SETTING UP EMAIL SERVICE USING AWEBER
Why Email for a Handmade Business
- Reach a wider audience while keeping costs down - Email is a relatively inexpensive way to stay in touch with your customers and potential customers.
- It’s a professional way to educate followers and buyers about your brand.
- 72% of buyers prefer to receive promotional messages through email.
- It’s convenient - Not only can buyers stay connected with their favorite brands wherever they are, but they can easily redeem any coupon codes or other special offers right from their phone.
- It’s a more personal way to engage - Today’s shoppers are bombarded with marketing messages, and they tend to respond best to those that are personalized and relevant. With a marketing strategy, you can personalize your messages and content based on the subscribers preferences and buying patterns.
- It’s instant - Shoppers like the ability to get information about exclusive offers and last minute deals. Sending email campaigns allows your small business to instantly and directly get the word out about these sales and promotions so that your buyers can take advantage of the opportunity to save.
- You have a better chance of having a shopper see your email than you do a social media post.
- You own your email list - Let’s say your Facebook page gets shut down, you can still stay in contact with your followers and buyers, letting them know where they can find you again on another social media platform.
- Email is action oriented - Whether you realize it or not, everybody is trained to do something with an email -reply, forward, click-through, sign-up, or even straight buying. Email is transactional by nature and you can use it to direct traffic to your website and ultimately drive sales.
- It’s measurable - There’s no guesswork in email marketing. When you use any email marketing software, you can track who opened your email, which links were clicked, which converted a sale, and how many people unsubscribed. You can easily get a picture of how
your email campaigns are performing, make adjustments and improve your effectiveness.
Determine Your Email Opt in
To determine your email opt in idea, you first need to understand who your customers are and what problems they have that you can solve for them. Your goal is to build a relationship with potential customers in order to get them to know, like and trust you so that you can sell to them later down the road.
If you've not reviewed the training on determining your Ideal Customer Profile, do so here in the portal. Everything you do in your online business should be geared around your ideal customer profile. If we sell the same products, we will still have different customers, so knowing yours is important. Once you understand the people you serve, the easier it is to serve them.
Watch this video to help you brainstorm ideas. If you have questions about this or you’re not sure about choosing an idea for your audience, ask us in the Facebook group.
Your Opt-In Email Sequence
WHAT IS AN EMAIL SEQUENCE
An email sequence, also called campaign, is a series of 3-5 emails you send to someone who opts into your email list. How many you send will be up to you and your audience.
WHY HAVE AN EMAIL SEQUENCE
An email sequence is a way to develop a relationship with your buyers and help serve them but doing it automatically. Setting up once to auto send to your new email subscribers.
This is your opportunity to develop awareness about your brand and have your audience connect with it on a more personal level and figure out if they want more of it.
SUBJECT LINE
The subject line is the first thing your audience sees before opening the email. It needs to be click worthy. For example, open your emails and look at it. First note, how many emails you receive in a day’s time. If it’s anything like mine, it’s a lot. Now scan the subject lines and ask yourself why do you want to open it?
Notice the use of emojis (www.emojicopy.com), do they help you to notice the email quicker? What about the emotional words used and the cliffhangers (making you want to open)? Most emails I open, entice me of something great on the inside of the email that I don’t want to miss out or peak my curiosity.
TIPS FOR AN EMAIL SEQUENCE
- With every email you send, always keep in mind what problem you solve for your ideal customer.
- People buy from who they know, like and trust so be relatable in your emails. Always ask yourself, “what do I need to say in order to get this person to know, like and trust me more”?
- Write your email sequence in advance before you send it to your audience. You’ll want to map out your ideas, write the emails and schedule them to deliver so many days after a person joins your list. You can use google docs for free that will help you correct grammar or use something like gammarly.com.
- Keep your email sequence evergreen, meaning if you’re writing your sequence in the middle of spring, don’t mention spring because someone may join your list in the middle of fall or Christmas season. Write your emails so that no matter when someone joins your list and receives your sequence, it will be relevant to them during the time they receive. it.
- Always write your email to ONE person. This will develop a more personal relationship with the reader. Most people don’t understand email and that when they join your list, you’ll be emailing hundreds and eventually thousands at a time. So it’s you..not ya’ll.
- Don’t overstress or over think the sequence. It should take you approximately 1-2 hours to write your series. I find it best to write one day, re read and edit the next day, re read and finalize the third day.
- Read your emails out loud. You‘ll be amazed at the typos you find when you vocalize your writings. Write as you speak. In other words, I use contractions...you’ll, I’ll, you’re, etc.
