Your email copy has everything good copy should have. Sentences are well written, subject lines are catchy, and the call to action is perfect. Yet you know you have to be making some email marketing mistakes, because your perfect copy still isn’t converting.
You’re right. There are any number of mistakes you are making. The most probable one is list abuse.
“Thank you for welcoming me. My name is Alyson. I am a reformed list abuser. Here is my confession.”
Irregular emails
Not constantly reaching out to your customers is one of the biggest email marketing mistakes I see most online business owners make. It was by far one of my greatest mistakes.
Business owners get so caught up in the day to day running of their operations, they forget to check in with customers. And do you know who hasn’t forgotten about the customer? Your competitor.
Sometimes all you need is a message that reminds people “I know you're there. Thanks for being with me. Here's something of value for you.”
The reason we neglect to do this is simple. We don’t think it’s necessary or beneficial.
If you’re saying, “Alyson, no, I know it's worth it. I know it's a priority,” why aren’t you doing it?
The harsh truth is if you thought that taking care of your email list was a priority, you would take care of them.
Chasing new leads instead of the old
A lot of times we prioritize making sure we post on social media all the shiny objects in our business.
I remember seeing so many people excited about the new clubhouse app on social media last year. I'm of course slightly salty about it, because I'm an Android user. But that’s beside the point.
Businesses were so excited to get their audience up and running on clubhouse. I always wondered how many of those people weren't messaging their list or getting connected to their list in the right way, while chasing the new shiny thing?
If they were not, that right there is list abuse.
Imagine trying to find new sources of leads, while ignoring the ones you already have.
Firstly, that makes no financial sense. Ignoring people who are either already interested in your product, or have bought from you in the past is beyond self sabotage.
Second, it’s abusive to your current list. I don’t know about you, but I would be annoyed if my favorite brand was putting so much effort into getting new customers, while we loyal clients remained ignored.
More importantly, however, what makes you think those new leads will be any more beneficial to you than your old leads?
What you are in fact doing is creating an unhealthy cycle:
- Get new leads.
- Ignore the leads after the campaign is over.
- Discover your list is not responsive when you finally need them.
- Go off looking for new leads again.
- And the abuse cycle continues.
Trust me, I use to be that guy. You so don’t want to be that guy.
Unresponsive list
“Oh, my people! My list just doesn't respond. They don't read or click my stuff.”
That is no doubt the cry of many business owners. The reason, however, is simple. It's because you've allowed them to fall out of favor with you.
You've allowed them to get cold.
Our job as marketers is to get a new lead. Then we immediately engage that lead.
We develop a relationship with that lead, and get that lead to warm up to the point where they're ready to make a buying decision.
Hopefully that buying decision is with us.
If we ignore them, what makes us think that they would want anything to do with us, especially where their hard-earned cash is concerned? We haven't shown them that we have their best interests at heart after all.
If you want to make a new friend, you don't say “Hey, I'm Alyson. Let's be friends,” and then proceed to never talk to them again.
No. You make small talk and maybe even invite them for a drink.
After that, you can't go, “hey, we went and got a drink. We're friends. Mission accomplished. I don't have to talk to them anymore.”
No. That simply makes you that weird person that took me out for a drink one time, and then ignored me for the rest of my life.
Yet that’s what many marketers are doing. As soon as the sale is made, the customer is history.
Until the marketer needs them to whip out their bank cards again that is.
You can stop these email marketing mistakes today
I’m not judging you from some lofty position of superiority. I’ve made these email marketing mistakes too.
I eventually realized maintaining my list has to be a priority. It has to start with the way we think about it.
If it's not as exciting as all of the other things that you could be doing in your business, you won't take care of your list. It'll be an afterthought.
Even worse than an after thought, your list will become a bunch of people you only turn to when you want something.
I hope you know that is not how relationships work. Whether they are platonic or like in this case, transactional, that is not how relationships work at all.
Relationships are a give and take. Nothing screams take, take, and take more than reaching out when you only want people’s money. You really can’t expect people will continue to allow you to take from them without giving.
It feels good when we notice someone cares and understands us. Here is an article I wrote on connecting with your customers.
The take-without-giving approach might work a couple of times. It might even delude you into thinking list abuse is okay. After all, you are only emailing people once in four months, yet they still turn up to your webinar.
That’s neither sustainable nor scalable. It will ultimately backfire when someone better than you comes along in those four silent months.
It will take effort from you, but these email marketing mistakes are avoidable.
You can stop being a list abuser today.
What email marketing questions can I answer for you? I’m all ears! Comment below and let's talk about it.
