Types of Email Campaigns
Lately, I've been talking extensively about email marketing and why I love it. Not only is it great at driving sales, but unlike social platforms, you maintain complete control and ownership.
1. No one can ever take your list from you – unlike social media pages that can be shut down or hacked anytime.
2. You can email anytime you want, with average open rates of 30-40% compared to social media posts, which have an average reach rate of less than 10%
That's not to say that other channels don't deliver significant benefits—I think social media is KING for advertising—but email marketing allows you to build and nurture long-term relationships on your terms.
Need more proof of the power of email? Here are some fun facts about email marketing:
89% of marketers use email as their primary channel to generate leads
It has the highest ROI of any form of digital marketing at 3600%
72% of customers prefer email to be the main channel of communication from a brand
Sending 9-16 emails per month yielded the HIGHEST ROI
82% of marketers use email marketing campaigns
4 out of 5 marketers said they'd rather give up social media than email marketing
TRUTH: Most businesses don't engage with their email list as often as they should.
REASON: They don't want to be intrusive and struggle with what to say.
Many small business owners lack the time and resources to plan, create, and consistently send high-quality emails. Email is an awesome tool for achieving your business objectives, and it begins with choosing the right type of campaign. But what is an email campaign?
"A planned series of emails sent to a group of people with a specific goal, such as promoting a product or service, sharing valuable content, nurturing leads, or building relationships with subscribers. It's a strategic way for businesses to communicate with their audience via email, delivering targeted messages to achieve desired outcomes like sales, engagement, or brand awareness."
Where should you start? There are many types of campaigns to consider, and they all serve a different purpose for your business. Each can be incredibly valuable, depending on your objective. Let's explore some of the email campaigns most popular for service-based companies.
Welcome Email
Objective: Introduce new subscribers to your brand
When someone joins your email list by signing up, making a purchase, or interacting in some way, they should receive a welcome email. This is their first interaction with your brand, so you want it to be GOOD. You want to be short and to the point (the ideal length for an email is 200 words) while letting new subscribers know what to expect—i.e., how often they will hear from you. Make sure the email embodies your brand's voice:
Are you fun & playful?
Do you provide value and educate?
Are you to the point and direct?
Autoresponder Email Sequence
Objective: Convert cold leads to warm leads
Once someone has signed up for your email list, you send your welcome email, the first in a series of automated emails sent to new subscribers. In this email sequence (I always suggest a minimum of five), you're warming up cold leads. The goal is to get them to take some sort of action by the last email. If you're a service-based business, this is likely scheduling a call to learn more about your services.
I like my autoresponder sequence to focus on a variety of topics (but only cover ONE topic per email), including:
The problem your ideal customers face and your solution
A testimonial from a past client
Addressing one of your ideal client's main objections
How your service differs from past services they've tried
Newsletter
Objective: Inform, engage, and connect with your subscribers regularly
I have mixed feelings about the newsletter. It breaks my cardinal rule of sending emails focusing on your ideal clients and their problems. The newsletter is generally about you and your business. But I've been receiving some pretty great newsletters lately that show the service provider's work but frame it from the perspective of how their work solved their client's problem.
Newsletters can be great as a way to promote examples of your work. Just be cautious of being overindulgent and boastful. If you keep your client and their needs at the center of each article in your newsletter, you'll avoid the "it's all about me" pitfall!
Sales Campaign
Objective: Drive revenue, fill need periods, introduce new products/services
This is where the power of email marketing truly comes to life. Whether promoting a new service, seasonal offer, or special incentive during a need period, sales emails are a great way to re-engage past customers, target prospective customers, and drive sales.
The CTA in a sales campaign is key to closing a sale. It's usually clear and direct, prompting the recipient to purchase, sign up for a service, or take another action leading to a sale. And consider making it time-bound to generate a sense of urgency.
Nurture Campaign
Objective: Build trust, provide value
These campaigns are designed to build and maintain relationships with leads or prospects over time, guiding them through the customer journey and nurturing them until they're ready to purchase.
These emails focus more on providing valuable information and educational content and building trust with the recipient. They may include tips, guides, case studies, and other resources relevant to the recipient's interests or pain points.
Email campaigns serve many purposes for a business and, when done correctly and consistently, result in increased loyalty, referrals, and revenue. Worry less about what campaign to use; just focus on engaging with your audience. If you're sincere and deliver valuable information that helps them, chances are you'll be ahead of your competitors.
