How your business can grow its returns with email marketing

How your business can grow its returns with email marketing

Email marketing gives you immediate access to your audience by allowing you to send your content directly to their inboxes, which can lead to increased conversions and brand loyalty.

According to research email marketing has the highest return on investment than any other form of digital marketing.

Here are some best practices for using email marketing in your business:

The first step is to build a list.

You can’t market to anyone if you don’t have their contact information, and the best way to do that is by building an email list.

You want to develop an offering of some form that entices your target market to subscribe to your list. For example; a retail store may offer a discount on their first purchase, and service-based business might offer something that showcases their expertise and gives their audience a sample of how their services will benefit them. Give a solution to the most common problem your target market may have.

Send emails with personalized content that engages your readers.

Personalised content

  • is more effective,
  • helps build a relationship with customers, and
  • helps you stand out from competitors.

Personalised emails are more likely to be read and acted upon by your customers, which can increase customer satisfaction levels if used appropriately.

Automate where possible

When someone signs up to your mailing list, create an automation where you welcome them and introduce your business and services in more detail so they can get to know you.

Some kinds of automation you can also add that have great ROI (return on investment) are

Anniversary or birthday emails – make your audience feel special. Sending a birthday or anniversary email is a wonderful way to make a customer feel special. You can add an incentive for them to buy products as part of their birthday wishes, for example: when they spend $50, they will receive a birthday gift valued at $30.

Abandon Cart or Recovery emails – often people can get distracted on a website and forget to finish their purchases, a simple email saying you held their items for them can see purchases completed.

Some interesting statistics on abandoned cart emails by Moosend

  • A staggering average of 69% of online carts are being abandoned by users 
  • 45% of cart abandonment emails are opened; 21% of all are clicked on, while 50% of the users clicked purchase. 
  • Shipping-related reasons contribute to over 60% of carts being abandoned. 
  • Setting up an automated cart abandonment email is a great way to lower your cart abandonment rates.
  • Offer free shipping to really boost the conversion of your cart abandonment emails.

Perhaps incorporating free shipping more regularly in your marketing offers could be a great conversion for your business, obviously, you would have set guidelines around this such as minimum spend amount, or limited time offer. 

Consistency

Send out a regular newsletter is important, this can be weekly, fortnightly or monthly. Consistency is key. Your target market has given you permission to be able to email them, so don’t allow this opportunity to be missed. Life gets busy, so being consistent is a gentle way of reminding your audience you are still there if they need you!

Content

Make sure your content is valuable to your audience. It’s a privilege that they’ve allowed you to email them directly, so treat them with that same respect. Where possible throughout your content, don’t be afraid to insert their first name.  

When creating your newsletter, create the value of sharing your content and showcasing your expertise.  

Whilst we have AI here to help you along, only YOU can make it a personal experience for your audience. 

Need Help?

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the whole process, then feel free to reach out to me for assistance. Creating opt-in, automations, funnels and newsletters is one of my specialities.

Some wise words for you

David Newman says “Email has an ability many channels don’t: creating valuable, personal touches—at scale.”

Ramsay Leimenstoll says “A small list that wants exactly what you’re offering is better than a bigger list that isn’t committed.”

Ann Handley says “Make the customer the hero of your story”

Karl Murray says “Focus on growing your list all the time as newer subscribers are more engaged, adding to healthier open rates and ROI.”

12 tips to deal with time sensitive tasks

12 tips to deal with time sensitive tasks

Always leaving things to the last minute?
Struggling to meet those time sensitive deadlines?
Sick of sweating over it all?
Constantly wishing you’d organized your sh*t earlier?

Do these questions sound like you?

Time to change.

All successful and strategic businesses are not working in the NOW, they are actually months and some even a year ahead. Whilst we might be in the current year, successful businesses are already working on their products and services for next year.

For most businesses, trying to get ahead isn’t always as easy as it seems. And constantly facing time sensitive deadlines can be a repetitive cycle.

Here are 12 tips for what you can do when trying to meet those time-sensitive deadlines.

