Keep Subscribers on Your Email List
Episode #10 of the course How to rapidly grow your email list by Jessica Festa
By this point, your list should be growing and your new subscribers should be instantly impressed with how you’ve already helped them.
It’s important to keep up the momentum so your list doesn’t get stale. People don’t want to be subscribed to a list with no benefits. So, you’ll want a strategy for regular communication.
Have a Point
Now, this isn’t to say you should email just to email. That’s a surefire way to get people annoyed and clicking the unsubscribe button. Additionally, you shouldn’t get upset when people do unsubscribe. If someone doesn’t want to be in your tribe, then they aren’t going to engage with your campaigns, buy your products, or benefit from your help, anyway.
Remember, the goal is to appeal to the right people, not everyone.
Craft a newsletter strategy. By “newsletter,” I don’t mean you need to send a mini magazine each month. Instead, aim for regular communication with a purpose. Keep in mind their reasoning for subscribing in the first place. If you enticed them with in-depth content on how to go vegan and a eating cheat sheet, then continue to help them pursue this goal through your emails. The end goal should be eventually pitching them a product that further helps them go vegan.
Give more than you take. Sticking with the vegan eating example, your email list provides a chance to truly connect with your audience and show them you are the one to go to for all things vegan. Through your emails, you might:
• Continue to teach valuable strategies.
• Write emails that bust myths and break down objections.
• Summarize new blog posts in a conversational manner, and invite them to click over to read the full article (or give them the full article in the email).
• Invite them to your free giveaways, workshops, and challenges.
• Offer new recipes.
• Share personal struggles and triumphs (for them to learn from).
• Create valuable PDFs and printables to share.
• Invite them to an online event (like a Twitter Chat).
Ask for a Reply and Forward
One very powerful strategy for growing your relationship with subscribers is asking them to reply to your emails. Instead of talking at them, end your email with a question and ask them to reply with an answer.
For example, if you’re an online business coach, you might send an email teaching, “6 Strategies for Staying Productive When Self-Employed.” At the end, you might ask, “What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to staying productive? Hit that reply button and let me know, I’d love to help!”
You might also ask them to forward particularly helpful emails to friends who may be interested. Make sure forward-to-a-friend and social media buttons are pre-populated to make this easy. In Mailchimp, for example, they offer a simple drag-and-drop widget to help.
Keep Email Best Practices in Mind
Once you’ve written your email, you’re not done yet. A few things to keep in mind:
• Write conversationally. This is an email, not a blog post or lecture.
• Greet them by name. Your email marketing software should have some code you can input to pull the person’s name. “Hey Melissa!” sounds better than “Hey reader!” or nothing at all.
• Place your CTA at the top of the email.
• Make sure it’s mobile friendly. According to Litmus, 51% of emails are read on a mobile device.
• Create a branded header. It adds a nice touch of professionalism!
Your Turn
Grab your calendar and plan out your email strategy for the next month. Start with two emails per month, and see how the open rate changes if you increase that number. Experiment until you hit that frequency sweet spot.
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