THE EBOOK ON BUILDING AN EPIC EMAIL LIST a guide & workbook for creatives and bloggers byregina.com!1
Copyright 2016 by Regina Anaejionu of byregina.com. All rights reserved. You are welcome to print a copy of this document for your personal use. Other than that, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without the prior written permission of the author. Requests to the author and publisher for permission should be addressed to the following email: regina@byregina.com. Limitation of liability/disclaimer of warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this guide and workbook, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this document and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives, promoters, or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages. Due to the dynamic nature of the Internet, certain links and website information contained in this publication may have changed. The author and publisher make no representations to the current accuracy of the web information shared. Design by Brittany Mays of BMays Design (BMays.com) byregina.com!2
TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 // Get started with email ninjaness. 6 Why email is so important. What s the purpose for your audience? What s the purpose for you? 2 // Know what and when to send. 10 The 8 types of epic emails. How often should you send? Is there a time of day that works best? #1 Adult Homework Break // My email list plan. 14 3 // Choose your email platform. 16 Professional Email Platforms Marketing and Automation Email Platforms Full CRM and ecommerce Email Platforms #2 Adult Homework Break // My contact management plan. 21 4 // Get your super official Email Ninja Glossary. 23 5 // Set up your site for conversions. 29 byregina.com!3
TABLE OF CONTENTS CONT. 6 // Make your emails attractive. 31 Why go to the trouble? The Epic Email Style Guide Checklist Tools to make your emails beautiful. 7 // Do an email audit. 36 8 // Get your first 100 subscribers. 39 How to create effective standing signup methods. How to make your signup methods more effective. A list of the best types of opt-in gifts. 9 // Get your first 1,000 subscribers. 43 How to shift your mindset to a 4-figure email list. How to use content methods to grow your list. How to use social media + informal live events to grow your list. How to expand the methods you used to get your first 100 signups. 10 // Get your first 10,000 subscribers. 47 The best ways to grow your email list like crazy. How to create epic events that encourage signups. How to build an engaging email course or email series. byregina.com!4
TABLE OF CONTENTS CONT. #3 Adult Homework Break // My sticky email plan. 68 11 // Promote your email list. 70 12 // Sell via email. 73 How to sell like a human. The best selling via email tips, ever. #4 Adult Homework Break // My email chain plan. 77 #5 Adult Homework Break // My email editorial plan. 79 byregina.com!5
#1 GET STARTED WITH EMAIL NINJANESS. byregina.com!6
Why email is so important. If you're taking the time to read this, you probably already feel email is an important platform for your message. But, just in case you're on the fence, or just in case you only really ever see people sell sell sell in emails, I want to present an expanded view. Email is THE place to establish solid connections. Emails feel personal. You can "mail merge" each person's name into the email and subject line if you d like, so even if you send the same email to 10,000 people, everyone will get it addressed to them with their name used throughout. But, even if you don t do that, or simply don t like that idea, emails still feel personal. They come right to the person s inbox, they re not living on a page of your public website where anyone can access them. You can use a tone and approach in your emails that feels comfortable, conversational, and one-on-one-ish. Emails are amazing. They give you more room to be helpful and more room to sell than social media does. You're the only one who can limit how your emails look or what they include. With most social media platforms, there are limitations on the way information can be presented and how often your updates are shown to the people who follow you. It can be difficult to carry your brand elements through to social media at times. With email, it's simple. And if all the above is not enough, then know this: Your emails are most likely going to reach a much higher percentage of your audience than your social media posts reach your overall followers. There is power in something valuable going straight into a person's inbox, and this book exists to help you make the most of that. What s the purpose of your emails for your audience? Why do they sign up in the first place? Let's talk about why people even subscribe to email lists to begin with. We can begin with some of the most common motivations. byregina.com!7
1. To get something immediate like an optin gift. 2. To get something long-term such as information they think will be useful in helping them reach their goals. 3. To get something exclusive like information you don't release elsewhere and/or discounts on items they care about. 4. To get the full picture of a brand and not miss anything email updates are the easiest way to ensure they don't miss anything important about you or from you. Can you think of any other motivations people have to sign up for an email list? If you've ever signed up for an email list, what was your motivation? Wait. Seriously. Write down your motivation(s) for three separate times you signed up for an email list in the boxes below. Thinking through this will really help. What s the purpose of an email list for you? We discussed why email is so important in general for brands, but before you invest the time and hustle that building a valuable email list truly requires, I think it s important to understand if/how emails can move you further toward your brand goals. If you identify with more than one of these statements on the next page, a solid email list strategy is probably worth your time. Identify the goals and reasons that mean the most to you, and keep those front and center in your mind as you create your brand plan, your list growth plan, and your ideas for how to use your emails. byregina.com!8
