Email Marketing

Email marketing isn’t the latest trend or shiny new thing – it’s been around for decades, so many small businesses dismiss it.

Some small businesses think email marketing is too complicated. Some avoid it because they believe they’ll be labelled as spammers. Some believe it’s too time consuming, or even too expensive. Others tell themselves, “I don’t have anything to email people about.”

The truth is email is one of the most powerful marketing tools there is, has been for many years and will remain that way for a long time to come. Email marketing is evergreen. Dismissing it is a huge mistake for any business, especially a small business.

Why?

Why Email Marketing Is So Powerful

• Deliver value-based content and explain solution
• Show proof solution works
• Use science and facts and link to sources
• Explain emotional and tangible benefits to solving problem

Here are a few reasons:

• When you have an email list, it’s yours – you own it – it’s a business asset.
• You can email your list whenever you like.
• You own the data it creates.
• It’s immune to algorithm changes on social media sites, marketplace platforms and search engines.
• When you email your list, you’re contacting people directly, straight to their inbox – it’s active marketing. In contrast, social media sites, marketplace platforms and search engines are all passive, they rely on people finding you.
• When done correctly, email marketing offers an incredible return on investment (ROI) in both time and money.
• A well-managed email marketing list is a valuable asset if you ever want to sell your business.

Now let’s look at some common fears around email marketing.

Common Email Marketing Fears

What if I don’t know what to email people about? Send what readers want

What if people unsubscribe when I send an email? Good! xxx

What if I get reported as a spammer? xxx

Don’t I need to be an expert copywriter to send effective emails? No! xxx

Can I email existing customers? xxx

Can I email people who’ve given me their contact details? xxx

Email Marketing Goals

It’s a well-known fact that people buy from people they know, like and trust. Done correctly, email marketing is a simple and straightforward way of communicating directly and regularly with your customers and prospects. It allows them to get to know, like and trust you and your business.

Many small businesses believe that social media is more powerful than email marketing and I’m here to tell you that it simply isn’t true. Social media can and should feed email marketing, but it cannot replace it.

What if I told you that everything you’ve been taught about email marketing is based upon flawed thinking?

Next Steps

Start simple, don’t try to build anything complicated at first, learn to walk before you run.

Find an email marketing platform that suits your needs and follow their set-up advice. You will need an opt in form for your website, a list and some emails to send.

There are lots of email marketing platforms out there, but they’re not all created equal. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses. All of them offer basic email marketing. Beyond that, some offer better tools than others. If you choose the wrong one, it’s not difficult or expensive to change later, so just pick one and get started.

They all provide training for using their own platform.

For what it’s worth, my favourite email marketing platform is ActiveCampaign because it allows me to choose the day and time my emails are delivered based upon my readers’ timezone, not my own. Many providers can’t do this. If your readers are in the same timezone as you, this isn’t an issue.

Take an email marketing training course

Conclusion / Close

• Motivate
• Inspire
• Call to action

Do You Have Small Business Superpowers?

Small Business Superpowers are methods, skills, and tools that give a small business strength, speed, and a powerful advantage over its competitors.

To test YOUR Small Business Superpowers, subscribe to our newsletter and we’ll send your results straight to your email inbox.

Test your Small Business Superpowers

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

– Step 1 of 12

Get Started

Complete this short quiz and we’ll email your results right away. Then on Tuesdays we’ll send you a tip or a story to help you build your Small Business Superpowers, and on Thursdays we’ll send you our latest Superpowers blog post. Occasionally we’ll send you an extra email too, but it won’t be every week.

Name *

Email *

Next

1. Do you understand marketing? *

• I don’t do any marketing.
• No, I don’t understand marketing.
• Yes, I’m OK at marketing.
• Yes, I’m good at marketing.
• My marketing skills need improving.
• Yes, I’m highly-skilled at marketing.

Next Question

2. Do you have a marketing plan? *

• I don’t do any marketing.
• My marketing is all word-of-mouth.
• No.
• What’s a marketing plan?
• Yes, kind of.
• Yes, it’s all written down.

Next Question

3. Does your own website generate enquiries, leads, or sales? *

• I don’t have my own website.
• I only sell on marketplaces (e.g. Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc.)
• No.
• Yes, sometimes.
• Yes, often.
• Yes, daily.

Next Question

4. Are you happy with your own website? *

• I don’t have my own website.
• I only sell on marketplaces (e.g. Amazon, eBay, Etsy, etc.)
• No.
• It’s OK.
• Yes.
• Yes, I’m very happy with it.

Next Question

5. Do you create digital content? *

• No.
• What’s digital content?
• Yes, but it takes a lot of time.
• Yes, I delegate it.
• Yes, I outsource it.
• Yes, I create it myself.

Next Question

6. Do you know which design tools are best suited to small business? *

• Aren’t they all suitable for small business?
• Yes, Adobe Photoshop.
• Yes, Adobe Creative Suite
• No.
• Yes, social media sites have great free tools.
• Yes, Canva.
• Yes, I use various tools designed for small business.

Next Question

7. Do you expand and update your business knowledge regularly? *

• No.
• Yes, I learn a lot from social media.
• Yes, when I have time.
• I want to, but I don’t have time.
• Yes, I take Udemy courses.
• Yes, I read every day.
• Yes, I have a written knowledge plan.

Next Question

8. Do you read books to expand your business knowledge? *

• No, I never read books.
• I only read fiction.
• Yes, but I only read when I have time.
• Yes, I read general business books.
• Yes, I read everything I can find.
• Yes, I read small business books.

Next Question

9. What kind of business admin tools do you use? *

• None. Everything’s in my head
• Paper, diaries, wall planners, etc.
• Partly computerised admin tools.
• Completely computerised admin tools.
• Partly cloud-based admin tools.
• Completely cloud-based admin tools.

Next Question

10. Is your business systemised? *

• No, I just react to what the day brings.
• I don’t understand the question.
• Yes, I have a diary, that’s a system, right?
• Yes, I use paper systems.
• Yes, I use computerised systems.
• Yes, my systems rival McDonald’s!

Finish

Finished

Total Small Business Superpowers Score *

score = 0

Email My Results

TEST MY SUPERPOWERS