Imagine this: It’s a beautiful day, and you’re out exploring, on a quest for the perfect outfit for an upcoming event. You stumble upon a charming consignment shop, filled with the promise of unique finds. As you wander through, an attendant approaches, eager to show you a fresh shipment of vintage Levi’s jeans.
While they’re quality denim, they’re not what you’re looking for today.
You politely decline, but the attendant continues to press, extolling the jeans’ virtues and suggesting they pair perfectly with tie-dyed tees. She even throws in a last-minute special offer: ‘Buy a pair in the next 20 minutes, and we’ll include a belt!’
You feel like a transaction, not a person, and it doesn’t feel good.
As absurd as this scenario may seem, it mirrors how many approach email marketing: bombarding subscribers with offers without considering their needs or preferences.
Just like the persistent store attendant, if you’re not careful with your email automation strategy, you might end up pushing away potential customers. But what if there was a way to make your subscribers feel seen, heard, and valued through your emails? What if you could sell with soul?
Connecting on a Personal Level
Selling with Soul means using automated emails to connect with your subscribers on a deeper level.
It’s about going beyond the sale to build relationships, trust, and loyalty. When you approach email marketing with empathy and understanding, you not only increase your chances of making a sale but also create a community of engaged and loyal subscribers who engage with your content, refer your work, and in hire your.
To successfully implement this approach, you can follow the principles of our comprehensive email marketing automation strategy. This strategy involves creating automated email sequences and offers that resonate with your subscribers because it’s based on their needs & interest. Here’s how to put this into effect:
1. Personalization: Treat your subscribers as individuals, not just entries in a database. Use tags, segments, and/or custom fields (or however your email marketing software allows you to organize your subscribers) that you created in the Organized Pillar to tailor your offers based on what you know about them. Personalization makes your emails more relevant and engaging.
2. Timing Matters: Recognize that not everyone is ready to buy from you right now, and that’s perfectly fine. By understanding where your subscribers are in their journey, you can send targeted emails at the right time. This approach respects their pace and preferences.
Timing Matters: Respect the Subscriber’s Journey. Use automation tools to set up drip campaigns that deliver content based on user interactions. If someone signs up for your newsletter, send them a welcome series over the next few days to introduce your brand. Follow up with a special offer after a set period if they haven’t made a purchase yet. Discover how to time your emails perfectly with a link trigger that sends relevant content based on user actions.
- Example from Past Clients: For two of my coaching clients, we customized the calls-to-action in their newsletter templates based on the client status. Non-clients received a CTA to book a call with the coach, while existing clients did not see this CTA. This strategy not only respected the current relationship status but also encouraged non-clients to take the next step without overwhelming existing clients with unnecessary prompts.
3. Gentle Nudges: If someone expresses interest but doesn’t make a purchase, consider sending a gentle follow-up email. Avoid the transactional vibe and focus on providing additional value or answering their questions. Building a connection is just as important as making a sale.
4. Email Deliverability: Effective email marketing isn’t just about sending messages; it’s also about ensuring they land in your subscribers’ inboxes. Taking the steps to personalize and target your offers not only increases sales opportunities but also enhances your email deliverability. Your emails are more likely to reach your audience and not get lost in spam folders.
Not only do these actions increase opportunities to make sales through your email marketing, but the very action of taking these steps increases your email deliverability.
Translation: your emails land in people’s inboxes.
(And if people are receiving your emails, then they’re more likely to see your Offers as they come up!)