You want an outlet to reach your audience that is super duper measurable. You can see how many people opened your message, how many people clicked on your links, how many people signed up for your events or purchased your products, etc. You want to create and grow a list of subscribers that you can send targeted content to (based on the interests they express). Unsubscribers don t bother you. They help you narrow down your ideal audience even further. You want a place to test out new content, products, and ideas. You want to write meaningful notes for people that get delivered straight to their inbox. You feel email is a place where you can promote collaborations, videos, social media content, products, and blog posts all in the same moment and that s what you want + need for your audience. You want to have an exclusive outlet of content just for people who opt in at the more intense level of receiving regular emails from you. You want to be in a channel where your content feels more personal and where you can open up more. You like how email can show different sides of yourself and that you can even pivot your platform in emails. Emails can literally have whatever purpose you want them to for your audience they can be actionable, inspiring, or memorable. They can be sales emails, special offers, or completely free information. You don t feel limited by emails. Which reasons above resonated the most with you? Are you ready to build and grow one of your most valuable brand tools and assets ever? Let s do this. Notes or Thoughts byregina.com!9
#2 KNOW WHAT AND WHEN TO SEND. byregina.com!10
The 8 types of epic emails. 1. RSS-to-Email: At the basic level, you can offer to send an email each time you post a new piece of content. The way RSS-to-Email is set up, you'll typically send either the entire post or a small portion of the post with a "read more" option. 2. The Extra Post Method: You can develop one additional piece of content each week (a blog post, podcast episode, video, worksheet, etc.) and instead of releasing it to the Internet in general, you can send it exclusively to your email list. 3. The Expanded Post Method: Instead of just sending the text of your blog post, or the link to your newest podcast, or an image and link to your newest video, etc., you can send the content (or a link to it) with a custom introduction or additional stories/context/content. This will encourage people to check out the original post and it will add value for those who have already checked out the content. 4. The Opposite Post Method: If you normally get very factual or actionable in your primary content (videos, blog posts, etc.), you can create emails that are more inspirational or opinionated. If you normally encourage people through your primary content, you can try to send something more actionable and direct via email. 5. Event Invitations: Send a special email just to invite people to your upcoming free live online class, or the event you'll be speaking at in their city, or whatever you think they'd find interesting. 6. Training/Story Series: If you know what your people are interested in, why not develop a cool series/course for them just because? In the same way you might see a blog series (ex: a set of four posts all on the same topic), or a podcast/video series, you can create an email series. 7. Testing Testing 123: You can test out topics, products, and content on your email list. See how they respond to that new category you're considering for your blog. See how people like the first chapter of that book you're writing. Take your list through a 4-week process you plan to create a course out of, etc. 8. Specials and Announcements: When you have a truly epic offer that you want your audience to purchase or opt in for, it might be time to send an email. I'd recommend making the email useful and attractive, so that even if your reader doesn't buy, they aren't overwhelmed or annoyed by it. byregina.com!11
How often should you send emails? You know how people say stuff like There s no right answer to this. or, Do what works best for you. or something along those lines? This is one time where I do not agree with those statements. If someone hands over their email address to you, and gives you access to one of the most personal forms of communication online, then I think it s important to consistently build value and rewards for that person. Thus, just doing whatever you feel like or what works best for you personally instead of what will properly serve your audience and still fit you, is not your best play in my opinion. I think it s best for most audiences to receive between 3 to 6 emails per month. However, if there s a special event or an epic reason to email more, then by all means, that can be acceptable. Also, some audiences want much more than just a few emails per month. There are several popular brands that send out emails almost daily, so you ll want to judge by what your audience needs. One rule that will make your additional emails more acceptable to your audience is to always warn people when more emails are coming their way than usual. You can also make it an option for your audience to opt in for more emails from you based on specific interests they have. So if you send one email per week to your main list and then one extra email per week to a special interest list or two, people might actually hear from you a few times per week but they will have elected to do so. Is there a time of day that works best? No. Rather, you have to research this yourself through actually sending emails at different times or through allowing your email platform to pick the optimal time (if that s an option with your email service like it is with certain MailChimp plans). When you send emails to your specific audience at different times of the day (and at first, even different days of the week), you ll be able to see what works best as far as the percentage of people who open your emails, the percentage of people who take the action you want them to take, and the types and numbers of email responses you get. byregina.com!12
Think about the type of person you are trying to appeal to. What is their busiest day of the week? When are they likely to be on-the-go? When are they likely home? At what point will they be likely to take action or buy something? At what times of the day would they want comfort or slowness? Which mood (that your people most often experience) is most likely to lead to the reactions and actions you desire from your audience? Take a second to complete the upcoming Adult Homework Break #1 as a way to cement some of the decisions you ll need to make about what you re sending, why you re sending, and when you re sending emails. Notes or Thoughts byregina.com!13
#1 Adult Homework Break My email list plan. byregina.com!14
What are your primary and secondary goals in putting in the (hard) work to create and maintain an epic email list and strategy? Of the eight types of emails you can send (and any additional ideas you have), what are the primary types of emails you ll create for your audience and community? Whether you picked just one type of email or several types that you ll try, how often will you send each type? byregina.com!15
