- Two small business owners shared how they started their email marketing campaigns.
- They started researching competitors' tools and formats.
- So they thought about how to reward subscribers for signing up.
- This article is part of SBO's Marketing for Small Business series covering the basics of marketing strategy to attract new customers and grow their business .
Whether you're just starting out or looking for new ways to help your small business grow, launching a marketing channel can seem like a daunting task.
It's no doubt how Davis Nguyen, founder of My Consulting Offer, a job search consulting program, felt when he added email two years after founding the marketing mix.
"There's a lot to learn," the Insider said. "Which email? How often should I send? Is there a better time? What software should I use?"
Two and a half years later, after overcoming these challenges, he has grown to over 50,000 email subscribers, and 75% of his customers come from this channel.
"They join because they're interested in what we do, but it can take a few months or even a year before they want to send their resumes to companies," he said. "But since we have a mailing list, we can keep in touch."
On the other hand, Tanya Dalton had to quickly create a new email list after closing her first business and losing her only source of income by starting her planned company, InkWell Press.
"We had to really rush," he said.
It paid off: On launch day, he said, he had no problem getting orders.
He added, "And that's because we really want to grow our email list."
Nguyen and Dalton shared with Insiders the steps they took to make their email program simple yet successful.
1. Do your research and ask for help
If you're concerned about anything related to setting up email marketing, there's someone who can help, Nguyen said.
For example, when she felt overwhelmed with choosing an email marketing platform, she used crowdsourcing to get information.
"I emailed a bunch of friends who run email marketing campaigns and asked, 'If I were to start today, what program would you recommend?'" he said.
She also suggested posting recommendations in Facebook groups, hiring someone on Upwork, or turning to your email marketing tool of choice to help solve the problem.
"All email software companies want you to get started, so their customer support is usually top notch," he says.
In addition to asking for help directly, Nguyen began to pay attention to what other people in his or similar industries were doing with their email programs.
"I hope they're not just spending money on campaigns that aren't working so you can see what's resonating and how you can improve it," he said.
2. Find a simple yet compelling lead magnet
According to Dalton, one of the best ways to grow your mailing list is to give people something in exchange for their email address. In marketing terms, this is called a lead magnet, and Dalton and Nguyen suggested creating a lead magnet that requires little effort on your part, but is very valuable to your target audience.
Nguyen discovered his first lead magnets using existing marketing channels and the materials he created.
"For example, if someone attended our free seminar and asked for the slides, I sent them to a page where they could enter their email address so they could get a copy," he said, adding that the same thing happens when source interviews are shared on or on forums. during the podcast.
Dalton Agenda for Life successfully holds sweepstakes every year to win.
“Sounds great, but at the end of the day, how much will it cost me to give a planner a year? Not much," he said.
Her followers were thrilled, she added, and people were happy to share their emails to participate. It also increased visibility by giving people more votes when they shared the draw with others.
3. Test, measure and repeat
Once you have people on your list, you need to figure out what type of email you're sending, how often, and what topics will grab your audience's attention. Nguyen advised not to think about it. Rather, he said, guess what you can and then look at the data.
He said he started thinking about his goals with email marketing — to inform his audience and build trust — and what content would engage his audience the most. So his team started sending emails and seeing what happened.
"There were a lot of responses to some of the emails, so we thought people really liked that content," he said. "Others have poor retention and open rates, so we thought it didn't matter."
The company also looked at more detailed aspects of their emails, including subject line A/B testing, which you can do with most email marketing services to find out what drives the most engagement. This resulted in three types of emails that Nguyen regularly sends: news and tips from the consulting industry, information about upcoming workshops, and a behind-the-scenes look at his company.
But he added that he's still constantly experimenting with email types and isn't afraid to ask his subscribers what they want.
"Twice a year we send out an email asking our viewers what content they'd like to see in their inbox," he said. In other words, the simplest approach is often the best.
