10 things you need to know about email marketing

Email marketing was something I knew not much about until the end of 2020 when I decided to work on a 1:1 basis with email marketing expert, Kelly Cookson. It was a fantastic investment for my business as she guided me through the whole process - I truly would have been lost without her. I now offer email marketing services to my clients and also give guest expert talks on the subject in Facebook groups.

Here are 10 things you need to know about email marketing:

1. Your subject line is so important

This is ultimately what is going to entice your audience to open your email - especially if they receive as many emails a day as I do. Make it interesting, unusual and intriguing. Ultimately they need to be intrigued enough to open the email.

2. Talk like you are talking to a friend

Email is a one to one method of communication, not one to many - meaning that emails should be personalised and written as if you are talking directly to that one person. I always try to write as if I am talking to a friend in a conversational tone, especially as I like to include stories in my emails.

3. Mix your emails up

There are different types of emails you can write - some add value, some are to sell, some are to tell a story and some are descriptive...so mix it up. No one wants emails that are always selling or always telling a story as after a while they will become boring and predictable and you’ll be less likely to open and read them. Plus having a mix of email types will be more exciting for you to write.

4. Have a clear CTA

Have a clear CTA (call to action) so that your audience know exactly what you want them to do next. If you tell someone to read a blog, follow you on Instagram and book a clarity call you’ll end up confusing people into what they want to do next. The best thing to do is to focus on one clear call to action in each email.

5. Stay on brand with your language

Just because you are writing a email, doesn’t mean you have to be formal...a lot of people think this. I recommend you stay on brand - so including emojis, humour and even swearing if that is what is consistent with your brand. People on your email list like the way you write, otherwise they wouldn’t be one of your subscribers.

6. Measure your analytics

Make sure you keep an eye on your analytics as this is the best way to analyse what works best and what you should focus on in future. Plus I like to see how much I have grown and use it as an indicator when I am lacking in confidence.

7. Make it easy for people to subscribe

People like things that are easy - so make it easy for people to subscribe to your email list. If it is confusing, too much information to fill in or hard to find, people will give up. Ask a family member or friend to try and sign up to your email list and give feedback as to how easy it was.

8. Create a content calendar

Creating a content calendar is a great way to plan your emails in advance and ensure you are sending a variety of emails (as discussed in point 3). I always plan my emails at least a month in advance so I know what to write about when I come to write them on a Wednesday morning.

9. Subscribe to other lists to see what you like/don’t like

Learn from others - subscribe to other email lists from people you like, or competitors to see what you like and what you don’t like. Think critically about what you enjoyed and didn’t enjoy about them, and how they made you feel afterwards. Did they make you want to sign up to their course? Why?

10. Give new subscribers a clear journey

Giving new subscribers a clear journey is essential for creating rapport. I send out 5 emails across 5 days to new subscribers to build a relationship with them. I really enjoyed writing these emails as they helped me to see what it would be like for the subscribers and follow the journey that they go on.