We talked about the power of a lead magnet and getting people subscribed to your list. But what happens once they are on your list? Your list is only going to be helpful if you put it to work and one of the easiest ways to do that is by creating an automated email nurture sequence.
So that’s a mouthful… Let’s unpack what that really means. This is a series of emails (usually 3-5) that will go out to a designated group of your subscribers auto-magically over a period of several days! Being automated means you can literally set it and forget it. Usually you will choose this to go out to a group of people that you want to nurture into becoming a warm lead *aka* someone who is ready to buy from you.
Related Post: Email Etiquette for Busy Professionals
Email nurture sequences are so important because they help you close the gap of when someone comes to know about you and when someone is ready to buy from you. When someone first subscribes to your list, chances are they aren’t 100% ready to buy your service/product. With a few follow-up emails, you have the opportunity to educate them, help them get to know you and provide them more value. An expertly written email sequence will do the heavy lifting for you and all you have to do is get them on a call and close that sale!
One important thing to remember: Always start with your end goal in mind. Do you want people to ultimately buy a paid product from you? Sign up for a free strategy call or consultation? Decide on the primary call-to-action for your sequence and then tailor your content in your emails accordingly.
Here’s an example of what an email nurture sequence might look like:
Email #1 – Follow-up
Sample Subject Line: Hey [Insert Name], Here’s the freebie you asked for!
This is the first email your subscriber gets when they subscribe to your list. If you’ve promised them a freebie download or lead magnet of some kind, this is where you actually give it to them. You’ll also want to *briefly* introduce yourself and ask them to respond to a quick question (like what struggles do they have related to a product/service you provide) by replying to your email. If they reply, in the future your emails will land in their priority email folder from now on! #prostatus
Email #2 – Introduction
Sample Subject Line: Hey [Insert Name], Wanna be friends?
You’ve got your foot in the door, so don’t blow this second email. Your first email is always going to the one with the most engagement since they expect it coming, but the following emails have to work a little harder which means you need to really get their attention. Use your second email to share a little more about your STORY and exactly why they need YOU in their inbox. What value do you provide that could help some of their painpoints? Stay authentic with your tone and personality and try to write to your readers as if you were just chatting and grabbing a coffee together. Include a call-to-action to connect with you on social media.
Related Post: 5 Ways to Engage Your Customers with an E-newsletter
Email #3 – VALUE. VALUE. VALUE.
Sample Subject Line: Hey [Insert Name], This made me think of you.
You are amazing at what you do and you’ve got tons of expertise to share. This is your time to shine and email is the perfect platform to share it! Have a few recent blogs or a video that you’ve created? Pop in a link to it or pull an excerpt to it in your email. Tell your subscriber this content made you think of them because they subscribed to your lead magnet on a related topic. Let them know that you have tons more up your sleeve and you’d love to continue sharing information like this with them if they’re cool with it. Ask them to reply to your email with questions or even prompting them to share what other tips/resources would be helpful to them.
Email #4 – Address their Objections & Questions, Head On!
Sample Subject Line: Hey [Insert Name], Let’s get this out in the open.
Do you have common objections or fears that people come to you with who aren’t ready to buy your product or service? Get them out in the open and talk about their fears openly in this email. Let them know you get it, but you also wouldn’t be reaching out to them if you didn’t have something you think they could really benefit from. Most commonly people have objections about pricing, but if you think about it, this isn’t really a valid concern for your ideal customer. You only have to communicate the value of what you offer accurately and why this solves your subscribers need and price should no longer be an issue.
If you sell products and use special ingredients, tools or equipment, talk about how that impacts the quality and how that ultimately benefits them. If you provide a service, articulate what your process yields or the kind of results they can expect from their experience. You could also make a short list of common FAQ’s people have about your business. Total transparency makes people feel safe before they buy something and this sets the foundation for your next email where you are going to actually ask them for something.
Email #5 – Ask for the “Sale”
Sample Subject Line: Hey [Insert Name], You’re going to love this.
This is where you are going to follow-up your last email with a direct call-to-action. What do you want your subscriber to do? Usually lower-prices products and info products are easier to sell through email than higher-priced services. Make your call-to-action appropriate for the type of product/service you sell. For services, you might consider a free consultation or a <$100 strategy call. For products, you could send them a trial-size or demo version of your product at a special limited-time price.
Again, communicate the benefit of what you have to offer and what they’ll miss out on if they don’t take you up on it. Relate to them as if they were asking, “So, what?”, again and again. At the end of the day, your subscribers just want to know what you can do for them and how this is different from any other product or service they’ve seen before. It’s your job to articulate the nuances of this so they feel confident in making a purchasing decision. You may also want to include a couple of testimonials of people who have purchased from you before. This provides social proof as well as gives them more assurance and confidence in buying from you.
So, there you have it – An entire email nurturing sequence from beginning to end. What do you think? Are you up for the challenge of implementing this in your business to help you streamline your sales process? Let me know what questions you have in the comments!