This is a lesson from Module #8 “Advanced Marketing Tactics” in our StartupCamp entrepreneur curriculum. Learn More
At the time of this article, I have over 115,000 email subscribers. I have built my list organically over the past 2 years. Everyone has been filtered through a double opt-in process to ensure quality and my open rates have stayed around 25-35%.
An effective email strategy is critical for the entrepreneur. But with the flood of spam-based email marketers and the desire for many to rid their inboxes of unneeded messages, email opt outs can be expensive for a small business. A strong email engagement strategy is now paramount.
But instead of talking only about tactics and strategies, I would like to take you back to the foundations of the human mind. Let’s start with an empathetic heart and what we know is true about people.
As entrepreneurs we have a vital decision to make every single day.
Give or Take
Sadly, most companies build their revenue models on an unsustainable frequency of taking by constantly sending emails asking for people to buy their products. This highly common approach inevitably burns customers out and results in an opt-out. Business owners… remember this:
Nobody can buy a product from you every single week.
Because customers know they can’t afford to buy another shirt, or pair of shoes, book, or gadget from you they naturally learn to ignore your emails, or even worse move them to their “unimportant inbox”. Instead, let’s look toward the model I have adopted.
The Give Model
Consumers are looking to be taken care of. They are hunting for value, authenticity, depth, and connection. Unfortunately, products cannot fill this void. But empathy can.
Empathetic email marketing takes a mature leader. Someone who can speak to the customer how they need to hear it, not how the marketer wants to say it.
In my experience and in my industry, customers want wisdom. They want proven and dependable personal development lessons. They want to grow their intelligence on entrepreneurship, to be educated, elevated, and entertained.
But again, you can’t do this with products alone.
The give model is built around content. Content that fills the needs of the customer. Content that not only makes customers open your emails, but urges them to tell others about the incredible value you offer.
But what about sales? How are you going to stay in business? In today’s online economy, we know one thing is true:
If your brand is out of sight, your brand is out of mind.
Sales demand 24/7/365 brand engagement. A level of engagement that can only be fulfilled with content. In contrast to the constant “product only” emails that are rarely opened and unsustainable, “content first” emails are opened often and are highly sustainable. Few customers are upset because you’re sending them too much free value.
By simply adding a blog and including 1-3 pieces of its valuable content (great videos, thought provoking articles, short consumable lessons, interesting podcasts, free downloads, etc) to your weekly emails, you have now given your consumers a fantastic (and sustainable) reason to open your emails every single day. Can you add products too? Sure. But only second to great content.
As a result, when it comes time to buy a product your brand has not been forgotten. Additionally, you have also instilled the principle of reciprocity. A consumer psychology tactic that says: if customers believe they have been given substantial value at no cost, they feel indebted to repay your brand through the purchasing of goods and/or the referral of new business. Not a bad deal right?
The big question is this? How can your company educate, elevate, and entertain your customers? What content do you need to develop?
But remember, content isn’t king, Usefulness is.
If you only have the bandwidth to produce one piece of high quality, useful content per week, then you should only be sending one email per week. If the content quality drops, so will your open rates.
Have you implemented an engaging content strategy? Do you think this lesson would benefit your email marketing efforts? Let me know in the comments below.
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