FREE Email Marketing Guide

Welcome! Here is a little insight into starting your email marketing journey.

I’ve broken it down for you into two parts:

4 reasons to start email marketing

3 best practices for email marketing for beginners

Let’s begin!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information.

Today, let’s talk about how you can drive more traffic to your blog AND how you can gain new clients that are more than willing to pay for your amazing products and unique services that you worked so hard to create.

Say, what?!

Yes, by utilizing email marketing tactics early on in your blogging journey, we can get you well on your way to hundreds, if not thousands, of dedicated followers and CLIENTS this year!

I’ll go over four simple reasons why you should be using email marketing for your blog, how you can get started, and who can benefit from this information. Let’s do this!

What is email marketing?

Email marketing is when a person or a business reaches out to their client base or list of customers through emails specifically geared toward a certain niche, product line, service or topic that is appropriate for that audience.

Many times, people or companies set up automated emails or newsletters that are sent to their customers or group list, or, they can create one-time emails that are time sensitive and exclusive for that particular day or season.

Now let’s take a look at the reasons why email marketing is a great idea for you to implement for your blog or business.

1. You build trust with your audience

Through email marketing, your reader can get inside access to special features about your business or blog that no one else can get.

For example, someone who is aware that you run a business may think they know already what it is you offer, and then they keep on moving, perhaps even skipping over your lesser-known products, services, and blog articles.

But if someone is receiving consistent updates from you, letting them know that they have access to exclusive or even secret content, they will start to look at your business in a different way.

‘Am I getting something that the general public is not getting?’ That is a question that might be on your reader’s mind.

People LOVE to feel like they are getting something that other people are missing out on.

For example, if you’re a fitness/health business, you could send your clients an email marketing campaign about your ‘5 secrets to meal prepping that have never been revealed.’ It does not have to be very complicated.

Giving them information that is consistent, as well as giving them a feeling that they are ‘insiders,’ creates more curiosity around your business, and they will likely begin to trust you more and more — they might even turn into a paying customer now!

Your reader will be so blown away by the inside scoop that you have given them for free, that they will wonder what you could actually do for them if they started paying you.

Key takeaway here — you build trust by offering them solutions to problems or inside info, and they start to look at you as a leader in your area of expertise! Which leads me to my next section…

2. You establish yourself as a leader in your area of expertise

Do you think if someone was not well-versed on their area of business, line of products, or fantastic services, that they would offer someone weekly, if not even more frequent, tips and tricks surrounding the trade?

No!

When you begin to send your audience meaningful, valuable and consistent content, you begin to establish yourself as the expert in their area of interest.

For example, my fitness readers might just love 30-minute upper body circuits. If I begin an email marketing campaign, let’s say, for one month, I can send them weekly or bi-weekly emails that are full of free information regarding different options for upper body routines and related information.

Here is a great example of a themed email marketing campaign that I could implement in one month, regarding the topic of upper body workouts for my fitness business:

WEEK 1: Create an email providing information from a blog post I have written about upper body circuits (show a video or create a worksheet for them you can link to inside the email.)

WEEK 2: This email focuses on your blog you did about the Best Upper Body Stretches.

Link to a series of high quality photos, or even a video for this.

Bonus tip: Invite them to a fitness challenge group you are running that week!

WEEK 3: This email focuses on your blog you have written about Best Recovery Shakes for Sore Muscles.

Surely this will apply to them, after weeks of them doing upper body circuits! Include a discount code for them to buy the shakes, or a link to a free sample for them to try.

Calls to action are key, here!

WEEK 4: Give them a really nice free gift to finish out the month of this particular email marketing campaign regarding upper body circuits.

Create an exclusive video for them; create a top secret fitness worksheet they can print off for their daily routine; you could even send them your secret ingredient list to your favorite smoothie recipe or a top secret playlist you love when you work out.

Be sure this gift you are giving them provides a solution to their problems; gives them value and enriches their life; or it could even entertain them in some way.

For an example of entertainment: the playlist idea, or even a Top 5 Bloopers at my Home Gym reel you might have created. The list could go on!

The key here is to always provide a call to action for them at the end of your campaign.

Calls to action include: A link to join your challenge group; a link to buy a product or service; a link to a free consultation with you — these are just a few examples!

The idea is to provide specific content related to what they are showing up for (fitness, in this case).

In the above examples, I am giving them loads of free information, even exclusive stuff. I am providing value to them that they are probably not finding for free from anyone else; and best of all, I am doing it consistently, so that they begin looking at me as the beacon of upper body fitness in their lives.

When you provide large amounts of valuable information to people, you are enriching their lives, and making yourself the supreme expert on the subject. And they would not have signed up to receive your terrific content if they weren’t interested in the products and services you provide!

3. Email marketing builds brand awareness for your fitness business

By giving your readers consistent information that is full of value, you are establishing brand awareness around your business.