- Write as if a 3rd grader is reading it making it easy to read and informal.
- Do not write in complete paragraphs. Your readers will skim, so lots of white space.
- Keep your emails short!
EXAMPLE OF EMAIL SEQUENCE
Email 1 -
This is your welcome email. Welcome them into your brand and introduce yourself. Give them a seat at your table making them feel special. Explain briefly what you do and how you can help solve their problem.
Don't forget to deliver the freebie. This is the whole reason they joined. To get your coupon or free instructions, so don’t forget to deliver this. This can be uploaded directly to the email or it can be a url link to somewhere else.
Give them an appetizer of what’s to come in the next few days with your other emails in your sequence.. Give cliffhangers so they will hopefully anticipate the next email and are eager to open it.
Email 2 -
Share a story. This could be what one thing happened in your life to get you started on your business journey. What pivotal moment did you realize you will go into business?
You could also develop your email sequence where you give a series of mini stories leading into why you started the business, what you’ve overcome and/or tips to share. Let them know another email is coming and give a call to action.
Email 3 -
Include the next tip or the next series in your story. Remember to make them feel part of the brand. Let them know another email is coming and give a call to action.
Email 4 -
Include the next tip or the next series in your story. Remember to make them feel part of the brand. Let them know another email is coming and give a call to action.
Emails from here on can be added to your regularly scheduled newsletter broadcasts.
IDEAS FOR A SEQUENCE
- What series of expert tips can you share with your ideal customer?
- Answer a series of useful FAQ you get from customers.
- Do you have an interesting story people will be surprised to know about you or your brand? (Example, you give back to charity, you've sold to a movie star, etc.)
EXAMPLES OF CALL TO ACTION
- click to read a blog post,
- ask to leave a comment
- ask for a review,
- ask for opinions,
- ask them to reply back,
- get to join a Facebook group
- click to buy from Etsy shop
Now that you've decided on your Opt-In and you have written your email sequence or follow up emails, the next step is to set up your free Aweber account.
Set Up Email Service
SETUP YOUR AWEBER ACCOUNT
- Create an account
- Enter Your Company Name
- Enter Your Website or Social Media (FB, IG or YT URLs) - if you don't have a website, skip this step.
- Select your Industry
- Enter the postal address associated with your business. This is required by CAN-SPAM law.
- Tell them the number of email subscribers you already have.
- Tell them your goals of growing an audience, selling products and services, sharing content.
- Let them know other third party services you use for business (Facebook, Paypal, etc.)
Create a List
CREATE A LIST
Click lists then Create a List
Complete the Tell Us About Yourself
Enter your Contact Address
Enter your sender name and email
Click Next
Describe Your List. Your list name is for your benefit but subscribers will see your list description when they go to unsubscribe.
Set up the confirmation message sent to subscribers when they are added to your list.
Create Welcome Email Series
CREATE A WELCOME EMAIL SERIES
Write and save a series of emails, welcoming your subscribers to your list, making sure to deliver what you promised in the first email. For most, this first email is a coupon code.
You can also use your email and save it as a template, so that each email looks branded and makes the reader feel comfortable and familiar.
CREATE A WELCOME CAMPAIGN
Creating a welcome campaign is a great way to get subscribers started in your list. You can tailor a welcome message based on how they signed up, then provide more evergreen content to move them through more emails (called a funnel), so they get to know, like and trust you. This video will walk through how to create a welcome campaign in your list, and provide more insight on how it can be utilized.
Create A Landing Page
CREATE A LANDING PAGE
A landing page is a page where people can enter their name and email in order to get your free offer and join your mailing list. In this video, lets walk through how to easily create a landing page, a thank you page and test your new mailing list set up.
With a landing page, you don't need to create dedicated pages on your website to collect subscribers. Instead, you can create landing pages directly with AWeber to start building your list.
Integrate Aweber with Etsy
If you have an Etsy store, you can integrate it with your list by using AWeber's Etsy app. That is a great way to keep in contact with your customers and provide them with follow up email content.
You can automatically add customers to your AWeber account, allowing you to keep in touch with people you know are interested in what you have to offer.
If you plan on sending any additional marketing to those purchasers, be sure to obtain direct consent from the customer beforehand. You can collect that consent by using confirmed opt-in or by stating clearly before the purchase what they will be receiving from you. Your Etsy customers should always be aware that they are being added to your mailing list. Failure to do so would violate Etsy's privacy policy.
