What’s Stopping You?
All this month, we’ve been talking about how creating a lead generator with an email campaign can be a game-changer for your business. The only question is,
What’s stopping you??
We’ve already answered every question you might have:
- Why should I do this? (creating value drives business!)
- What if I don’t know what to write in an email? (you have so much to give!)
- Do email campaigns actually work? (umm, are puppies cute?)
- What if people don’t like what I send? (an unsubscribe is not the end of the world!)
- Digital marketing is not my specialty – how do all this alone? (you don’t have to)
That last question is where BOS Media Group comes in.
We really believe that a strategy to capture emails will revolutionize your business, and we would love to help make it happen.
This is WHAT WE DO – it might feel like extra work to you, but it’s literally our favorite part of the job. We’ll come alongside you, customize the perfect plan to fit your needs, and then present you to the world.
Don’t stop now – give me a call!
You are one click away from taking your business to the next level – let’s get to work!
You Miss 100% Of The Shots You Don’t Take
“You Miss 100% of the Shots You Don’t Take!”
I always thought this quote was from Michael Jordan. But no, turns out it was MICHAEL SCOTT (quoting Wayne Gretzky).
There’s a reason I bring this up. In the past few blogs, we’ve been encouraging you to create your own email campaign, knowing it’s an inexpensive yet effective way to grow your business. But what happens when it has the opposite effect?
What if they… UNSUBSCRIBE!
It’s funny, the older I get, the more I realize how insecure we all are, even as adults. We look down at teenagers constantly checking their Likes, but if I’m honest, I maybe do that too (Side note: why do pictures of my puppy get more Likes than pictures of me?!?)
Seriously though: Don’t feel sad. Every time I send out an email, a few minutes later, I get a few “unsubscribed” notifications. Does it make me sad?? Sometimes. (like the time my mom unsubscribed – definitely had to talk to a therapist about that…)
Yes, it can be a subtle form of rejection in a way… like someone saying, “I don’t need you anymore. Don’t bother me. You’re dead to me.” (ok, that last one might be a little dramatic).
BUT on the other hand, what if it’s also a good thing?
One of the most important words you need to know about marketing is: ENGAGEMENT. People love having a big subscriber list and brag about having a bunch of followers, but those numbers can be very empty. What really matters is, how are people engaging with what you share?
When someone unsubscribes, treat it as an opportunity to get some important feedback. What might their decision to unsubscribe at this time suggest?
- Were you sending emails too frequently?
- Was your information no longer relevant?
- Was your content boring?
- Is there a problem with your design?
- Are your emails mobile-friendly?
- Or did you do everything right and the unsubscriber just has tons of their own unresolved personal issues? (✔️ most likely)
The key is to keep moving forward! Do everything you can to create value for the email community you’ve built, and let the unsubscribes show you how to improve your game.
Michael Jordan may not have said that thing about not missing 100% of the shots, but there’s another inspirational poster where he says this:
“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”
Write that email! Try that new campaign! And if you’re still afraid of rejection, give me a call – I promise, BOS Media will never unsubscribe from you.
Email Marketing And Puppies
The big update in our house this month is a new addition named Bailey.
She immediately brought so much love into our lives. It’s amazing how her simple desire to play, get attention, and be affectionate helps brighten up the day.
What does that have to do with email marketing? A lot, actually.
First, they’re both completely IRRESISTIBLE. I mean, just look at that picture! With that emoji heart, it almost feels surreal, but trust me, she really is that cute.
Email marketing can have that same power! Studies show that email marketing is the number one most effective vehicle for customer acquisition.
It makes sense – you’re able to connect directly at the epicenter of most people’s lives: their phone. Like a puppy, you nestle right into their inbox, next to messages from family, friends and work. Hopefully you also bring VALUE to the audience (as we talked about last time), making your emails even more fruitful.
And the great thing is, those effects are measurable. Here’s where email marketing might even be BETTER than puppies! It’s kind of hard to quantify “adorable”, but if you want to know if an email campaign is successful, the numbers are readily available.
Open-rate, click-through rate, bounce rate, even the unsubscribe rate. All of this gives you valuable insight into the audience response, and how that’s translating into new business.
