Email marketing can be an effective campaign if done right. You'll want to find a good balance between offering “free” things that will provide value to your list with affiliate marketing and promoting your products.
What are Autoresponders?
An Autoresponders is a software program that you can use to send email messages to your subscribers in the frequency and order you choose to let them know that you value their participation in your business. For example, you could create a tutorial series on something technical. Understand that autoresponder emails are not sales pitches but a way to communicate with people on your list that will hopefully lead to a sale.
If you're just starting out and don't know which autoresponder to use, Aweber offers a 30-day trial for $1 and then $19 per month to continue with their service. This is what I personally use.
So now let's get to how autoresponders can help you manage your email marketing campaign. If someone has signed up as a subscriber, then you know they are interested in your niche. Your blog posts, content, and other marketing tools have led them to believe that you just may have a product worth buying.
Every once in a while someone finds a site that they instantly click with and purchase right away. But this isn't usually the case, especially on the Internet where “sight unseen” can spell disaster and lost cash for customers. People will visit review sites, ask friends, and follow you for a while before deciding to purchase.
Create Autoresponder Emails
Autoresponder services make it so convenient to schedule your email series to go out when you want without extra effort from you. Load your email or email series, choose the delivery date and voila, your done. You can also deliver other products, but that will come later.
Once you have someone’s email address, you have the potential to gain addresses of their friends and their influence. You just have prove to your subscriber you are worth sharing.
You need to make a connection with your subscribers and vary your emails with some free stuff, sharing interesting links and videos, sprinkle in affiliate marketing and your own products. The point being if your emails read like a sales letter, you will get a lot of unsubscribe notices.
Avoid being ignored or unsubscribed with these tips:
Use A Catchy Headline with Keywords
Headlines are the first thing your subscriber sees in their subject line. If you want them to open it, get straight to the point. Let them know exactly what they'll find if they open the email. It could be the answer to a specific question or information you provide. For example, “3 Simple Ways to Create a Family Budget.”
Provide Relevant Content
Begin with the question you posed or the statement you made in your headline. If you're focused your subscribers will be too. Give what you promise in as few words as possible – in the range of 300 to 400 words.
Refer to Your Subscriber By Name
Address each person directly in your email series. Hearing their own name will make them feel a connection to you. Generic greetings don’t let your reader know that you know them. It’s a sign that you are too busy to be “connected” with your readership.
Call to Action
If you are giving away a free eBook, this is when you'll discuss what they will find in it and provide a link to the squeeze page. If you would like them to opt-in for something else like a monthly newsletter, include that here.
Sign Your Real Name
Your subscribers and customers like to know that you are personally involved in everything you send out to them so be sure to sign with your name.
An autoresponder program lets you keep in contact with your subscribers in various ways. Use this software to your advantage!