You know your email list is your most valuable asset as an online business. And to that end, you’ve taken all the expert advice and offered a freebie value-packed incentive to attract more subscribers. But after you’ve created your freebie opt-in, put forms on your website, and gotten people to sign up, what happens next?
For many people, their list sits there, unengaged because you’re not sure what to say or do next. If you’re a regular blogger, maybe you decide to send them new post notifications by RSS, but these tend to have a very low open rate because of the limitations with customizing the template {not to mention the subject line}.
This post will give you some ideas about what to do with your email list once they’ve opted in. Even though it seems the hard work is done, it’s actually just beginning. You want them to open and read your emails!
Think about the emails you get on a daily basis, and there are probably hundreds. Which ones do you open?
- Time sensitive – Emails that are about something coming up in the near future
- Monetary – Coupons or bonuses that provide you value of some kind
- Personal – Emails from people you care about
- Logistical – Emails that help you make decisions about your day to day life {soccer practice, open house at school, etc.}
While it’s much more tricky to tap into these touch points when you’re sending out a newsletter to lots of people you may not know, you still can use these triggers to help foster interest in your website and brand.
In sales and marketing, the word “funnel” is used to describe how a person goes from a cold lead into a repeat customer. If you are planning to sell or {already do sell} via your website, the funnel or sequence that you take your new subscribers through is the difference between an un-engaged reader and a paying customer.
The general idea is this: After they opt in, the subscribers are then sent through an automatic email sequence meant to deliver value, build trust, and ultimately – call them to action.
With your new subscriber, it’s important that the follow up emails be incredibly useful, valuable, and over deliver on the promise in the subject line. This is the time when you show them your value and authority in a particular niche.
After one or two emails like this, you can do something called upselling. Upselling is when you offer them a paid product that’s just a little bit more than free…in other words not too expensive {$5-15}. Up selling works well when it’s related to the freebie they downloaded in the first place. After all, if they downloaded the freebie…chances are they are looking for a solution on that particular topic.
If you get the reader to buy the upsell, great! Then you can continue a sequence where they read more valuable emails, and eventually, you pitch them a higher paid offer. If they don’t go for the upsell, you would send these subscribers into a different sequence where you continue to send valuable emails followed by a reminder for the upsell, to see if you can get it the second time around. Remember, it takes people multiple contact points before they make the decision to buy.
The importance of doing different sequences dependent on the behavior of your readers is crucial if you want to ultimately bring around the people who need more time to trust you.
Other ways to make your freebie offer go farther? Offer a pay it forward option at the end, where the reader who has just found a solution with your freebie, can then forward it to a friend. You have to set up the system so that you are getting the email address of the friend and also sending them an opt in email so you don’t add them without their permission.
If you’re thinking of doing a workshop or webinar as a way to build your list, this is also a funnel. When they sign up for the webinar, they sign up to your list, and then after the webinar is over, they receive several follow-up emails to help remind them to purchase the product or service that you pitched during the workshop.
So let’s look at a classic funnel sequence of a new subscriber.
A stranger comes to find out about your freebie through a blog post, a social media post, or paid advertising. The freebie offer is tempting enough {and promises to solve a problem} and so he/she downloads it and opts-in. Then you follow up with two valuable emails that introduce and further show your expertise in a specific area. From there, you offer a paid service or product in the third email. At this point, the subscriber may or may not buy. If not, you continue with your valuable emails and try again…this time they trust you enough to buy.
You may also see a sequence like this:
In this sequence, you have two offers – a small offering {or upsell} which leads to a bigger one later. When someone buys your small offering, they continue on down the funnel to your higher offer. If they don’t buy, then you take them on a more circuitous route where you send value, add a reminder, and hope they finally buy into the upsell. Then they continue on like the other subscribers.
A funnel or sequence for a webinar is more simple:
With webinars, people can see your face and hear your voice. It builds the trust factor far more quickly than email, so you can jump right from a webinar to pitch a paid product. You’ll see in this one that after the subscriber opts in for your webinar, they are really only sent a few reminders before they attend your webinar. Right from there they can make a purchase. What this graph is missing are the follow up emails that you can send one, two, or three days after your webinar ends.
Finally, the pay it forward option:
Here, the person who opts-in has the option to pay it forward to someone else. When they do, it automatically multiples the funnel and offers the opportunity for someone new. Then both the original subscriber and the newbie get pulled into the same sequence.
So what kind of emails can you send new subscribers?
No matter what kind of sequence you start with, let’s remember the points above about the kinds of emails people open:
- Time sensitive – Emails that are about something coming up in the near future
- Monetary – Coupons or bonuses that provide you value of some kind
- Personal – Emails from people you care about
- Logistical – Emails that help you make decisions about your day to day life {soccer practice, open house at school, tutorial for your new online banking account, etc.}
Email One // Personal
My suggestion is to start with something more personal. How about you begin with your story? And no, not your life story, but the story of how you came to be as successful as you are. Why you are in the position to help someone else. What’s your tale that inspires others to believe that you have the answers to their particular problem? Open up with a personal tale.
People love to read case studies, interviews, and autobiographies because we want to see ourselves in your shoes.
Email Two // Logistical
Next, follow up your personal success story with a logistical email. This could be a really hands-to practical “getting around your website” guide. Maybe you can curate your best blog posts in a list, explain how you work with clients, etc. Show them something they can use today that will make a difference for them. This needs to wow them.
Email Three // Monetary
The next email should be either an upsell or a soft pitch to something that isn’t too expensive. The use of coupon codes is controversial in marketing – a lot of people say to never lower your price, only add bonuses. But whatever you do {add a bonus or reduce the price} offer something of monetary value. Do you have a workbook you sell for $12? Offer a free Skype session or extra worksheet if they nab the deal in the email.
Email Four // Logistical
Up next? Provide another piece of value in terms of personal stories or logistics. Remember, you are building trust. You want them to know that when they buy from you, you will deliver on your promise.
Email Five// Time Sensitive
Finally, pitch an offer for a paid product or service. And if you can make it time sensitive? Even better. Be careful not to add arbitrary time sensitive limitations like “only a few spots left” when it’s obvious it is not true. Instead, capitalize on the season for example. Is it near Christmas? Offer a flash Christmas sale on your product. Make sure it’s obvious there is a time limit in the subject line.
At this point, if your reader buys, you want to funnel them into your main subscriber list where they receive regular non-automated emails just like everyone else. If they haven’t bought, you may want to loop them around again in another automation sequence that hopefully warms them up more.
Or, you may just say “whatevs” and send them on to the regular group.
What if I don’t sell anything yet?
You should still set this up and just keep delivering value, because the more you build your reader’s trust, the more likely they are to be receptive to a product or service when you have one.
So how do you exactly pull this off tech-wise?
Most email service providers have email automation. For beginning entrepreneurs, Mailchimp, ConvertKit, and ActiveCampaign are your best bets.
Ready to learn more about digital marketing? Check out my free workshop.
Rachel says
You must be a mind reader – this is exactly what I need to be pulling together. Thank heavens I’m already signed up for your Blog to Business course!
Feeling inspired …. Thanks
Julie says
I can’t wait for it to start!!