How to Get Started with Email Marketing (A Beginner’s Guide)
Have you been leveraging all of your marketing power into social media, only to feel like the algorithm did you dirty? You’re not alone and I’m sure you’ve heard it before - email marketing is a powerful and profitable tool for your business.
But how do you get started with email marketing? How do you know what to say in your emails? And do you really need a game-changing freebie to get started? Keep reading to find out.
WAIT! Before we start, I need to tell you about my FREE Email Starter Kit. Inside you’ll get detailed steps and pro tips for starting your email list - without a freebie.
Do You Really Need Email Marketing?
The short answer is yes.
Email marketing provides you with a direct channel to your audience - no more fighting with the algorithm. You also will see higher conversion rates in email marketing because your audience has already taken a step towards trusting you by signing up!
Email marketing allows you to have full control over your marketing. You can share whatever you want at whatever cadence you want. You can also have sales launch sequences that are proven to have higher conversion rates compared to one-off sales emails or social media posts.
Your list belongs to you and you alone.
Fast Fact: Did you know the ROI on email marketing is $36 for every $1 spent? That’s one of the highest ROIs in digital marketing!
The First Step in Email Marketing
The first thing you should do when starting your email marketing is choose an email marketing platform. There are a number of popular options for a variety of different price points (even some that you can start with for free).
If you plan on really leveraging your email marketing I always recommend Flodesk - it’s also the one that I use.
It’s got a really user-friendly interface, easy-to-use automations and aesthetic templates that I’m low-key obsessed with. It also allows you to have multiple workflows and segments for your audience - which is so helpful for launches with multiple email sequences!
(Sidenote: You can save 50% off your first year on Flodesk with my partner link HERE.)
Building a Quality List
When you’re starting to build your list it’s important to make sure you’re focused on building for quality, not quantity. Should you choose to use a lead magnet, think about the type of leads you’ll be attracting with it.
For example, if you offer a done-for-you service, offering a DIY kit for your specialty will attract people who are more interested in learning to do it themselves than hiring you to do it for them.
To build your list, you can share your sign-up link or lead magnet on your social media or website. Again, share it in a way that attracts the right people and share it regularly. Talk about the value you offer including perks, specials and an insider look at your business.
Writing Your First Emails
As a copywriter, I highly recommend having some sort of a Welcome Sequence when your audience signs up for your list. This is a 2-3 introduction email sequence that is automatically sent to new subscribers.
It’s your chance to really capture the interest of your new subscribers, let them know what you’re all about and what they can expect from you in your emails (aka - give them a reason to stick around!).
From there you can write emails as often as you like. Choosing a sustainable cadence that will work for you is the key to building trust and nurturing your email list. This can be weekly, bi-weekly, semi-monthly - whatever you can commit to!
Your regular ‘newsletter’ emails can be value-packed and personal to you. I love to include storytelling that leads to a relatable or actionable anecdote.
Avoid only sending emails when you have something to sell, this can rub your audience the wrong way and lead them to hitting the unsubscribe button.
Pro Tip: Pay attention to what subject lines lead to higher open rates and continue to experiment and see what speaks to your audience! Keeping things conversational tends to bring better results! (Including words like SALE or DEAL can land you in the spam box).
Don’t forget! Get more pro tips for email marketing with my Email Starter Kit!
Go Start Your List
Okay, so now you know you need to choose a platform, build your list and write engaging emails (not just sales emails).
You also know that your email list is yours and yours alone - so have fun with it! It’s one of the top ways to build a deeper connection with your audience, they’re literally letting you into their private inbox so make the most of it!
Reach out anytime or DM me on Instagram and let me know if you’ve found this helpful!