“I know I need to build my email list…but how do I know what to send and when?”
“I often only send out an email to let them know about new products or an upcoming event, but I don’t know what to send in between.”
My inbox this week has been flooded with questions about how to generate content ideas. You know the importance of having and utilizing an email list, but you don’t know what to write about. Here are seven simple ideas to get started.
- Start by introducing yourself. Share the part of your story that aligns with your offer and your mission. Write like you would talk to a friend, and start to build a relationship with your customer. Be a real human being, not some stranger on the internet. Tell the “behind the scenes” of how you got where you are today, and connect it back to them.
The secret is that your “about me” is not really about YOU…it’s about how YOU can help your Dream Client.
- Give value to your audience. What are common objections people have to buying your product or service? What do they need to know before they can purchase your product or service? Are there any fears, concerns, or worries that people need to overcome before they are willing to try what you have to offer? If you don’t know these answers yet, then consider the next point…
- Invite a response. If you don’t know something, the best way to find out is to humbly ask. Tell a story, give a bit of context, and ask your question, then prompt readers to hit reply to tell you more about themselves. It is a great way to learn more about your Dream Client, customize future emails and products to suit their needs and desires, and to continue to build a relationship with them.
- Teach. Give them quick wins that they can take action on immediately. What is something that they can take a baby step towards? If the reader feels successful while reading your email, they will associate you and your brand with those same feelings of success.
- Send encouragement. Not everything needs a Call To Action. When you are serving, you are not directly selling. Send positivity, and identify the emotions they might be feeling or the situation they might be in so that they feel more united with your mission and less alone on their journey.
- Highlight customer success stories. Humans love heartwarming stories of overcoming, and it is even more powerful when it comes from your customer. It gives your audience the sense that they can do it, too!
- Send a video. Don’t have time to write out an email? Record a quick video (selfie-style!) on your smart phone to give an encouragement, an update, or how you implemented one piece of your advice in your own life. This reminds your audience that there is a real human behind the emails, and makes you more relatable to them.
How frequently should you send emails? People who ask this question typically fall into one of these two categories:
- “I don’t want to only email my audience when I have something to sell, because that seems smarmy.”
There are two types of friends you can have: the ones that you only hear from when they need something, and the ones that call/text/see you regularly to grab coffee together, hear about your day, and support your dreams. Be the latter friend. If you don’t have time to send the “good friend” type of emails, then you need to outsource this task (even if you enjoy writing!). Otherwise, you will unintentionally become the “friend” that you only hear from when they need something.
- “At what point do my emails become ‘too much’? I don’t want to be annoying.”
If you are genuinely and authentically providing value, then you will never be perceived as “annoying” because people will be eager to read when your words land in their inbox. (And if you’re really good, they’ll ask where you are if you ever miss a week!). If you can provide value in your emails Monday through Friday, then send every one of those emails. The more frequently and reliably you are in their inbox, the more you will be seen as a trusted friend, an authority in your niche, and the most convenient option when they are ready to buy.
How frequently do you email your subscribers? What have you learned from your email list? Let me know in the comments!
