We’ve all seen a call-to-action like “sign up for free email offers,” asking that we input our email address in exchange for valuable information, a coupon, or other offers. It’s likely you receive several emails a day from different businesses directing you to their website or sharing some information that relates to their brand. Why is email such an important tool for businesses?
Email marketing is one of the most effective digital marketing strategies. It has several advantages. For example, you have complete control of who gets your email, unlike social media posts, which can have a large or small reach depending on ever-changing algorithms. Email marketing also has a high return on investment. It’s an excellent way to reach customers, both new and old. If your company isn’t using email marketing, it may be time to consider it.
Building an Email Marketing Funnel
An email marketing funnel is how you convert a lead into a sale using several emails to move your potential customer toward purchasing something. It’s different than ad conversions, for example, where someone way may see an ad for your product, click on it, and buy it. Email marketing involves offering value, building trust, and spreading brand awareness. While you probably won’t sell with your first email, email marketing is one of the most effective marketing strategies.
How can you build an email funnel that converts? To start, you need to capture leads. One way to do this is by using opt-in forms. Opt-in forms are simple forms on your website where people enter their name and email address. Usually, in order to motivate people to sign up, a company will offer a one-time offer or discount. You can put an opt-in form anywhere on your website, giving you more opportunities to capture leads.
Another option for getting more leads is creating landing pages. Instead of a small box where someone enters their email address, a landing page is an entire website page that leads to a call to action inviting the reader to sign up for emails. You could offer an email course, videos, PDFs, or something else to attract people to sign up for emails.
Once you have some leads, you need to create emails that will move them along to eventually purchase something. But instead of pitching your products in the first email, take some time to nurture your leads. How does lead nurturing work? You need to keep your leads engaged by sending them information that’s useful and customized to their preferences. To do this, you’ll have to use an email automation platform that can segment your email subscribers based on the form they signed up for or other information. Lead nurturing emails might share links to blog posts, case studies, videos, and podcasts, or share other information that focuses on the customers’ needs and pain points. Nurturing your leads will position your company as an authority and set you up for more conversions.
After the first two steps, your subscribers will reach the bottom of your email funnel, where you need to convert leads into paying customers. Since they already have a relationship with your company, this should be easier than a cold sales pitch. It’s time to offer your product. Your call to action for these emails should lead your subscribers directly to your website to buy your products. You can use a limited-time discount or sale to motivate them to action. Or, if they’ve participated in a free trial of a subscription product, send an offer to sign up for a paid subscription. Be straightforward and explain your product and why your potential customer should buy it.
Email funnels are very effective when done right. You should get conversions and a high ROI from your email marketing funnels, but if you’re not seeing results, you might have to make some changes. Perhaps there’s a weakness in one of the steps of your funnel, or you need to create more compelling emails. But if you take the time to refine your email marketing strategy, you’ll reap the rewards.
Following Up With Customers
Another benefit of using email marketing is that it keeps you connected with your customers. Once a customer has bought something from your website, it’s easier to get them to purchase again than it is to get new customers. Emails allow you to continue the relationship with your customers and increase the likelihood they’ll buy from you again. Use emails to keep your former customers informed about seasonal sales and new products, and offer them products that they might enjoy based on their purchase history.
Email marketing is an important tool for businesses, but only if you know how to use it. A single email with a cold sales pitch isn’t likely to achieve high conversion rates. Instead, create a sales funnel to move your leads through until they’re ready to buy a product. Use the ideas in this article to create an email funnel that’s successful and gets more customers for your business.