You may know that you want to get emails going for your small business, but might also be asking,
“How do I get started with email marketing?”
Now technically, you could email from your Gmail, and with a strategy around content and who you’re sending to, you’ve done it!
But today we’re talking about when you’re ready to get more automation and growth in place. These key pieces will ensure you're starting out on the right foot and you have a plan for growth and consistency.
FOUNDATION
Take the time upfront to answer a few questions and this can save you a lot of time and money down the line.
-How many contacts do you plan on sending to now and in the near-ish future?
-How often do you plan on emailing (this will vary on what you’re sending and your audience)?
-Do you have use for more technical features such as A/B testing, website connections, and a CRM? WIll you have use for the features within the year?
-Are there specific values you’re looking for in companies you subscribe to?
Based on the questions above you can narrow down the best software for your email marketing needs, and get started with some of the key foundational pieces like templates and tracking.
CONNECTION
Additionally, with the questions above you can create a plan for how you want to connect with your audience.
With a clear and easy opt-in your audience has a way to easily join your community. It’s ok if you don’t have a snazzy lead magnet right off the bat. Create a simple opt-in and you can add to it later.
Once they join, be sure to have a series of emails providing them the welcome and resources they need to feel confident they want to keep receiving emails from you.
PREPARATION
Now that you have a system in place and a way to connect with your people, you don’t want to let it run cold!
You’ll want a plan in place to remain consistent in your messaging. What consistency looks like will vary depending on your goals and capacity. It’s ok if you’re consistent doesn’t look the same as someone else's.
Some ways to plan for this are:
1. Creating a content calendar
2. Knowing your content buckets
3. Creating SOPs for how the process works
With these pieces in place, you’re ready to start building an email marketing plan that’s aligned with the goals of your business. And if you’re looking for help with getting this in place check out our Email Jump Start.