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What if your business could show up in the inboxes of potential customers, build trust with them, and turn them into a client or customer without you ever having to pick up the phone? It's totally possible, here's how. Growing an email list is less intimidating than you think, I promise. Most business owners think they need to get to a certain place in their business before they can start growing an email list, but it's the exact opposite. Your email list needs to be established before you need it. This will serve as your funnel. You may have heard of a "sales funnel" or "sales process" this refers to the buying process that companies lead customers through when purchasing products or booking a service. This is how you find, qualify, and sell your product or service to new potential customers. An email list builds a group of qualified leads who need your product or service. Weekly emails allow you to start building trust and adding value, getting you one step closer to gaining them as a client or customer.
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So how do we even make this happen? We start with a lead generator. We've all seen this before, it's a little pop up that offers you something of value in exchange for an email address. You may have noticed mine on this page. My current lead generator offers a reusable worksheet that helps my audience DIY creating their social media strategy. When they type in their email, it automatically delivers the worksheet to their inbox, they can download it, print it out, and fill it out in an hour or two. Social media has been one of my most frequently asked questions, so it made perfect sense for this to be the lead magnet. To develop your own lead magnet, think about your most frequently asked question, or what information you can offer that would be worth someone giving you their email address. Make sure it relates back to your industry and what you offer.
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Here's an example of a lead generator I built for a client to give you some inspiration. One of my clients breeds bernedoodles so their lead generator says, "Unlock: 5 Tips For Success For You And Your New Puppy". The automated email that goes out after someone subscribes is all about setting expectations, prepping the family and their house for a new puppy. It even includes a puppy shopping list, as well as questions to keep in mind when they meet with the breeder and a few other resources. This starts educating their audience before they even talk with them one on one!
Lead generators aren't just about closing a sale, the best lead generators start with educating or providing a free resource their audience can benefit from. This starts building trust right away, making it even easier to close when the time comes. Here's another example from another client of mine who's a mom blogger. She offers free printable valentines day cards to her audience. This was the perfect idea because she wants to help busy mom's feel more prepared!
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There are so many ideas to strategize when it comes to email marketing. Not only can you create a lead magnet, you can even set up follow up emails that go out every 2 days or every 3 days after they receive the lead magnet. As you grow the number of subscribers on your email list, you're able to share exclusive things just with those people. Let's say you want to offer a new product or service, you can launch it specifically to your email list first to see what the response it before you take it public to social media. This not only helps you test new product/service launches it also starts to build brand loyalty with your current customers.
What is brand loyalty?
Brand loyalty is when someone chooses to purchase from you over and over instead of switching to a competitor. Some people are very particular in their brand loyalty habits. I personally LOVE Annie's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. If I'm craving mac and cheese and I don't want to go out to eat, I will allows order that kind, because I choose that brand over all the others that makes me brand loyal to them. What does this have to do with your email list? Offering special things to your email list, sharing behind the scenes information, all of this builds trust with them and makes it all the more likely they're going to keep purchasing from YOU!