When we get into marketing for our small business, it can seem a bit overwhelming to know when you’re ready for different components. Do you pay for ads right away? Should you hire an all inclusive marketing agency? Will your business spontaneously combust if you make any misstep in your marketing strategy?
Ok, the last one is a joke...kind of. The truth is we can become paralyzed by how to do it perfectly versus taking small steps in the right direction.
The fantastic thing about email marketing is it doesn’t matter what stage of your business you're in, you can get started or restarted at any point. And I am going to say something, that as a person who makes their livelihood on helping others with email marketing, might shock you--you can run a successful business with no email marketing.
It’s true! However, if you aren’t using email marketing, this means you need to be putting in strong efforts in other marketing areas and possibly missing out on some key benefits (like owning the emails and direct access to your audience). I will warn you-- do not start email marketing for your business because you’ve been told that is the only way.
That being said, email marketing comes with some strong benefits. Unlike social media you own the access to your contacts once they’ve given you permission to email them. So while Instagram may change the algorithm on you at any moment, thus stifling who actually sees all of the great content you’re putting out, when you have your lead’s email address, you know you are going straight to their inbox. Additionally, the more information you collect over time the more powerful and targeted you can make the information you’re sending to your contacts.
If you’re at a place where you are ready to get started on your own, with the help of your team, or hire out help, here a are a few steps to begin:
PLAN: Design your email marketing plan. Are you going to be sending weekly newsletters, automated series for nurturing, selling, etc, will this marketing plan be tied into other strategies such as social media? This does not need to be super elaborate. A Google Sheets or Doc is a great place to start sketching.
PLATFORM: Choose your email sending platform. It’s easy to get lost in a black hole here on all of the different options, prices, bells and whistles. Keep these points in mind.
-Does it fit with your current email marketing needs
-Does it allow for some growth in the next year
-You get what you pay for. So be weary of only going with the cheapest
-At the end of the day you can always switch (this comes with cost and time, but if it’s
saving you a 3 month deep dive into which platform is best for you then it’s probably worth it) If you want help getting set-up on ActiveCampaign then consider working with The Soc·Somu Agency.
PROACTIVE: Create and implement a sustainable content plan for regularly emailing your list. You don’t want to do all this work, attract great leads, and then ghost them for a few months (Pro tip: If you wouldn’t want it done to you in a dating app, then don’t do it in your email marketing)
Have more questions or want to work together? Check out more here.