What to Write About
MIND MINDING FOR EMAIL TOPICS OR CONTENT
Here’s a great exercise for creating ideas for content or email topics. The more you know your customers and what they need from you, the easier this will be. Learn how to discover your avatar (ideal customer) here.
There are various ways I’ve seen this done, but generally, you take one idea that you have and drill down to break it up into components so:
(a) You have more to talk about
(b) It doesn’t take forever to write an email or blog post because the idea is small and simple
(c) You can link each one together giving you a series
(d) People love your content more and consume it easily because you aren’t throwing all of your genius at them in one fell swoop which is overwhelming.
STEP 1:
Make the easiest “top 10” list you can think of. If that feels like too much, even a top 3 list or a top 5 list will work. Pick something that feels easy and don’t worry if you don’t get all the way to 10.
For example, here’s an idea of a top 10 list for a wreath making business:
10 Places to Decorate Your Home for Easter
- Mantle
- Hearth
- Front Door
- Mailbox
- Table
- Porch
- Bathroom
- Bedroom
- Kitchen
- Stairs
Now it’s your turn! Make the easiest “top 10” list you can think of for your niche on a topic to help solve problems of your customer and where you can show off your products. If 10 feels like too many, even a top 3 list or a top 5 list will work. Pick something that feels easy and again, don’t stress if you think of 10. Remember; your goal is to stay on topic of solving the main problem of your ideal customer. In this example for a wreath making business, this list of ideas for topics would be helping the customer decorate for the holidays and/or feel proud to show off their home.
Now that you have your list, you could stop here and use this list for email content. But what if instead we took the list and mine each item into a micro-idea.
STEP 2:
Continuing with the example above, I’m going to dive into a few items on my top 10 list for micro-ideas below:
Mantle
- How to stage your mantle for Easter using a Wreath
- How to hang an Easter Wreath over your Fireplace
- Draping an Easter Wreath over a large mirror
- How to hang an Easter Garland on your Fireplace
- 3 Tips for decorating your Mantle for Easter using silk flowers
Hearth
- How to stage your hearth for Easter using a wreath
- Creating a festive Easter vignette on a hearth
- Decorating your Hearth with Easter Lanterns
Mailbox
- How to decorate your mailbox for Easter
- How to attach Easter bow to Mailbox
- How to attach Easter swag to Mailbox
- How to attach Mailbox topper to a brick mailbox
Front Door
- Tips for Picking the perfect Easter wreath for your front door
- What size Easter Wreath do you need for a front door
- What color Easter Wreath to use for a black door
- 3 Ways to hang an Easter Wreath on a Door
- Screen Door, No problem We have an Easter Wreath Solution
- Pros and Cons: Oval Wreath or Round Wreath for Easter
Porch
- How to stage your front porch for Easter
- Easter Garland Ideas for your front porch
- Easter Swags, Not your Grandmother’s Wreaths
- Where to place Easter bows on your Porch
- How to attach a garland to brick
Deck
- How to display your Easter decor on a deck
- Decorating your Deck for Easter using bows
- Where to place Easter lanterns on your Deck
- How to spruce up your deck for spring and Easter
- How to hang a wreath on brick (stucco, wood, etc.)
Bathroom
- Where to hang an Easter wreath in a bathroom
- How to hang a small Easter swag on your bathroom mirror
Bedroom
- Top 2 places to hang an Easter wreath in a bedroom
- How to hang a wreath over the bed
- How an Easter garland can enhance your bedroom
Kitchen
- 5 places to hang an Easter wreath in a kitchen
- Ways to hang Easter Wreaths on windows
- Small Easter Wreaths Hung on Kitchen Cabinets
- How to decorate over the Fridge for Easter
- How to decorate over the kitchen cabinets using flowers
- 3 places to use small Easter arrangements in your kitchen
Stairs
- How to use an Easter swag on your staircase
- How an Easter garland can enhance your home
- Small arrangements on your Easter staircase can make your home festive
- Draping your Easter garland to swag on the staircase
- How to attach Garland to a staircase
You may notice when you’re doing this that not all micro-ideas are tightly aligned with your main list item.
You also may notice that some ideas you come up with are not actually that good or not something you’d ever want to write about. THIS IS FINE. Do not stop your flow. It’s part of the process. We’re just trying to get your creative juices flowing, and all juice is good juice!
Do this exercise for any niche and it’s a great way to come up with content for an email campaign. Remember to stay engaged with your email list and email them frequently but always bringing the customer back to your product, your brand and how you can serve them.