Email Marketing Basics – A Quick Lesson

In the first two posts, I discussed the importance of building your email list. Firstly, my friend, Matt McWilliams, will be holding a List building challenge next week. Secondly, I wrote about Email Service Providers (ESP) and which autoresponder I prefer.

In this post, I will be explaining some of the basics when it comes to email marketing etiquette.

To recap, a business collects email addresses and then uses an ESP to start emailing customers. The general rule of thumb is that when you do send out emails to your customers, be sure to use the formula of: “give, give, (then) get”. Meaning: email them about topics that are relevant to them as customers and tie your message into how your business relates to the topics as well. You may recall the example of the dog walker I used in the last post. In essence, you should sent out emails that educate your customers first and foremost. It is only after you send out a few of those is when you then want to mix in some promotional emails. Try to keep the “send info/teach vs. pitch stuff to sell them” to a ratio of no more than 80/20, or what is commonly referred to as “The Pareto Principle”.

All too often I am subscribed to someone’s email list, I only get bombarded by offers and pitches of stuff to buy. These marketers are failing. They are not putting up their best foot forward. They do not educate at all but merely just pitch and try to sell stuff. THIS IS NOT GOOD!

Regardless of business, one mail goal when emailing is to educate.

If you own an auto parts store, teach people how to plug a tire, of how to choose the proper windshield wiper for their vehicle(s).

If you have a blog about fishing, teach about the difference in lures, etc.

You get the idea, right?

Remember the formula: teach, then pitch.

What are you waiting for? Get going and start writing your emails to engage your customers.

See you in the next post!