mistake.

It was really dumb. Especially considering my background. What was it?

I fell for the RSS/subscribers blogging stuff – and didn’t put enough energy and time into building my email list.

Old direct marketing words of wisdom: ‘The money is in the list.” In case you missed it the first time, “The money is in the list!”

Build yours. Offer a free ebook, or a video course, or an email course. Build that list!

Why?

Because people who trust you enough to welcome you into their email inbox (or snail mailbox in the old days), are your best source of buyers.

You “visit” them every week or every month. They know you, they rely on you, and they trust your expertise and advice. Subscribers are far better prospects than someone clicking on a banner ad on a web site or a search result in Google. In fact, email subscribers convert far better than any other internet advertising option.

Don’t believe me?

There are three times as many email accounts as social media accounts (according to Kissmetrics, as of 2012). Not every business is on Facebook, but they all have email, and they all check it regularly.

It’s more business-oriented than Facebook or Twitter. And, you can speak to subscribers directly. You can personalize your emails with their names, their past purchases (if any), or data about their behavior. You can’t segment Facebook or Twitter or Instagram. Plus, with Facebook’s algorithm shenanigans it’s tough to even reach your audience in the first place!

And, email marketing drives more clicks and more conversions too.

OK, your turn. What’s your biggest online marketing mistake?