Tag Archive for: Email Automation

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Why Email Marketing in 2024 is More Important for Business Growth Than Ever

Email Marketing Tips for Small Business - Done Digital Brisbane Web DesignDone Digital

Recently, I had a conversation with the owner of an eyelash extensions salon in Sydney who asked me for the best ways to market her business. But when I mentioned email marketing as a strategy, she looked at me stunned. “Aren’t emails dead?”, she asked.

The answer is, far from it! To this day, email marketing remains one of the most effective (and profitable) ways to reach your target audience. In fact, it’s never been more important for small business owners to focus on building their email marketing list than in 2024. Here are 5 reasons why.

1. You Own The Data And Stay in Control

Many business owners are under the impression that a Facebook or Instagram page is enough nowadays as a marketing strategy. And while I agree that they provide a fantastic opportunity to grow your audience, no business should solely rely on social media.

Facebook has already made drastic changes to the way your content is distributed. Have you noticed that your reach has decreased significantly over the last few years? Even if your page has thousands of foCustomerllowers, that doesn’t mean you can reach them. Only about 5-10% will actually see your posts.

The reason is that Facebook and Instagram are in the business of advertising. So, if you operate a business page, of course they want you to pay for your content to reach more people. That means it’s really out of your control.

As a business owner, you always want to minimise risks and putting too much power in the hand of social media companies is a risky move. Your email list, however, is completely owned by you, not Meta.

2. Email Marketing Delivers Personalised Experiences

One of the biggest benefits of email marketing is that it allows you to create personalised customer journeys. When you send an email to your list, you’re not just reaching out to everyone on that list – you’re targeting each contact personally. This means that you can connect with your customers on a more personal level, creating a stronger connection and building trust.

Think about it this way: If a business sends you an email and all they say is, “Hey, thanks for subscribing!” – chances are that you find it rather impersonal. But if they send you an email that’s personalised and tailored specifically to your interests, then you’re much more likely to read and respond.

Especially in small businesses, this can have a huge effect on how their business is perceived. Making use of email automation is very much like cloning yourself multiple times. You can send all your leads and customers the right message at the right time. And in marketing, timing is everything.

3. Email Marketing Allows You to Build Long-Term Relationships with Customers

Another great benefit of email marketing is that it can be used to establish long-term relationships with your customers. This builds trust and keeps your customers coming back – which is essential for small businesses on a budget.

Email is the ideal medium to onboard new customers using a series of short messages to introduce them to your services, your team and all the other benefits your business provides. It’s also a great way to introduce existing customers to products and services they haven’t tried before. This will also increase your chances of building repeat business, improving retention – like we did for this Brisbane Dance Studio – and increasing your overall sales.

4. Email Marketing Can Be Used To Drive Traffic To Your Website (Or Wherever You Want It)

One of the best ways to drive traffic to your website is through email marketing. Having people join your mailing list, means you can reach out to them again and again at virtually no cost. This means that you can send them new content and updates regularly, driving traffic back to your website, to specific offers, to your other social media channels and more.

Moreover, it allows you to invite customers to leave a review for your business on Google and Facebook, which is a fantastic way to enhance your reputation online and improve your Google rankings.

With all these benefits, email marketing should no longer be an option, but an absolute must-have for any small business owner who is serious about growing their business.

5. Your Email Marketing Strategy Can Be Fully Automated

To me, the real benefit of implementing an email marketing strategy is that it can be completely automated using tools like Clixio, ActiveCampaign or Mailchimp. That means it’s not another thing you, as the business owner, have to manage or worry about. It’s something you can set and forget.

Marketing automation is often overlooked and undervalued.

As a marketing consultant, I help business owners all over Australia implement effective, fully automated marketing strategies that free up their time, budget and headspace.

If you would like to have a chat about your business and how we can use email marketing and other automation tools to help you scale, click here to book a free strategy call with me today.

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3 Tips On How To Make Email Automation A More Human Experience

3 Tips On How To Make Email Automation A More Human ExperienceDone Digital

The words ‘personal’ and ‘automation’, like day and night, couldn’t be any more contrary. So, when suggesting to clients that we should use email automation to communicate with their customers, they often get a little confused. Every day our inboxes are flooded with promotional offers and impersonal emails from big corporations. Part of my job is to make customer experiences more personal and human, and email automation software, like Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign and Ontraport are the perfect tools to do just that.

