Autoresponder email marketing delivers the highest ROI of any online marketing option. It converts better than any paid social media option. Better than PPC ads.
You might be thinking this sounds great. Sign me up!
Here’s the thing…autoresponder email marketing offers a killer return on investment when done properly.
When using email marketing, there are a lot of little details to get right. One thing that will not only help you succeed but also make life easier is autoresponders.
Email Marketing: The Cliff Notes Version
Autoresponder email marketing is a series of emails delivered on specific days. They are pre-written and uploaded into an automation system.
The email series begins when a prospect fills out a contact form on your website.
Once they click to enter their information, the series starts on its own…without you lifting a finger.
The beauty of using autoresponder emails is that once they are set up, you don’t need to do a thing.
However, there are several mistakes many new marketers make. In this article, I’ll reveal five of the biggest mistakes other marketers make. I’ll also offer some strategies to help you avoid them, too.
Email Marketing Mistake #1: Not Making Your Emails “Evergreen”
What’s “evergreen?”
Evergreen refers to pine trees (including those used for Christmas trees). They’re called “evergreen” because of their green foliage. A pine tree’s foliage doesn’t die off in a particular season. The look of a pine tree never changes, so they are evergreen.
Customers may fill out your contact form to get more information at any time. January, July, December, it doesn’t matter.
Your customers can fill out your contact forms at any time. Because of this, your emails need to eliminate any reference to changing seasons.
Here’s an example. Let’s say a prospect fills out a contact form on New Year’s Day. Then they receive an email about Christmas discounts expiring on December 24th. This rings false.
That’s not to say you can’t send out seasonal-based emails or refer to current events in your promotions. Quite the opposite. For an autoresponder series to be effective, your emails must be appropriate for any day.
Email Marketing Mistake #2: Overusing Your Contact’s Name
This is a biggie that newbies often make.
Autoresponders offer you the opportunity to include personal information.
If your contact form asks for a prospect’s first name, you can use coding to tell your system to include that first name.
Here’s an example of an email template:
“Hi <>, thank you so much for your interest in XYZ Company…”
The <> would add a prospect’s first name to into the email. If Jane fills out the form, she’ll automatically receive an email like this:
“Hi Jane, thank you so much for your interest in XYZ Company…”
The problem? An overzealous marketer decides to use the name field wayyyyyyy too much in the body of the email, like this:
“Hi Jane, thanks for visiting our site! Jane, we’re really excited because we have products that people like you, Jane, will enjoy. What do you think Jane? Ready to get started with something that will help you get your Jane on? How about it, Jane?”
It’s too much and reads very unnatural. In most cases, depending on the length of the email, using the prospect’s name once is enough.
Email Marketing Mistake #3: Hammering Your List with Promotions
Autoresponders are a great tool for marketing. Because of this, many companies bombard their lists with endless promotions.
People fill out your contact form to get more information to solve their problems. They don’t care about your product or service. They only care about getting answers.
Give your prospect value. Think free information and helpful tips. Mix the free content and tips with your sales promotions.
By doing this, you’ll:
– establish yourself as the expert in your niche
– build your relationship with your prospects
– guide them toward a sale.
All without being too pushy.
Email Marketing Mistake #4: Using Too Much “Corporate-Speak”
“Corporate-speak” is industry jargon. It’s written by experts who understand their niche, products or services on a deeper level.
Maybe the “corporate-speak” is technical jargon written by engineers. Or written by personnel to please stockholders. Or even by higher-ups because they like how it sounds. But there’s a problem with that approach.
Your clients reading the information are flesh and blood people. They may not have the depth of knowledge about your industry. Nor do they care.
Take a handheld drill as an example. Your prospects may not care about how the drill was developed, or the enamel used to color the darn thing.
You can talk about those features I mentioned above in your sales copy. But only as far as how the product will help your prospect drill that hole.
Doing it without insider terms will appeal to your prospects.
Email Marketing Mistake #5: Not Clearly Displaying the ‘Opt-Out’ Option
Opting out is how someone tells a company they no longer want to receive their emails. Some marketers fret over opt-outs. They believe their lists must be as large as possible.
The reality? Opt-outs can be a good thing. When someone opts out, it means you won’t be wasting time marketing to those who aren’t going to buy from you.
You must include an opt-out option at the bottom of each email. This notation is usually accompanied by a link to make opting out easy and fast.
It’s the right thing to do from a marketing standpoint (because you’ll have a better list) and it’s required by law.
All reputable autoresponder companies include the opt-out feature as part of their system.
Ready to Try Autoresponder Email Marketing?
Autoresponder emails are an effective way to follow up with leads and reduce your workload.
Do the technical aspects of this sound overwhelming? Maybe you don’t have time to do it yourself. I can help you with my full-service customized email marketing services. Check out my email marketing services and contact me to set up a Discovery Call to talk about your goals.