If the money is in the list, what’s keeping you from growing yours?
We've heard that the money is in the list but I know it can be intimidating and/or overwhelming to actually grow one. As promised, September is going to be filled with email marketing info that will help you move forward more confidently.
Speaking of email, I'm sure you've probably heard at some time or another in the past 5 years (at least!) that email marketing is dead.
[ctt template=”5″ link=”cWQad” via=”yes” ]The demise of email marketing has been predicted but never realized. Why? [/ctt]
As social media gained in popularity and influence, the idea of communicating by email seemed old-school. Maybe even a bit quaint. But the experts who track opens, clicks, and purchases tell us that 66% of online consumers made a purchase as a result of email marketing. (Source: DMA)
Mobile devices may be one of the big reasons that email will never die. Did you know that well over 50% of emails are opened on a mobile device and more than 60% of clicks come from those who use a mobile device when reading email?
Now that we know email is here to stay, this is the perfect time to get a solid strategy behind this powerful tool. We'll kick off the month with a look at a couple of service providers.
Select an Email Service Provider
Email marketing is considered permission marketing. It’s email 101. And it’s the law. You can’t just randomly gather email addresses and send them a message. Especially in bulk. Many email providers (gmail, outlook etc.) have filters that prevent emails from getting to the inbox. A good provider will make sure you don’t have this problem.
The good news is that there are many services that will keep you legal, and make sure your emails reach your client or prospect. I’m going to highlight a few I like and recommend so you don’t’ have to spend time and energy wondering what to use. I'm also in the process of reviewing a couple of others which I'll share as the month goes on.
Here's a couple to get us started. Please note that there are many other reasons I like these two but I'll keep it brief today.
iContact
This has been around for a while now and it's a great place to start and build your list. It starts at less than $12/month for lists up to 500 subscribers and goes up as your list grows.
Why I like it:
- Easy to set up
- Great online and phone support
- Easy to create multiple opt ins and list
- Autoresponder capability included
- Easy migration from other providers
ConvertKit
This is a newer provider but they give you the ability to tag, target and segment your list – a feature that used to come with providers that were much more expensive. I'll be honest, they are going through some growing pains right now and I am truly impressed with the integrity and character of the company in taking care of correcting the issues.
Why I like it:
- Landing page option as well as opt in box
- Pop-up option
- The ability to automatically tag your subscribers
- To automatically take actions once someone completes an autoresponder series
- Autoresponder capability included
- Easy migration from other providers
Don’t let the fear of technology stop you from using this valuable tool. One of the key advantages is the fact that you own your list. It’s all yours. If Facebook or Instagram go offline tomorrow or you lose your account, you’ll have lost your connection with the audience you built on those platforms. Not so with email marketing. Additionally, email marketing allows your audience to read and save your emails for future reference at their leisure.
And that’s never going away.
Want to talk about which company is the best for your needs?
Visit my calendar to set up an appointment to discuss your project.
P.S. I know I didn't include one that everyone hears & talks about…Mailchimp. It's not one of my favorites and I feel there are hidden fees/issues that aren't included to successfully build your list. Yes, it’s free to get started but please know that you aren’t going to get the integration options (like autoresponders) until you choose the pay option. As your list grows (and it will) Mailchimp can end up being much more costly than you imagined. There’s also the cost of switching. It’s possible to move from one platform to another but each time you do, there’s a chance that your subscribers may not follow.
Catch this webinar replay… Anatomy of an Email Opt-In