This essay is part of the series, Fix Your Flow: Get the Right Emails to the Right People. Want to listen to the entire series in your favorite podcast player? Sign up for the private podcast feed here. Looking for the transcript? Access it here.
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.
But there’s a better way.
When you automate with heart, you can sell in an automated yet personalized manner, increasing sales opportunities while treating your subscribers like real people.
💗Selling with Soul: The Offer Pillar
This Email Automation Pillar is all about creating automated email sequences and offers that resonate with your subscribers. Here’s how you can leverage this pillar effectively:
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.
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!)
In the next essay, we’ll dive into the Onboard Pillar, exploring what happens when someone decides to hire you or make a purchase.
Read the next essay in the series, Connecting with Your Clients & Customers with Automated Emails.