How to send valuable sales emails that people love receiving
Worried about emailing your subscribers “too much?” Rob and Kennedy hosts of Email Marketing Heroes, say, “Stop worrying!” Over at Email Marketing Heros, they email subscribers every single day, 365 days a year.
How do they do it? Let’s find out.
Forget these myths about email marketing.
Kennedy and Rob have busted some common concerns about sales emails. Likely, you’ve heard these all. You may even repeat them. What if they aren’t really true?
Myth #1: Subscribers find your marketing emails annoying.
So, this isn’t entirely a myth. Some people will be annoyed by your emails. That’s okay. It’s the reason you have an unsubscribe link in every email. However, this isn’t the end of the world. You (and your email marketing) don’t have to be a perfect fit for everyone. Trying to be is futile. That’s part of branding: you don’t need to click with everyone, only your ideal customer.
If you do email marketing well, your emails won’t annoy most of your subscribers. Remember, subscribers are people who asked you to email them!
Myth #2: Don’t sell too much.
One of the principles over at Email Marketing Heroes is this: sell in every email. That’s right -- every email is a sales email. Here’s what that doesn’t mean: fill your subscribers’ inboxes with “Buy Now!” sales pitches. Instead, they recommend providing a mix of value, entertainment, and sales in each email. More on that later.
Myth #3: You’ll run out of things to say to subscribers.
Have you ever sat down with a good friend and found that you have nothing to talk about? Not often, right? Every day, you have new experiences. Yes, even during the COVID pandemic when you’re trapped at home. People want to feel connected. Treat your subscribers like friends and give them a peek into your daily life.
When you find yourself lost for ideas, try thinking of the events in your day. Maybe you burnt a piece of toast, read about sourdough starters, or discovered that your kid likes mangos. You don’t need to climb Mount Everest to have a story to tell.
Myth #4: It takes forever to write an email.
Too many of us have sat at our screens, minutes (or hours?) ticking by, agonizing over an email. Here’s a secret to writing emails: just write them. Often, poring over our writing for hours at a time just results in dry, boring emails. Let your personality shine through by writing the way you would when catching up with an old friend.
Your email doesn’t need to be a marvel of contemporary literature. Your analogies don’t need to be rock-solid. (Read on for one that definitely isn’t!) Just write the email and send it. The more you do it, the quicker you’ll get!
Myth #5: Your emails will go to spam.
Spam filters are the big bad wolf of email marketing. There you are, happily skipping along the trail with your basket of delicious emails, when suddenly the big bad filter gobbles you up.
Luckily, like the big bad wolf, the spam filter isn’t so hard to avoid. (You wouldn’t actually believe that a wolf in a bonnet was your grandmother, right?) As long as you’re following best practices, it’s unlikely your emails will end up marked as junk.
How do you increase your email open rate? Write better emails.
Like I mentioned earlier, the guys at Email Marketing Heroes don’t recommend sending a certain number of “value” emails before sending a “sales” email. Instead, these experts say you should combine entertainment, value, and sales in each and every email.
How to write emails people want to receive
Bring your personality.
The more we aim for perfectly polished professional prose, the less interesting they get. Don’t edit out the quirks that make you unique. There’s no “right” tone of voice for email marketing, as long it’s right for your brand.
Tell stories.
Marketing through storytelling isn’t just hype. Stories boost our understanding of our world. Remember, though, that not all stories are big. Your stories can be about burnt toast at breakfast, or a conversation you had on Twitter.
Solve your subscribers’ problems.
Good and authentic marketing isn’t just fluff you create to sell widgets (or your widget curation service). It solves problems and provides value for subscribers. Whether they need advice on choosing a dog walker or a 401K plan, your subscribers came to you looking for answers. Give them the goods!
Tie in the sales pitch.
Ultimately, you do want to make sales with your email marketing, so you have to drop in the offer. Let’s look at an example.
You gave advice on choosing a dog walker (value). Now, you can offer your services (sales). “Struggling to find a reliable dog walker or pet sitter? Schedule a meet and greet with one of ours.”
You can send emails that people love receiving.
There’s no denying that many of us are overwhelmed and frustrated by the constant flow of emails into our inboxes. Even so, there are some emails that we look forward to receiving because they contain something we need or want. It could be actionable business insights to improve our work-life or just a funny story about someone’s day that helps us feel connected. When you send those emails, you can build a lasting relationship with your subscribers.
