Get Results From Email Marketing w/ Erik Harbison from AWeber | #073

"Email gets the least amount of credit but does the most work for a business," said this episode's guest, AWeber's Chief Marketing Officer Erik Harbison. And we couldn't have said it better ourselves. You can build and nurture relationships, engage and successfully sell to your audience for next to nothing. Email marketing makes sense. Not using email marketing — well… doesn't.   In this episode, Erik and Adam give a high-level view of email marketing as well as some specific actionable tips you can implement to boost your bottom line and improve your results.   Episode Discussions: What is valuable content? Building trust with your audience How to choose the right email service provider How emails drive sales and ROI Effective email copywriting tips Tools and resources for high-quality emails How often you should be sending emails Email sequences and conditioning subscribers When to keep it short and sweet and when to use long-form Direct selling vs relationship building email strategy The truth behind those massive email ROI statistics Business benefits of email marketing How to structure emails so they get read Deciding price points for products and services using audience feedback Conditioning your audience over time to take action Why you should welcome unsubscribes 4 main levers for max email deliverability and spam triggers   2:27  Erik's story: Has worked at AWeber for the past 4 1/2 years Spent 20 years in digital marketing agencies   3:31  Why you should be using email marketing in your business "Imagine if Facebook and Google disappeared tomorrow, how would you connect with your audience?" Recession-proof channel that enables you to connect with your audience no matter what's happening. One of the most productive channels in generating return on investment for brands, businesses, and marketers. Generate sales from your database in addition to building strong relationships.   5:15  Just how realistic are those massive email ROI statistics?   7:34  How emails drive sales and ROI Build trust and nurture relationships with your audience by providing valuable content, allowing you to ask for the sale later.   10:19  Direct approach to sales Comes down to the context of the ask.  If the sent email asks for a sale, the audience has already exchanged dollars prior to the email being sent.   10:54  Relationship first approach Look for feedback Include direct links to surveys Promote complementary tools Ask might occur in the first link in email or in the P.S. Find which resonates with you most.   12:40  Deciding price points for products and services using audience feedback.   14:04  Email copywriting tips Write like you're writing to one person. Focus on their needs and the "you" and "your." Use personalization beyond the subject line and weave into the body content. Focus on the benefits of what you're offering as opposed to features (outcomes, pains, pleasures, emotional benefits).   17:36 Short simple vs long-form Depends on context. Challenge yourself to write a longer-form storytelling email about something important to your audience. Break up walls of text into shorter digestible sentences.   19:11  Email sequences and conditioning subscribers If you're just getting started or just launched a product: Cadence should be more frequent in the beginning and trail off over time. Every other day for the first week and every 3rd or 4th day after the week. Provide great content. Subscribers won't realize you're conditioning them to look for your email in their inbox.   Established brands or marketers Focus on consistency. Pick the day that you'll condition your audience to expect your emails. This helps increase open rates and engagement.   21:24  Test your market Ask your audience for feedback about email frequency then give them what they want.   23:34  4 main levers for email deliverability Spam triggers: erratic volume, spam complaints, dragging email directly into the trash without opening. Set the right expectations. Choose the right ESP (email service provider) for your business and make sure it has strong reputations with all ISP's (internet service providers) Prompt your audience to whitelist your emails. Make sure you have the right subscribers on your list by doing your due diligence. "One of our philosophies is that an unsubscribe is much better than a spam complaint." 27:59  The importance of cleaning your list.   29:12  Tools and resources Getting started: Write down the top 5 qualities most important to you in an ESP and research them.  (Hint: check out their Twitter feeds) For transparent reviews: Email Vendor Selection, G2 Crowd Preview your email before you send it: Litmus Editing: Grammarly and Hemmingway Health check your emails: Sender Score and Kickbox.io to check for hard bounces and soft bounces.   33:14  "Don't underestimate the power of asking your audience for feedback."   Know anyone who could benefit from this episode? Please feel free to share! Connect with Erik: Email: [email protected] Twitter: @ErikHarbison LinkedIn   Mentioned in this episode: G2 Crowd Litmus Grammarly Hemmingway Email Vendor Selection Sender Score Kickbox.io   Click here to subscribe via iTunes Modern Marketing on Stitcher Modern Marketing on Pocket Casts