Marketing your business is hard!
There are so many advertising options out there. How do you choose the right one to focus on?
After all, it is your hard earned dollars that you are spending on marketing. You want to make sure they are invested wisely and show a good return.
I’ll let you in on a little secret…
Want to know the cheapest, most effective form of marketing for your business?
It’s email marketing.
Yes, that’s right. When it comes to generating a return on your investment, email trumps all the other methods.
How Is Email Still The King?
Email might seem like an old-fashioned form of communication, but it still works better than any other channel. In fact, its long-standing, proven reliability is part of what makes it so effective.
It also works because…
- It seems more personal: People know that social media content is created for the masses, but with unique personalisation, your emails can seem as if they have been written only for the person who is reading it.
- Best use of your time: Email requires a small time investment in exchange for great results. The one-to-many form of communication means you craft a single message and reach EVERY person on your list. You could be building thousands of trusting client relationships with that one communication.
- Familiarity: Email is a familiar and proven form of communication that people trust. Plus, it is still the best way to ensure you reach every person in your circle. People expect to receive emails and you can use that to your advantage by creating referrals and repeat business.
How To Get The Most From Email Marketing
Just because email is effective, it doesn’t mean you can send any old thing at any old time and expect results!
To get the most out of this form of marketing, you need to…
Build Lasting Relationships
You will have heard me say many times before that only 2-3% of people are ready to buy on their first interaction with your business. That means as many as 98% will need a little (or a lot) of nurturing before they are willing to pull out their wallets.
It takes upwards of 20 touch points before people are ready to trust your business. So if you are only sending a newsletter every three months, you could be waiting 5 years for a return!
That is why Big Rock has specifically designed the 24 Touch Point programme which keeps you in touch with your list every fortnight. It allows you to build strong relationships and you build them quickly!
Deliver Value
When it comes to your communication, your main focus should be to deliver value. By mixing up push and pull methods like email and blogging, your audience can engage with the content that interests them and skip the stuff that doesn’t. Frequently staying in touch reminds them of your knowledge and value, even if they do choose to skip some of your content.
People love to share things of value. So if you are providing it, your audience will be sharing it. They will be doing your marketing for you.
While you are delivering this value, you are also encouraging trust and loyalty. Loyalty is a vital component of your business success. You want to protect the relationship you have started with a client by consistently nurturing it with value.
Have A Plan
A content plan allows you to know the kind of communication you will send each month. The main benefit of having one is that you are prepared with a cohesive strategy that builds on itself each month. Hit all the major dates in your industry with relevant and topical info for your audience.
At Big Rock we value content plans so much that we offer them with each of our packages. You can also book a stand alone content planning session with our marketing expert Lara McCormick.
Be Relevant
Personalisation is great. But simply chucking in a merge tag with your subscriber’s first name can feel forced. Instead, personalise your content by making sure it is relevant to your audience. Encourage engagement by solving their problems, addressing their pain points and being interesting!
You also want to make sure they actually open your email by nailing the subject line. Short and sweet can work well. As can direct and short messages that have one objective – to encourage a response. Our 9-word emails are carefully planned at strategic times of the year to generate engagement from your list. Often scheduled around traditional quiet periods, they can drum up leads when you need them most.
Consider The Content
Use simple, straightforward written content in your emails. There is no need for jargon or trying to be the next Shakespeare. Write in a way that your audience can understand and relate to. A great way to capture their attention is to ask a question.
Measure The Results
How will you know the kind of content your audience loves to receive unless you measure your results? Track how many subscribers open each email and how many of them click the links. This will show you the kind of things they are interested in, how effective your subject line is, and if you are sending your communication out at the right time.
Reporting can be a complicated part of email marketing, which is why Big Rock has a team of experts to draw that information out for you.
Have we convinced you? Do you see how email is the king of SME marketing?
If you would like to achieve awesome results in your business, then email is the way to do it. And Big Rock can take all the stress out of the process for you. Our completely done-for-you packages give you all the results with none of the effort.
With two communications a month, we are connecting you with your past, present and future customers, delivering value and encouraging sales. All while you focus on the things you do best.
Book a free, no obligation chat with us today to see how email marketing can work wonders in your business.