#3 CHOOSE YOUR EMAIL PLATFORM. byregina.com!16
So, there are three levels of email software that I want to present to you one that gives you the basic functions of email but allows you to make your broadcasts attractive and functional very easily and quickly, another that allows much more control and marketing coolness, then a third that is fully integrated with sales, customer management, and more. Allow me to explain these further. Professional Email Platforms (Level 1) Instead of sending all your emails out from your regular Gmail or Yahoo! account, you can use a professional email platform to send out text or fancy HTML emails (that will in essence look like a web page in someone's inbox). Some of these platforms allow for free plans and some start at $10/mo. or so. Pro email platforms are a great place to start and if you don't ever need advanced ecommerce functions, CRM (customer relationship management) integration, or crazy automation and course features, you can stick with your chosen professional email platform. Here are a few for you to look into. Pro Email Platforms: MailChimp (free and paid plans) MailerLite (cool free plan with automation capabilities) AWeber Mad Mimi For my first several years of online business, I loved and used MailChimp. Even for my current brand, byregina.com, I used MailChimp for over a year and still use it for certain things. I've now switched most of my email functions to a platform explained in the Level 2 section. The reasons the pro platforms in this section might be a good idea for you however, are: you can design beautiful emails, easily there is a low learning curve for them they come with tutorials and documentation to help you get the full benefits of the platforms (please check out the Extra Resources at the end of this section of this book for tutorial videos on getting set up) you can import and export your lists (which allows you to change platforms if/when something else becomes a better solution for you) I believe that if you take a minute to read over the features of MailChimp, the features of Mad Mimi, and what MailerLite offers, you'll see how these platforms can serve you for quite some time, or perhaps permanently. However, I recommend that you keep reading just in case one of the other levels explained in this section is a better fit for you right now (or you think they may be a better fit in the near future). byregina.com!17
Marketing and Automation Email Platforms (Level 2) Once you're really growing your list, you may find that you hit a few walls or limitations with some of the low-cost, professional email platforms above. You may find that other platforms: don't allow multiple opt-in offers (3 separate courses, 2 different ebooks, etc.) and signup forms for the same list or group of contacts don't make it easy to set up automated courses or email series don't make it easy to set up paid email courses don't make it easy to tag and target contacts based on certain habits, actions, or interests etc. And if you're trying to build to a full-time or 6-figure business and beyond, you may find that the ability to be more purposeful with your contacts is a must. Level 2 (what we're discussing now) and Level 3 (discussed next) might be a better fit for you. They are built for more advanced functions and uses. The platform I currently use is the best platform I can think of for advanced marketing and automation without a crazy, crazy price tag. Let me tell you about it. ConvertKit What advanced features does a software program like ConvertKit offer? Let me tell you: You can create multiple opt-ins and signup forms for the same list of contacts. Ex: You could set up a 5-day course on designing your own kitchen space, a 3-day challenge on using your current home items to beautify your space, and a 17-page ebook on organizing your home... and no matter which one(s) your readers/viewers are more attracted to... and no matter which blog post, page, video, or other resource they sign up from... they can all go to the same list. You are able to organize people by tags/categories. You can target only people who've taken X email course, but haven't taken Y. You can target an email to everyone who has purchased Z course, but has not taken X course, etc. You can create a series of actions and emails that will happen after a client purchases something from your third-party ecommerce provider (like Gumroad) or a plugin on your WordPress site (like WooCommerce, WishList Member, etc.). byregina.com!18
Also, when you send emails to people with Gmail, your emails can more easily land in their primary inbox tab instead of their "Promotions" tab this makes your content more visible. Here are even more features ConvertKit offers (http://convertkit.com/pricing/), and here's a pricing chart you can tweak (http://convertkit.com/features/) to figure out how much the software will cost you monthly at your current list size. Full Business and CRM Email Platforms (Level 3) The time may come that you need an even more robust solution for your emails, contact management, and ecommerce integration. You may want to look into a super advanced platform, such as: ONTRAPORT Simplero Infusionsoft There are several additional functions that these advanced programs offer over Level 1 platforms and some of Level 2: You can set up sales pages and landing pages to sell courses that then automatically create login information for your clients. You can segment your contacts in an extremely detailed way. You can embed audio and video directly in your emails, and your emails will often be delivered right to people's primary tabs in Gmail. You can sell your infoproducts directly from your emails/pages without needing another third-party site. You can set up one-click product upgrades once people have already purchased an item. You can set up simple payment plans, subscription payments, and more for your customers. You can set up affiliate programs for key people you want to partner with to promote your content and products. So, which of the "levels" in this section seems like the best fit for you in terms of functionality? Don't forget to visit the individual sites, check out the Extra Resources in this section, and spend some time truly thinking through what you do now and what you expect to do within the next year. Are there any features in Level 2 and Level 3 that you already do/use elsewhere (and pay for) that you can combine all into one program? Which option(s) fit your current budget best? byregina.com!19