Hi there,
It's Sue and thanks for joining me for Tips and Talk
Day. These are bite sized topics that I pull from community
questions and things that I'm observing in the world of handmade
small business.
If you'd like to submit a topic,
DME over on Instagram at Gift Biz Unwrapped.
Before we get started,
I'm gonna share a secret with you.
One of my superpowers is the ability to get an enormous
number of tasks and projects done each and every week.
I easily meet deadlines,
rarely forget to do something,
and know at the start of each day what needs priority,
attention and action type A personality.
Yes, and a follow through on the Kobe assessment,
which should have given me the clue,
but it wasn't until people started commenting to me that I
realized not everyone naturally knows how to do this.
It's the biggest single contributor to the growth I always see
in my businesses without spending hours and hours working either.
It's about focus and doing the right things efficiently.
Prompted by all the questions on how I do this,
I went about finding a way to help you perform at
a higher level too.
I analyzed my methods and formalized my process,
which is one many of my coaching clients.
Now, also follow.
You can use it too.
It's all part of a tool called the Inspired Daily Planner,
made specifically for gifters,
bakers, crafters,
and makers.
Make no mistake,
this is not your ordinary planner.
First off,
it comes with a video explaining my productivity strategy and the
physical planner isn't dated,
so you can start using it the second it arrives at
your doorstep,
and that's not all included for each day is a motivational
or business building tip and plenty of space to capture and
book in time for to-dos scheduled appointments and all those ideas
that are now getting lost.
You can watch the video for free and then get your
inspired daily planner@giftbizunwrapped.com
slash inspired.
There's more to this email thing than just sending them out
regularly, you know,
although that is the first step,
meaning actually working your list,
collecting emails wherever you can,
committing to a consistent schedule than writing and sending them out.
If this is where you're at High five,
because you are already ahead of 90% of people who are
still thinking about doing this or dabbling in and out on
the email sidelines,
if you haven't gotten started with email already,
seriously, what are you waiting for?
You're leaving money on the table,
struggling with what to say in your emails.
I've got you covered here,
so this can no longer be an excuse,
wink, wink.
Just jump over to my tips and talk episode number 83
today. Let's take email marketing up a notch.
I'm going beyond the basics to help you put even more
power into your email efforts towards that end.
Here are six ways to up level your email game to
start. Give your list a name.
Let's be honest.
Who wants to sign up for yet?
One more newsletter that you already know is gonna be cluttering
your inbox.
Simple newsletter requests worked years ago,
but people are way more savvy now.
Instead of this old approach and term,
give your email list a name that makes those who join.
Feel like they've entered a special and exclusive group.
Explain what they'll get in return for sharing their email with
you, something that's meaningful to them.
Things like exclusive deals.
The first look at new lines or special messages reserved only
for that select group,
this kind of thing.
It's way more tantalizing and you'll get more people to join
than just adding them to your email list.
Then point to,
here's a deliverability tip.
Once someone joins your list,
send them an automated welcome email,
and in that email,
explain to them how often they'll receive communication from you.
Reiterate why they'll want to watch for it.
In other words,
what's in it for them?
And then here's the big thing.
Ask them to reply to that welcome email and answer a
very easy question.
Ask a question like,
Help me out with a little research here.
What's your favorite candle sent?
Something that doesn't require a lot of thought.
Just a press on the reply button and their quick response.
What happens when people reply to your emails is it alerts
your email service provider that this person is interested in receiving
the emails that you send in Gmail,
it helps prevent your emails landing in the promotion folder,
and for all other providers from you hitting the spam box,
bottom line,
your deliverability goes up because if people don't see your email,
they don't even have a chance to open three deliverability is
one thing.
Getting people to actually open your emails is another.
It's unrealistic that every single person you send your message to
will open your emails.
This number of opens is something you can monitor in the
analytics of your email service provider.
It's always the goal to get this higher.
Having said that,
the general range for our industry is an open rate of
six to 26%,
but don't let this discourage you.
Think of your own email habits.
You don't always open emails even from businesses that you love.
I've talked a lot about what to say in emails to
condition your list to want to open.
Again, that's all in tips and talk episode number 83,
But it all starts with,
and this is tip number four and intriguing subject line direction
on this has changed over the years.
Do you remember in the past seeing messages like open before
it's too late or your life will change after you read
this? Or emails with lots of emojis,
exclamation marks,
and full big capital letters.
Remember these?
They were all tactics used at that time to get you
to open the email.
In some cases,
the content didn't even have anything to do with the subject
line. In today's world,
these subject lines will automatically find their way to the spam
folder, so make sure to consciously avoid these things.
So then what is a good subject line?
One that relates to what's actually in the email for one,
and then something that provokes interest and leaves someone wanting to
know and see more.
Hence, the open.
A great way to inspire subject line ideas is to look
at emails coming to you.
There are some in your inbox,
of course,
from businesses you've interacted with lately or have indicated your interest
in them in some way,
but also go into that promotions folder in Gmail.
There is gold there.
I actually make it a habit to look about two or
three times a week in my promotions folder because there are
emails landing there that I want.
Even sliding them over to the primary folder doesn't always do
the trick.
Oh, so frustrating those email goblins.
But this is a fabulous way to see what others are
doing and tweak their ideas to apply to your content and
to your style.
We don't always have to reinvent the wheel,
you know,
we'll be on to number five.
As you get more sophisticated in your email marketing,
it's a great idea to separate your list into different segments.
An obvious one is customers versus prospects.
You can also tag a list for in person,
show attendees,
small business contacts,
past holiday purchasers,
you name it.
One contact can be tagged for multiple lists too.
Of course.
What this allows you to do is speak to these groups
more directly.
An email sent out to an e-commerce customer isn't gonna sit
well if you're talking about seeing them at a live show
this past year,
but directing messages and or offers that align with certain groups
of customers heightens the chance that they'll take you up on
an offer because it relates specifically to them.
You could send out an email to all the people who
purchased over the summer talking about why your fall version is
just what they need as the cold weather approaches because of
the seasonal scent or different ingredients based on dry weather and
perhaps even a special discount code only for that select group,
of course,
including a deadline of when they have to purchase to take
advantage of the offer.
Always, always add a deadline when you do discounts like this.
The point is,
with the list segmenting,
you can tailor your message to that special group and make
it so relevant that they easily know you're their choice for
this purchase.
And number six addresses varying lengths and topics of your emails.
You're gonna love this one.
Your emails don't need to be long.
In fact,
I'd recommend you test out varying lengths to see what your
audience likes the most,
this place to the point that you aren't conditioning them to
know what to expect before they open.
When there are surprises upon opening,
they're more likely to do so each and every time.
So some emails can be longer,
some shorter,
some direct to the point with selling.
Some containing a story or a tip.
If in your business you make candy spice mixes or baked
goods, offer recipes and emails,
that's always a hit.
And one more thing.
Just because you hear something works for someone else,
even if they're in your same industry,
doesn't mean it will necessarily be interesting to your audience.
You need to check things out for your yourself with your
unique group of supporters.
I can't stress enough how important email is to your business.
Those who give you their address are putting trust in you
that you'll provide emails that they want,
and when you do,
they'll return the goodwill with sales and spreading the word about
you and your fabulous products.
Two thumbs up for email.
That's a wrap.
I'm a get to the point kind of girl,
and this is what you can expect from these quick midweek
sessions. Now it's your turn.
Go out and fulfill that dream of yours.
Share your handmade products with us.
We want them,
and they bring us both.
So much happiness.