But what about the cost? That’s where many of us get stuck. With puppies, it’s the vet, the training, the supplies, the food, and of course, picking up poop.
For an email campaign, the good news is, it’s actually one of the cheapest forms of marketing, with the highest ROI of any campaign. (No wonder we get so many emails everyday!)
But to do it right, it will take a valuable resource: TIME.
At BOS Media, our hope is that you are able to make it PERSONAL, customizing an approach that connects with your specific audience. If you ever need help figuring out your own email strategy, we would love to come alongside you to make it happen.
Like the puppy waiting at the door for you, we’ll be here whenever you need us. Give us a call!
Giving Tree
“Once there was a tree… and she loved a little boy.”
So, now you have some people subscribed to your email – what will be your main purpose? To sell to them? NO!! To help them.
I know what you’re thinking: “I’m the one who needs help! I don’t even know what to write about in my emails.”
Don’t worry. Today we’ve brought in an industry expert to show us how it’s done:
A tree.
Specifically, the Giving Tree. If you haven’t read it, warning: this simple children’s book might make you cry. But it really is one of the best examples in history of what it means to PROVIDE VALUE for the people you serve.
In the book, we follow all the different ways the tree gives to the little boy throughout his life:
- providing shade and a place to play;
- providing apples to eat and sell;
- providing wood for a boat;
- and finally, providing a quiet spot to sit and rest.
Some people read this and think, “The tree gets the short end of the stick – why would I want to do that?” It’s a fair question, especially in the early years of building a business. But remember: the goal is to play the long game. Think about it this way: the tree is “in business” with the boy when he’s a kid, all the way until he’s an old man.
If you do this right, you’ll have a customer for life.
The important thing to remember is: YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE. Probably more than you realize. Here are our TOP 5 ideas for email content that will create value for your subscribers:
- Help them solve a problem. We say this all the time, but one of the most important questions to ask in business is, “What problem am I solving for people?” If you can answer that question, your content is sure to provide a distinct benefit to customers.
- Link them to relevant case studies. “Case study” is just a fancy way of saying, “How are other people solving this?” Do your research and pass the findings on to your subscribers.
- Teach them something new. Learning is power. E-books, e-courses and webinars can help position you as the expert in your industry and create invaluable bonds with your customers.
- Give stuff away. Never underestimate the power of free resources. It could be a discount, or a small promotional gift. Honestly, I’m shocked at how often I go to Del Taco just because they offer me a BOGO burrito.
- Share success stories. Tell about the practical ways your product or service has worked for others. It may sound self-serving, but it helps people see the tangible difference you’ll be able to make in their lives too. AND if you’re don’t want to sound braggy, let someone else say it for you through a customer testimonial!
Hope you’re inspired to start coming up with your own ideas! Remember: it’s about them, not about you. Trust me (and the tree) – helping them really will help you in the end.
Drip Email
As we talked about last time, not everyone is ready to buy the moment they get to your landing page. But ideally, that’s just where the conversation begins.
If you do it right, your landing page will offer people a valuable solution to their problem, in exchange for their contact info.
So… WHAT NEXT?
Once their email is captured through a “lead magnet,” you now have a few more chances to prove yourself worthy of their business.
In other words: Keep Giving, one email at a time. That’s the magic of what we call The Email Drip.
Your landing page made a great first impression; the email drip is where you make a second impression, a third impression -– as many impressions as it takes!
Don’t get me wrong – we don’t believe in spamming people. It’s about building trust through COMMUNICATION. Taking time to be thoughtful and share meaningful information, including your own personal secret sauce about how to be successful. Pretty soon, people will have learned and gained so much from your insight, they’ll want to work with you.
It actually reminds me of back when I first met Maria. At first, she just wanted to be friends (the dreaded friend zone…) But I liked her so much, I was willing to be patient – I even wished for her to have the most amazing future spouse, whoever he may be! For years, all I could do is keep showing up and giving her a chance to know who I really am, like tiny drops of water dripping on a rock.
27 years of marriage later, I can tell you: however many impressions are needed, it’s all worth it in the end.
Please let us know if BOS Media can help you in this process – here’s to email drips that help your business live happily ever after!
