The Secret to Profitable Email Marketing

Starting an email list is an important first step for any small business owner. 

Now the question is: what do you do with it?

Here’s what NOT to do: 7 Mistakes That Can Ruin Your Email List

I’m going to let you in on the ONE key to successful email marketing. It’s not the size of your list. It’s not the quality of your opt-in. It’s not the platform you use. 

It’s CONSISTENCY.

Showing up consistently in your subscribers’ inboxes is the most important thing you can do to have an engaged, active, and loyal audience. 

When I first started out, I had no idea what I was doing with my emails. I kinda started a list, got some people to opt-in for a free download, and then … crickets. 🦗

I’d stress about what to write. How often. Was I being annoying? 

So I just didn’t write anything at all. Sometimes I fired off an email asking people to buy a new product. 

My list just sat there, gathering dust. 

NOT GOOD!!

Without consistency, your subscribers will forget who you are, which means they won’t have a reason to buy your products. 

We buy from people and companies we know, like, and trust. That type of relationship begins with email marketing.

The goal for any good email list should be to develop relationships with your subscribers that eventually lead to profit for you! You don’t have to be a marketing genius to get there. You just need a plan and consistency!

So, how can you get consistent with email marketing? 

First, commit to your list and set your goals. Do you want to send an email every week? Every other week? Once a month? 

Everyone has different opinions on how often to send emails, and we’ll touch on that another time, but the most important choice here is to CHOOSE and COMMIT. 

If you commit to once a week on Monday mornings, block that time into your schedule now. Some people like to batch their work. For example, you might sit down for a block of time and write out all 4 emails for the month. Then all you have to do is schedule them out! No last-minute hustle to write the night before. 

Don’t give up! At first, it may seem like no one is reading your emails, but trust me, it will pay off!

How to be consistent and effective with your email marketing

It’s one thing to schedule out weekly emails, but if your content isn’t effective, or if it’s not designed to build relationships, you won’t get very far. 

So how can you be sure your content is effective? 

Above all, offer value to your email list! 

Value, value, value! Give your subscribers a reason to stick around. The worst thing you can do is show up in an inbox and just sell, sell, sell. That’s a fast way to lose subscribers. 

Offer free resources, time-saving tips, discount codes – think about the types of problems your ideal customers have, and offer them some simple solutions for free. 

When they get a taste of your products or services for free and they recognize the quality, it’s easy to convert them to a paying customer.

Be a real person

Tell funny anecdotes, share a glimpse into your day-to-day life. Write like you’re talking to your best friend. Empathize with their struggles. 

When your readers see you as a person who is just like them, they’ll start to look forward to your weekly visit to their inboxes. 

Tell your subscribers what to expect – and then deliver 

A great email welcome sequence will prime new subscribers on what they can expect from you. Give them a reason to stick around. 

This is where the consistency thing really becomes important. If your welcome email promises a discount offer or freebie every week – and then you don’t deliver – bye-bye, subscriber. 

If you promise to show up in their inbox once a week, and then you get email-happy and start with daily emails, you’ll probably annoy some people and the unsubscribes will roll in. 

Make a plan. Be transparent about the value and content your readers should expect. And then deliver! 

Make your plan for consistent email marketing now!

Don’t overthink it. Sit down with a cup of tea and a pad of paper, and sketch out some ideas for your ideal email schedule. 

How often will you send an email, and when will you find the time to write your content? What value will you be showing up with for your subscribers? 

Let me know in the comments what you decide, and then come back to tell me how the first month went!