Email Marketing Strategies for REAL Results

If you're like me, you are eager to soak up any and all inspiration for your business. You might take advantage of wonderful networking groups like the Rising Tide Society, or you might listen to inspiring podcasts like Jenna Kutcher's Goal Digger podcast. It seems like no matter who you listen to for business advice in 2017, they're all saying the same thing: this is the year to focus on email marketing.

What is email marketing? Really, any email that you send from your business to current or potential clients is email marketing. Typically, though, it's the more conscious act of sending a mass promotional or informational message to a list of people who have signed up to receive your content. You probably get dozens of these messages each day, from your favorite retail stores, airlines or hotels you've used in the past, maybe even your doctor's office.

It's crucial to have a consistent, cohesive strategy for email marketing. That long list of email subscribers is of no use to you if you never communicate with them (or only communicate sporadically when you have something to sell them). Like any relationship, your interactions with your list should be intentional, and they should be a healthy balance of give-and-take. 

Need some email marketing inspiration? I'm going to share a few different types of emails you might not be using to inspire you to "wow" your subscribers and get real results.

FEEDBACK EMAILS

People love sharing their opinion. They love feeling like their voice matters and that somebody truly cares about their experience. If you're trying to get testimonials for your website, reviews for your products, or feedback on your e-course, look no further than the people on your email list.

While lots of people will be happy to give their thoughts without expecting anything in return, it is always nice to offer a token of appreciation to those that take the time to help you out. Think about giving exclusive content, like a free download or perhaps enter everyone into a drawing for a higher-value item you know they'll love. 

CO-MARKETING EMAIL

The co-marketing email is when two (or more) like-minded companies team up to send a joint email to their lists. Collaborate with someone who has an audience that would also be interested in the products or services you offer. For example, if you're a photographer you might think of working with a calligrapher or florist to send an email promoting your specials and available dates for the upcoming year.

This is a great opportunity to grow your email list since you'll likely get many of the people on their list to hop on over to yours as well. If you pick the right person, with the right audience, this type of email can be an enormous asset to the growth of your business and can absolutely lead to sales. Make sure to use stunning photography to really grab those new prospects and make them eager to sign up for your future emails.

CELEBRATION EMAIL

Life can get a little serious sometimes, so give your email subscribers a reason to celebrate. Whether you want to take a moment to thank your subscribers for helping you reach a milestone, or whether you want to celebrate a random weird holiday (perhaps Every Thing You Do is Right Day on March 16?) a little dose of happy in their inbox will be a welcome surprise.

Make sure your subject line grabs your reader's attention and makes them eager to get inside that email. After all, 33% of email recipients open an email based on the subject line alone, according to HubSpot. They also found that using the word "alert" in the subject line is highly effective. This is something to consider when you're crafting the perfect email message to your subscribers!

I hope these three approaches to email marketing have inspired you to reach out to your list more consistently and to put more focused effort into this aspect of your business. If you haven't yet started building a list, now's a great time to place a signup form on your website, Facebook page, and anywhere else you interact with current and potential clients. I'd love to hear your success stories and your advice when it comes to email marketing. Share your insight in the comment section below!