  • Backward Planning – Work from your deadline backward to identify how much time you have to get tasks done (realistically).
  • Buffer Time – Bring your internal deadline forward so you can allow more time to review and address any errors or missed components.
  • Break it down – List down all tasks in the project that need to be done.
  • One step at a time – Do not try to do everything at the one time as it will just lead to disaster. You will achieve more and have great progress completing one task at a time.
  • High priorities first – Identify which tasks you have are the highest priorities, and do those ones first.
  • Delegate – Determine what tasks can be delegated or outsourced, so you can focus on the important priorities.
  • Support and Expertise – Bring in support or experts to address key areas outside of your skill set.
  • Communicate – Keep communication strong with your team on what needs to be done and who is responsible for what. Maintain communication throughout the project so everyone is aware of where things are at. Use project management tools such as ASANA, Evernote or Basecamp to have a central communication point.
  • Focus – Focus on one section at a time.
  • Time – Ensure you block out adequate time to complete each task.
  • Commitment – Make sure you have not overcommitted.
  • Feedback – Take the time to get feedback from all those involved, including the client. This will enable you to learn and grow for the next deadlines.

Never be afraid to ask for help when meeting a deadline. You always want to make sure you are delivering to your client’s expectations. And always follow them up to ensure everything they need has been presented and ask if they have any questions for you.

2022 Australian Social Media Calendar Dates

2022 Australian Social Media Calendar Dates

Looking for content ideas for your social media, here are key dates for Australia. 

January – Creativity Month

1: New Year’s Day
2: World Introvert Day
4: Trivia Day
6: Technology Day
10: Houseplant Appreciation Day
10: Cut Your Energy Costs Day
20: Penguin Awareness Day
24: Belly Laughs Day
25: Opposite Day
27: Chocolate Cake Day
28: Data privacy Day
30: Croissant Day

February – Black History Month

1: Lunar New Year
1: Change Your Password Day
2: International Groundhog Day
2: World Wetlands Day
3: International Golden Retriever Day
4: World Cancer Day
6: Frozen Yoghurt Day
9: National Pizza Day
11: Safer Internet Day
14: Donor Day
14: Valentine’s Day
17: Random Acts of Kindness Day
18: National Drink Wine Day
18: Sydney Mardi Gras begins
20: World Day of Social Justice
20: Love Your Pet Day
22: World Thinking Day
22: National Margarita Day
26: Teal Ribbon Day
27: Retro Day
29: Rare Disease Day
29: Leap Year Day

March – Women’s History Month

1: World Compliment Day
3: World Wildlife Day
3: World Book Day
4: Employee Appreciation Day
4: National Grammar Day
6: Clean Up Australia Day
8: International Women’s Day
10: Pack Your Lunch Day
14: Legal Assistance Day
17: St Patrick’s Day
18: World Sleep Day
20: International Day of Happiness
20: World Storytelling Day
21: World Down Syndrome Day
22: World Water Day
26: Purple Day
27: World Theatre Day
26: Earth Hour
27: Neighbour Day
31: International Day of Transgender Visibility

April

1: April Fools Day
2: World Autism Awareness Day
7: World Health Day
10: National Sibling Day
15: Good Friday
17: Easter Sunday
20: Volunteer Recognition Day
21: High Five Day
22: International Mother Earth Day
25: ANZAC Day
27: Marine Mammal Rescue Day
28: Pay it Forward Day

May

1: World Laughter Day
3: World Asthma Day
4: Star Wars Day [May the 4th be with you!]
4: Firefighters Day
24: Starlight Day
8: Mother’s Day
12: Fibromyalgia Awareness Day
15: International Day of Families
17: International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia
18-24: National Volunteer Week
26: National Sorry Day
19: Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea
28: International Hamburger Day

June

1: Global Day of Parents
3: National Donut Day
3: Mabo Day
5: World Environment Day
8: World Oceans Day
14: World Blood Donor Day
18: International Picnic Day
20: World Refugee Day
21: International Yoga Day
21: National Selfie Day
21: World Music Day
27: National Sunglasses Day
30: Social Media Day

July – Plastic Free July

5-12: NAIDOC Week
7: World Chocolate Day
17: World Emoji Day
20: World Jump Day
24: Stress Down Day
30: International Friendship Day

