You’ve got an email list. It’s even growing at a steady pace.
Yay you.
You may even have a welcome sequence set up so your new subscribers hear from you over the next few days.
Fantastic.
What happens after that?
(Crickets…)
Yeah, that’s a problem.
You Can’t Ignore Your Email List
Here’s the thing… If you don’t email your subscribers regularly, they forget who you are. They all lead busy lives. Unless you stay in touch, they won’t remember why they subscribed to your list in the first place.
If they don’t remember who you are and you send them a sales email after they haven’t heard from you, they will probably unsubscribe. Worse yet, they may mark your email as junk mail, which can hurt your deliverability.
Having an email list isn’t enough.
You also have to send emails to them on a regular basis so they:
- Know who you are.
- Know why you’re emailing them.
- Look forward to receiving your emails.
Otherwise, you may as well keep your email list on a shelf like a trophy. Because that’s about how much good it will do you.
What is Email Nurturing and Why Does It Matter So Much?
Email nurturing is the process of sending regular emails to your list.
And yes, there is more to it than that.
But that is the basic point of email nurturing. To make sure you stay in regular contact with your email subscribers so they recognize who you are and learn to expect your emails.
Beyond that, there are 3 other excellent reasons to email your subscribers regularly.
1. Educate Your Subscribers About Your Company, Products and Services
If email nurturing is good for anything, it’s good for this.
Your subscribers joined your email list because they wanted to know more about what your company offers.
Tell them.
Share why you started this company and who you set out to serve. This will help them figure out if they’re in the right place and, if they are, make them feel more a part of your community.
Talk about the products or services you’re currently selling and how they can make your subscribers’ lives better. When you do this, don’t just talk about your product. Answer the question your subscribers are asking themselves: What’s In It For Me?
Give your subscribers a sneak peek at what is coming down the pipeline. Get them excited for products or services you have in development. This also makes them feel like they’re part of an exclusive “insiders” group, which can foster more loyalty and encourage them to share with others.
2. Create a Sense of Community
Your email list is essentially a big community.
Yes, I realize they don’t talk directly amongst themselves, like they can in social media groups. And I realize they’re all sitting by themselves while reading your emails.
That doesn’t change the fact that they are your community.
They want to hear from you about your business on a regular basis. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have subscribed to your email list.
These are the people you’ll make your offers to first. Make them feel welcome and get them excited about what you’re doing to help them.
The reason it’s called “email nurturing” is because you’re gradually getting your subscribers ready to make a purchase from you.
It is a process and everyone goes through it at their own pace. Some people may be so excited by what you’re doing, or their pain point is so great that they’ll become a customer right away.
Others could take weeks, months, or even years to say yes to a product offer, because they’re not ready yet.
The whole point of email nurturing is to create your own steady flow of new customers and encourage your current customers to keep buying.
Creating a community where everyone feels welcome is a big step toward making that happen.
3. Keep Your Company Top of Mind
As mentioned earlier, some people may convert right away, others may take their own sweet time.
Emailing your list regularly means you become a touchpoint in their lives.
Every time they open an email from you, you’re connecting with them. Every time they have a problem your product or service can solve, that product or service will be on top of their list of solutions, because they’re already familiar with it.
This also extends to every time they have a friend or family member who has a problem your product or service can solve. For you, this can be a continuing source of new customers, so keep that in mind as well.
Why Is Sending an Email More Powerful Than Connecting on Social Media?
“Email is Dead!”
I can’t tell you how often I’ve heard this.
No. Email is not dead. It’s not even badly wounded.
Email is alive, kicking and should absolutely be a major part of your marketing plan.
“What’s wrong with connecting on social media?” I hear you ask.
Nothing. Social media is great.
It’s also overrun with other people who are doing the same thing you are, trying to get eyeballs on their ads, groups, messages, announcements, etc.
You are one tiny drop in a sea of information on a social media platform.
Social media is also not under your control.
Social media companies fail on a regular basis. They close down unexpectedly, taking all of your precious followers with them. That puts you back at square one, having to rebuild your list on another social media platform and hoping against hope that you can get them all to come back.
