Email Marketing: Creating Anticipation That Sells
Episode 32 of Landscape Digital Show reveals how to use email marketing to create anticipation that grows an audience and ultimately sells more services.
The most reliable digital practices for generating leads and converting them to sales today are:
- Paid social media advertising
- Email marketing
We discussed Facebook advertising in detail in the previous episode. But what are your top social media advertising objectives?
One of them should be growing your email list because unlike social media, it is a digital marketing asset that you control.
Let’s talk about that, specifically, how your email newsletters can ultimately sell more services.
Getting Email Newsletters Opened and Read
The trick is delivering news that people want to read.
Show your audience that you care about them and understand their fears, needs, and wants.
Do you think they lie awake at night worrying about their lawn? Doubtful
But I’ll bet they do worry about something that you can help them with, like maybe having their outdoor environment express their personal identity. Whatever it is, you have to find it and own the solution.
Make this the theme or purpose of your business newsletter.
It’s vital that you stay on purpose to set expectations for your audience.
The following tactics will help you put that into practice.
I. Consistency Builds Friendships
When an email newsletter shows up every now and then the message is this: I’m here today to sell.
Everybody knows that companies tend to engage in marketing when business is slow. It’s the same reason salespeople sometimes show up unexpected, as opposed to consistently nurturing relationships with their customers.
Try to set patterns that are more indicative of what friends do. Consistently stop by, even if it’s just to say hello.
These are all value deposits from which you can one day make a withdrawal.
II. Invite People to Engage
When a newsletter is role-based or explicitly asks you not to reply, it sets an impersonal tone. There’s nothing friendly about that. And who wants to engage with a business anyway?
People connect with other people that show they are genuinely interested in them. Show by your actions. Give them relevant and valuable content that they can use.
Then ask them to reply, with the promise that you will in turn respond.
III. Simplify. Teach. And Inspire
What is your superpower – your unique value that will keep your audience tuning in at your regularly scheduled time? There are three things that people appreciate.
1. Having what’s complex simplified so they understand how it works
2. Discovering something new that they can use or share
3. Being inspired or entertained
Your personality and that of your business will partly determine how you do this, but most important is serving the audience that you plan to grow. Just be of service!
IV. Leave a Cliffhanger
People love suspense. And they like knowing there is more to come. You can communicate that directly or in subtle ways, provided they are not manipulative.
For example, some marketers tease with content that is light on value. Don’t do that. You have to deliver.
Your succession of emails should be like a suspenseful storyline that has no ending.
V. Offer Incentives
Incentives are an extension of the cliffhanger. Maybe you promise a free giveaway to ensure people come back. And when they do you can promote your premium service offerings.
There are times when you use email to sell because your products and services deliver value that people want.
Consider the value of your newsletters a gift. When you give someone a gift they are inclined to return the favor. Needing to reciprocate is how we are wired.
That may not happen right away, so just keep building value until the time is right.
Bonus Tip
The bonus tip is to make sure the subject line of your newsletter provides clues to the content it delivers. Create curiosity or anticipation that gets your content consumed.
Show Notes
- Discover how to personalize with email marketing from this earlier show.
- Never miss an episode. Subscribe to Landscape Digital Show on iTunes.
Call to Action
The call to action is to commit to building and nurturing your list. It’s your business lifeline in a changing digital marketing environment.
Like any other channel, it’s going to work best if you use it to consistently create expectations for your audience. People respect consistency and appreciate value.