August

1: International Beer Day
7: Genes for Jeans Day
8: International Cat Day
12: International Youth Day
14: Red Nose Day
19: World Humanitarian Day
19: World Photography Day
23: Daffodil Day

September

5: International Day of Charity
6: Father’s Day
8: R U OK? Day10: World Suicide Prevention Day
18-20: Clean up the World Weekend
19: Talk Like a Pirate Day
21: International Day of Peace

October – Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness month

1: International Coffee Day
2: International Day of Non-Violence
4: World Animal Day
5: World Teachers’ Day
6: Instagram’s Birthday
10: World Mental Health Day
10: World Homelessness Day
16: World Food Day
17: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
31: Halloween

November – Movember

1: World Vegan Day
11: Remembrance Day
13: World Kindness Day
14: World Diabetes Day
16: International Day for Tolerance
19: World Toilet Day
20: Universal Children’s Day
20: Transgender Day of Remembrance
25: Black Friday
26: Small Business Saturday
28: Cyber Monday

December

1: World AIDS Day
3: International Day of People with Disabilities
4: World Wildlife Conversation Day
5: International Volunteer Day
10: Human Rights Day
18: International Migrants Day
24: Christmas Eve
25: Christmas
26: Boxing Day
31: New Year’s Eve

How To Create A LinkedIn Newsletter

How To Create A LinkedIn Newsletter

Linkedin introduced in 2021 a new great function to create a newsletter to connect regularly with your target market and connections. In this article, I am going to step you through what to do and how to create a LinkedIn Newsletter. 

Before you start crafting your newsletter, you need to activate your account to creative mode.

Setting your profile to creator mode

To activate your profile to Creator Mode.  

To do this simply,

  1. Log in to your LinkedIn profile
  2. Click on your profile
  3. Scroll down to the Resources section
  4. You will see Creator Mode as the first option, click this to ON.

Setting up your Newsletter

Newsletters are created in LinkedIn via your Write Article post options.

When you are creating it the first time, you will need to set up your Newsletter first.

To do this,

  1. Go to your profile overview feed
  2. Click on Write Article
  3. You will see a button called ‘Create Newsletter’, click this button
  4. Create your Newsletter title (please note you can change this at any time)
  5. Select how often you will publish your newsletter.
  6. Add your newsletter description
  7. Upload an image for your newsletter (would recommend profile headshot for better audience connection)
  8. Make sure have ticked the box for Invite my connections and followers to subscribe, and
  9. Make sure you have ticked the box Subscribe me to my newsletter.

Writing your content

Now that your newsletter is set up, you can start writing your content.  This is done through the Write article feature.

Now that your newsletter is set up, you can start writing your content.  This is done through the Write article feature.

If you need to change your Newsletter name or image, when you click into the Write article section, you will see an editing pen and word so you can make the edits there. 

Simply write your article as you desire. You can add images and also links. 

Once completed, click Publish. 

Alternating between your Articles and Newsletter feature

Now that you have set up your newsletter, does not mean you can’t write individual articles. When you go into your Write article section, you will see a button next to publish the will show your newsletter name, when you click it you can see a dropdown menu to select either ‘create an individual article’ or ‘newsletter’. 

 

What happens after you publish?

Once you publish your newsletter, connections and followers will receive and notification of an invitation to subscribe. This is found under the Network section (same place as invitations to connect with people received). They will also be given the option to subscribe to your newsletter.

For clients I have helped launch their newsletters, we have hit over 100 subscribers in less than 1 day.

Need help?

Whether you are digitally challenged, or simply time-poor, please feel free to contact me to see how I can support you. 

6 things NOT to do when hiring a virtual assistant

6 things NOT to do when hiring a virtual assistant

You are finally giving yourself that well deserved reward of having an assistant help you in your business. Before getting carried away in outsourcing everything, here are some things to be aware off that will help prevent you having an awful first time experience in outsourcing.

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You are finally giving yourself that well deserved reward of having an assistant help you in your business. Before getting carried away in outsourcing everything, here are some things to be aware off that will help prevent you having an awful first time experience in outsourcing.

(more…)