Welcome auto-responders need a goal. This initial series of emails need to work together towards one purpose.
I used to take the “I can outrun them” approach. Rush to set up an optin and write an email to deliver the lead magnet. Then a week later write another email and set it up. Then a few days later write another email. And so on. Until I had a series of emails that made absolutely no sense when read together. Guess what? They never converted. Heck, they didn’t even get read.
Problem number one – I had no plan. I didn’t know where the hell I was going. Just get in the car and drive. While that can be fun and lead to some adventures, it’s not very effective.
Problem number two – I wasn’t cementing the relationship. Time kills deals. By waiting three weeks to get them three emails I wasn’t allowing people who needed an immediate solution to get there fast enough.
Problem number three – I wasn’t presenting any call to action. I was just “giving value.” Value is great and I needed to offer it, but if they were impressed by my value, what should they do next? Just keep reading emails?
Today I do it differently. I use a system I call the Triple Loop. It’s a series of five emails that together tell one story and lead the prospect to take one action.
It’s certainly not the only way to approach it. But bottom line – plan them out. Don’t just let them happen.