Today's guest blog is by Phil Hollows, the Founder and CEO of FeedBlitz, the email and social media automation service and premium FeedBurner alternative. He’s also the author of “List Building for Bloggers” – the leading book on email marketing and social media for people like us. See how to set up email services on FeedBlitz and follow Phil on Twitter.
Who, you? Neglectful? No, way!
Surely I’m talking about that other guy down the street. You take great care of your clients, your art and your business. Right? What could you possibly be neglecting?
You see, while we’re all busy worrying about blog posts and Facebook and Twitter, you’re probably neglecting your site’s most important asset – its email subscribers.
You’re not alone – tens of thousands of other bloggers, businesses and enthusiasts are making the same mistake right now. Tools, themes and widgets have enabled us all to become accidental email marketers, letting a fabulous resource go to waste.
The good news is, with a little work, you can make a huge difference to how quickly your list grows, how well subscribers engage, and – ultimately – into building your business through repeat sales and referrals.
Why? Because becoming an email subscriber is work. Squiggly letters to sign up. Dual opt in. Because of this work, though, these people are really committed to you. They loved what you say enough to put themselves through this process just so that they can hear from you again – what a compliment!
So don’t neglect them. Here are a few core tips, taken from my book “List Building for Bloggers” (use the code TIFFINBOX at check out for a 40% discount) that you can put into place right now:
1. Put your email subscription form above the fold.
2. Have exactly one email subscription form; choices can confuse.
3. Incentivize visitors with a reason to sign up.
4. Deliver that reward when they do using a custom landing page or autoresponder.
5. Brand your mailings so they stick in readers minds.
6. Subscribe to your own mailings so you get the real subscriber experience.
Once your list is growing and becoming more engaged, it can be used to help reward your most committed readers. A Facebook “like” is an air kiss – casual, with no commitment. An email subscriber’s commitment gets your foot in the door. Give them the same focus and attention they’ve shown you.
You can use that commitment and that trust. For example, as well as having your content emailed to them from your blog you can:
a. Ask for referrals.
b. Offer exclusive promotions and discounts (especially during quiet times of year)
So go on. Step it up! Stop being an accidental email marketer. Take a little care and take advantage of this powerful, universal medium. You won’t regret it!
So, do you have a list of people to whom you write to regularly? What lessons have you learned from your experience? If you don't have a list, would this blog post motivate you to start one? Let us know!
Remember to use “TIFFINBOX” when you check out List Building For Bloggers and get 40% off!
Latest posts by Phil Hollows (see all)
- Is Benign Neglect Killing Your Business? - June 21, 2011
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