My head is in emails.
Not just any emails though.
Emails that start the content marketing ball rolling, and make your new subscribers feel all warm and fuzzy!
I recently did a poll in a class I teach, asking how many people welcomed their new subscribers when they joined their list.
Many just let their email service provider do the job with the automated “welcome” and “please confirm by clicking the link.” (You know the emails.)
I was really surprised to learn that most didn’t go beyond this step.
Now, to make it fair, you don’t know what you don’t know, especially when you’re growing a business and you have a lot on your marketing plate.
Here’s the thing.
Your list is your marketing gold!
People that decide to join you in your business adventure are your advocates in training!
When people give you their precious email address, they are saying “I give you permission to enter my life.”
That’s a big deal!
When you see that first “you have a new subscriber” message in your inbox, that’s exciting!
This is your time to shine!
This is the perfect time to roll out the Welcome Wagon with a welcome series.
Let the nurturing begin!
You’re probably wondering what the heck is the “welcome series” and how much work is it going to be?
Your welcome series starts the moment your new subscriber hits the “Subscribe Me” button.
Instead of letting your new BFF get the automated welcome from your ESP (email service provider), customize it, make it more personal, and really give her (or him) the red carpet treatment.
If you’re not familiar with this process inside your ESP account, take some time to learn your way around. Understand how to change those “canned” emails, as well as learn how to set up an autoresponder. (automation)
If you’re not familiar with what an autoresponder is…this is a series of emails you set up that get dripped out to your subscribers over a period of time.
It’s a hands-free way of staying in touch with your new subscribers every week, without actually have to sit at your computer every Sunday evening to write the email.
You can set up anywhere from 5 -10 weeks (or more) of emails that will introduce your products or services to your new subscribers, and begin to build that ever so important know, like, and trust factor.
Let me give you an outline you can use to set up your series.
- It starts at Subscribe! Go into the automated confirmation and thank you pages in your ESP and personalize your message.
- Familiarize yourself with the automation/autoresponder functions inside your ESP. Learn how to add a series of 5-10 emails that you will drip out once a week over a period of time.
- Set aside a day to write your series.
- Now, create 5 – 10 emails that will give your reader a taste of things to come. Give a nice warm welcome, offer a discount (I’m not big on discounts, nut some are) or special “gift” (checklist, guide, ebook) for joining your list, pass along an article that your reader will find interesting, send her a DIY template (kind of like this one that I’m giving you now), give “insider” info – maybe a new product you’re offering – before you announce it to the public.
- Set up each email to go out a week after the previous email.
- Start the series and your reader now has 5-10 weeks of valuable info from you!
This is an exciting time!
You’re growing your business and the subscribers to your list are your new ambassadors, the influencers of your brand.
When you give them the warm and fuzzies from the moment they enter your world, you’ll create a lasting customer friendship that will grow your business!
Way to go!!
If you want more of this goodness dropped into YOUR email regularly just CLICK HERE or click on the image and you will be whisked to my sign-up link!