For example, when you start your email campaigns, your readers might notice your consistent use of certain colors and photos inside your blog posts and emails.

They might see your logo and colors, and then they will think of you next time they see something that looks like that when they’re out and about.

A great way to start your brand awareness would be to pick a day of the week, and then build a brand-specific campaign around it.

For example, ‘Monday Meal Prep Minute,’ could be an email sent every Monday at 6 a.m., giving your readers an inside look at your new, free recipes and meal prepping schedule that they will only get from you.

They will then associate the ‘Monday Meal Prep Minute’ with your brand!

Your audience will grow to expect and love waking up to find a new meal prepping recipe and idea every Monday.

This builds a brand specific action around your business, from which you could build on.

How can you build on this brand specific email campaign?

I will give you some examples here:

You could start by inviting them into a free challenge group that they can only access by being a devoted subscriber (as they are);
You could even offer them an exclusive discount code to your latest recipe book, inside that email;
You could offer them a free and exclusive piece of video where you show them 5 secrets to meal prepping;
The possibilities are ENDLESS!
The point is that you will be using different components, i.e., day of the week, colors, logo, consistent looking images, and weekly/bi-weekly segments or short pieces of content or videos (recipes, etc.) that they will begin to associate with you — they will associate these things with your fitness brand!

4. You give them so much value, they desire even more from you (they will eventually take a look at buying from you, if they don’t already)

It may not happen overnight, but by providing quality content to your audience, you are turning them into a customer for life.

you continue to provide solutions to their problems,
Give them exclusive access to secrets and services that they would not have seen unless they were a dedicated email subscriber,
If you keep helping them to achieve their specific and measurable goals, it will eventually pay off for you.

Your email marketing goal should be to help solve problems for your audience, give them access to free materials that they can use to reach their goals (like a free meal prep schedule, a free print-out for workouts, a free rest-day gratitude worksheet, you get the idea!), and if you keep helping them to improve their lives, the next logical step for them would be for them to invest money into you.

You want to give them so much content and expertise, that they are begging to be part of the paying group who receives even more awesome stuff!

Conclusion

We talked about a list of reasons why email marketing will help you to grow your blog or your business.

We talked about a list of ideas that you could initiate when you start your email campaigns, and we even talked about some free content ideas you could create and give to your readers!
Now, it’s time to do your homework.
You can start your email marketing journey HERE by using ActiveCampaign (I am not an affiliate, but I really do love using this platform and I recommend it.)
You can check out my blog on email marketing for beginners, HERE.
And, if you really don’t feel like starting this email marketing thing yourself, I can do it for you!
Book now with me HERE and let’s scale your business this year!
Be sure to share this article with your like-minded friends if you found it useful!

3 best practices for email marketing for beginners

Let’s discuss the topic of email marketing. I’ll go over what it is, and then I will touch on some best practices for those who are new to email marketing.

Here’s a look at some strategies I used when I was getting started with my business.

Before we get started, there are several things to think about before you begin email marketing for your business or blog.

If you have a website, you should make sure it is GDPR and CCPA compliant. That way, when people opt in to your email newsletter online, they are agreeing to your Terms & Conditions page.

We’re talking about having things in place such as your Privacy Policy, your Disclaimer, and even your warning about the use of cookies on the page.

If you have a physical business, as opposed to an online business, and people willingly give you their email addresses or personal information, you should have their signature and permission from them that they have granted you access to their information. Then, add them to your email list!

What is email marketing?

Best practice #1: Sending timely and exclusive content (and coupons!)

For example, an email that would be sent out the day after Thanksgiving might talk about specific holiday deals that are happening only at that time – that would not be duplicated of course, say, in July, because that is very time sensitive!

YES! I want my legal blogging templates today

You have probably noticed that when you order a product from a website, you are opted into their email newsletter updates. You receive a lot of coupons probably inside those emails.

I’ve found that customers love to find exclusive discounts inside their inbox, because that means that a portion of the public (who may not be receiving these emails from them) are NOT receiving those deals – and it gives the product more VALUE to the customer, and creates a feeling of URGENCY because, of course, a deadline is usually set for when those coupons expire!

A popular strategy among businesses is to send out an email at the same time on a certain day of the week, consistently. That way, their clients or group members can look forward to the message, and learn to expect and depend on that as an information source, a hub for the latest updates on the product or niche, or even a place where they can find coupons and exclusive discounts on their favorite products and services!

Let’s say you have a massage therapy business. You might create a weekly newsletter that is sent out every Wednesday morning. Your first email might feature ‘best tips to release back pain,’ followed by a list of coupons or specials that are running that week related to back massages. This is targeting your audience in a specific way. Remember, they are on your list in the first place because they are interested in knowing more about massage deals at your facility!

Best practice #2: Pick a theme

The email or group of emails that you are sending out is often referred to as an email campaign. I have found that a useful strategy to create an email campaign schedule is the following: choose one theme for the month, and stick to it.

