People often tell me, “I don’t like to send email out more than once a month. I don’t want to bother people.”
Right there is the problem with 95% of all email marketing. If your emails are “bothering” people, then you shouldn’t be sending them.
Anytime.
Ever.
Period.
I call this aversion to sending emails Email Bothering Syndrome (EBS).
EBS has two primary causes.
A Lack of Confidence in Selling
Many business owners have a real problem with self-worth and the worth of their product/service. You can see it in how they price their products or present their sales pitch.
Most of the time this is a complete fabrication in between your ears. Head Trash plain and simple.
If you’ve ever made a sale, someone believed in you and your product enough to lay down their hard-earned money. And once you’ve made that first sale, your myth is busted. Yet many folks still cling to the believe that they shouldn’t “push their product” on anyone.
If you have the perfect product or service for your customer, why wouldn’t you want to shake them by the lapels and scream “I CAN HELP YOU!”
Leave the money out of the equation for just a moment. If you could help your clients for free, would you? Do you feel that strongly about your product that you would help them for free?
If you do, then why don’t you feel confident enough to ask for the sale? You’re only trying to help improve their circumstance.
Maybe, like many owners, you’re fine in the real world but can’t make the jump to email marketing.
The problem when it comes to email marketing, is many people try to do it in a way that is not authentic to them. Of course you’re going to resist if you’re fighting against your core beliefs.
I write email campaigns for many people. Every once in a while, someone is uncomfortable with what I have written. Now, I see my job as partly to push business owners outside their comfort zone. After all, they hired me for a reason. Their marketing hasn’t been working.
But I also understand that everyone is different. Some people aren’t comfortable with blowing their own horn. I get it.
In those cases, it’s my job to either make them feel comfortable or re-write the email to accommodate their personality.
But there is always a way to get the message out to your prospective clients in a way that fits you.
Missing an important step in the email process
The other cause for EBS is skipping an important question before they hit send.
“Will Anyone Care?”
Too many businesses are obsessed with what they THINK customers should know about. If your email contains any of the following words then you’re focusing on the wrong things…
I
We
Us
Me
Our
Unless you’re using the phrase “I Recommend,” then these pronouns should never enter your emails.
Your customers want to know how you can improve their situation. Not how wonderful you are. If you really are wonderful they’ll figure it out. If you’re not…they know that too.
Focus your emails on your clients, not you.
What are their top questions? What do they need to know before they can buy? Why do your best customers buy from you?
These are all great topics for your email. Not what award you won last week.
Before you hit send, ask yourself “will anyone care?” If you can’t honestly answer yes, then it’s time for a rewrite.
So how often should you send an email?
As often as you can provide relevant, entertaining content.