Here are 3 things you can do today to make emailing your customers more personal and gain valuable insights, all while freeing up more of your busy time.

1. Send a ‘personal’ follow-up email

Your customers might opt-in for your newsletter, download a lead magnet, or purchase a product or service. They then usually receive an automated confirmation e-mail to thank them for taking action. One powerful way to make email automation more personal and human is to send them a ‘personal’ follow-up email shortly after the initial confirmation email. The amount of people who reply to this email is phenomenal and many will even thank you for the warm and personal welcome. I usually send this about an hour after the confirmation email.

Real World Example:



“Hi, [Customer First Name],

 my name is David, digital marketing consultant here at Done Digital. 



I noticed that you just downloaded our free e-book and thought I quickly reach out to say hi and introduce myself. If you have any questions regarding the ebook, or in general, I’m always just an email away. :)



Would you be open to sharing some of the challenges you currently face in your business when it comes to marketing, [Customer First Name]? Have you got any specific goals that you looking to achieve in the coming months?



I look forward to hearing from you,



Kind regards,


David”



Tip: Keep the email in plain text (no branding or template) so it actually looks like you just sent it. Insert your email signature at the bottom of the email, just the way you normally would. You might want to restrict send times for this email to business hours, so customers don’t receive a personal email from you at 3am – unless that’s part of the image that you are trying to convey.

 




2. Collect customer data & actually use it

Many businesses collect customer data but never actually make good use of it. Over time, you might collect a number of details about your leads or customers, such as their name, gender, location, birthday, interests, and what products they purchased. This is all data you can use to make your customer experience more personal.

 As a service-based business, you might have a range of services that you offer. Send customers a different series of emails, depending on the service they signed up for. As a gym or yoga studio, you might have a 30-day introductory offer. Design an email sequence that helps people get the most out of their first month with you. Make them feel welcome, educate and inspire them. They are much more likely to stay if you nurture them and deliver a personal experience. Make sure to ask questions to find out where your customers might need some help or what they particularly like about your service. Asking for feedback will not only create rapport with your customers but help you improve your business significantly along the way.

Real World Example:



“Hi [Customer First Name],



it’s already been a week since you signed up for our 30-day intro offer. How are you going so far?

 Have you already had some minor (or major) successes that you are happy to share with me? Or is there anything that you might need help with? Maybe motivation, a nutrition plan, or advice with certain exercises? 

You can always contact me or have a chat with one of our personal trainers. We want to make sure  you get the most out of your 30 days.



Also, how is the time table working out for you? We are always trying to improve and increase the number of classes we offer. Are there certain times during the week that would suit you better?



Look forward to hearing from you, [Customer First Name].



Warm Regards,


[Gym Owner Name]”

 




3. Ask good questions in your email automation sequences

Asking good questions in your emails will give customers the opportunity to respond, thus deepening relationships and building rapport. Most businesses make the mistake to only talk about themselves and their product features. Asking good questions shows that you care about your customers and puts the focus on them. It’s only when we ask questions that we can learn about our customers and use this information to develop better products and services.

Here are some questions that you might want to start asking in your email automation sequences:

•    “What are some of the challenges you are currently facing and how could we be of help?”
    •    “Is there anything about our product/service you think we can improve?”
    •    “What do you like the most about our product/service?”
    •    “Who would you recommend our product/service to?”


Tip: Restrict each email to a maximum of one or two questions. Asking too many questions at once will put off customers, rather than encourage them to reply to your message.

After all, knowing what truly matters to our customers helps us to contribute in more meaningful ways and make the world a little better. One email at a time.

What’s your experience with email automation (good or bad)? Have you sent emails to your customers that performed really well? What are your thoughts about email automation? Let me know in the comments below. I’ll be happy to answer any questions you might have.

If you are ready to transform your marketing and take your business to the next level, check out my 90-Day Marketing Transformation. I might be the guy who can help you.

 

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