Social media can also close your account for violations of their policies, or because they feel like it. It’s their playground, you have to abide by their rules.
Having someone’s email address is a direct channel to their inbox.
It’s the same as someone giving you their physical address and welcoming you into their home for a cup of tea.
Or it can be, if you do it right.
If you follow these simple rules, you’ll always be welcome in your subscribers’ inboxes and your emails will be opened regularly.
Give More Than You Get
I talked earlier about how your email list can be a chance to educate your subscribers about your products or services.
That doesn’t give you license to just talk about YOU and what YOU do (or what your products and services do.)
Instead, talk about THEM.
Show your subscribers living the lives they truly want to live, using your products and services.
Give your subscribers information that will help them move forward in their own journeys, with or without your products or services.
Always, always make it about your subscribers and how they will benefit, even if you’re telling a silly story about your kid’s little league game and the lessons learned from that.
By giving more than expected and not constantly pounding on your sales message, you’re building trust and confidence in your company and your product or service.
By the way, you can sell in every email and still do everything I mentioned above.
Be Yourself
Write from your heart and share your passion for what you do.
You’re here because you want to help people, right? That’s the whole point of your business!
If the only reason you’re writing to your subscribers is because you want to make money, that will come through. More importantly, it will turn them off and they’ll unsubscribe.
Instead, talk about why you do what you do. Show your personality. Let them get to know you. If you’ve got other members of your company, highlight them too.
Let your subscribers see that your company is run by real people who care about them.
On that real people front, share stories about your kid’s little league game and the lesson you both learned. Tell people about the cool thing you saw over the weekend. Share information about the conference you went to. Share pictures of your family.
(I share pictures of my cat all the time. It helps that he’s so darn cute!)
This builds trust and confidence in your company and your subscribers’ eventual or current choice to buy from you.
Don’t Use Your Email List as a Booty Call!
If you take nothing else away from this blog post, please make it this statement.
Seriously!
I have a personal pet peeve about companies that constantly send emails that only tell me to buy stuff. Especially if it’s just after I’ve ordered something, but before I’ve received the product.
I’m also highly annoyed by the companies that only email when they’re launching a new product or having a sale.
It’s like dealing with that relative whom you may love very much, but you know every phone call or message will involve asking for money.
Who wants to deal with that nonsense?
The reason email nurturing is important, the reason you want to build this relationship with your subscribers, is so you don’t come off as a money-grabbing, annoying business who only wants to sell stuff.
Instead, you want to be that wonderful, thoughtful business who gives more than they ask for and provides real solutions to everyday problems your subscribers are having.
Again, this will ultimately result in more customers spending more money and telling more of their friends and family about you.
How Often Should You Email Your List?
That depends on you.
Not everyone has the bandwidth to email every day, though that is a good process if you can.
Once a week is a good cadence for most businesses. That should pick up if you’re doing a launch.
Once every 2 weeks can also work, again depending on you as well as what you’re selling/writing about. If your email list is more about sharing information and not as much about sales, this is probably a good choice.
I used to email every weekday. Now I email twice a week, partially because I want to spend more time on these blog posts so you’re getting great information in long-form as well as short-form.
Once a month is the absolute bare minimum you can get away with.
I will repeat, people are forgetful. If they don’t hear from you regularly, they won’t remember why they subscribed to your list and they’ll unsubscribe and/or mark your emails as junk.
“But I Have No Idea What to Say…”
I’m so glad you mentioned that!
This is a common problem. Being inspired every day, every week, even every month can be tough, especially if you’re busy running your company.
What’s more, you probably feel like you have no idea what to say because you have no idea what your subscribers would want to read.
I’m going to reveal a strange but interesting secret.
Your subscribers have a nurture email “Type” they’re most likely to open, read, and buy from.
Once you know your subscribers’ Nurture Email Type, it’s just a matter of plugging information from your business into an easy-to-follow formula and writing emails becomes a breeze. You’ll be able to knock out an email in 30 minutes and get back to doing what you love, running your business.
Discover your subscribers’ Nurture Email Type when you take my free, 60-second quiz. Just click on the button below and you’ll find out how simple writing emails can be once you know this secret.