Let’s say I have a makeup line business. For the month of April, every Monday, I am going to send out an email campaign to let my customers know about eyebrow products, specifically.

Here is what that month of April will look like:

Week one, I will send an email including a BLOG I have written about the best eyebrow primers for the summer season. (I will post links below on blogging tips for you! Blogging is a whole other lesson, of course.)

Why will I include a blog inside the email?

Because it provides VALUE and KNOWLEDGE about the product that my customers are interested in, and it creates curiosity around the product.

It’s not just saying — “buy this thing” — it is giving them inside information that the average person probably does not know.

So, in my email, I will include:

An excerpt from my blog on best eyebrow primers for summer;

I will then give them lots of beautiful photos inside that email to show off my beautiful eyebrow products;

I might even add some testimonials from other customers who loved these brow products! Bonus – I might include a COUPON for an eyebrow product inside the email.

So here is a basic email checklist for you:

Include an excerpt or link to your latest blog on the topic
Always be consistent with when you send out your emails — that builds TRUST
Include beautiful images/or, more details related to the service or topic if it is not visually appealing
Testimonials from clients who already love the product
Coupons and discounts on the product we are talking about
Call to action: a link to purchase; a link to your Pinterest or Facebook page; link to your email or place where they can request to work with you
Now, back to our monthly theme – what will each week look like?

We started week one with our email campaign about ‘best eyebrow primers for the summer season.’

How about week two, we focus on ‘how to choose your eyebrow pencil color.’

Follow up week three and four with: ‘Best-selling brow products for busy moms,’ or, ‘best eyebrow grooming and finishing product kits.’

See what I did there?

Throughout the course of only one month, I delivered so much value, curiosity, free information and urgency about my eyebrow products, that my clients can now have an entire menu at their disposal about my products – and I stay top of mind the next time they think about their brows!

Bonus is that when people see coupons in their inbox, even if they do not want or need the product right now, you bet they will share that information with their best friend who mentions she needs a brow product that week! ‘Hey girl, I should send you this coupon I got in my email for brow primer!’

See how we did that?

Best practice #3: Write an email headline that teaches them something/or gives them a fact

I use ActiveCampaign for my email marketing. When you reach the final step before launching your email, it goes through a “spam check.”

What does that mean?

Well, I have done tests, and if you put words like “FREE” and “BOGO” and things like that in the headline, the email will usually go to someone’s spam folder or their ‘promotions’ folder, in my experience.

You can avoid going into the spam folder and frankly, having the person delete the email before they have even read it, by writing a headline that does not sound like a spammy and desperate plea.

For example, ‘How to use small filing systems to organize your desk’ or ‘3 facts about record players you never knew.’

Why are these headlines significant?

Because the reader is promised they will learn something new, simply by reading this email.

People love free information.

Even if the person has no intention of buying a record player or a filing system, or even reading your full music or organizational blog today, you bet that they will be inclined to open an email if they think they will learn something new right now!

‘How can I become more organized?’ and ‘what are some fun facts about my [hobby I love]’ — now those are more attention grabbing than, “buy this filing system/record player today!”

People love stories, and they love information.

Here is an example of two ways to write a headline that could either drive them away from you, or draw them to you:

“Check out these new Spring 2020 eyeshadows”

“How to use Neutral Beige and Sunset Shimmer eyeshadow for a daytime look”

The first example is vague, and it does not connect with me, because I have no idea what the colors are, and I don’t even know if I want to waste time opening that email since the headline does not talk about any specific attribute on the product. DELETE.

You must get specific if you want people to open it.

Example number two gives me a TON more information.

I get a visual image of what actual colors to think about – beige and shimmer – and so, now my mind is thinking of those things.

Not only that, but if I open this email, I will LEARN something – how to use these two colors.

I’m even given a REASON why I would wear them – for day wear.

All of these small details are now speaking to me much more than if it just said, ‘Spring 2020’ – people would look at that and say, what does that even mean?!

To re-cap, here are some tips on writing an email marketing headline:

Be specific, not vague
Teach them something
Provide a REASON WHY they should even be learning what you’re teaching
Keep it short – make sure it doesn’t get cut off when they open up their email (you can test this before you hit ‘send’ in ActiveCampaign!)

Conclusion

These are just a FEW basic guidelines I think about when I create an email campaign.

There are SO MANY things to think about, and I will continue sharing them with you week by week.

Today we covered:

The definition of email marketing
Creating timely and exclusive content
Including coupons and discounts inside your email campaign
Using a monthly or weekly theme for your email campaign content
Using strategic headlines for your emails
Using attractive pictures if you have a visual product
Being consistent!
BONUS TIP – Always include a call to action at the end of your email – a link to work with you, a link to buy, a button that sends them to your Facebook page, or even another opt-in to a related newsletter you send out.

Thank you for being here!

If you found this content useful, feel free to share it. Be sure to follow me on Pinterest, HERE. Grab your legal blogging templates, HERE!