Get Results From Email Marketing w/ Erik Harbison from AWeber | #073

“Email gets the least amount of credit but does the most work for
a business,” said this episode’s guest, AWeber’s Chief Marketing
Officer Erik Harbison. And we couldn’t have said it better
ourselves. You can build and nurture relationships, engage and
successfully sell to your audience for next to nothing. Email
marketing makes sense. Not using email marketing — well… doesn’t.


 


In this episode, Erik and Adam give a high-level view of email
marketing as well as some specific actionable tips you can
implement to boost your bottom line and improve your results.


 
Episode Discussions:

What is valuable content?

Building trust with your audience

How to choose the right email service provider

How emails drive sales and ROI

Effective email copywriting tips

Tools and resources for high-quality emails

How often you should be sending emails

Email sequences and conditioning subscribers

When to keep it short and sweet and when to use long-form

Direct selling vs relationship building email strategy

The truth behind those massive email ROI statistics

Business benefits of email marketing

How to structure emails so they get read

Deciding price points for products and services using
audience feedback

Conditioning your audience over time to take action

Why you should welcome unsubscribes

4 main levers for max email deliverability and spam triggers



 


2:27 
Erik's story:

Has worked at AWeber for the past 4 1/2 years


Spent 20 years in digital marketing agencies


 


3:31 
Why you should be using email marketing in your business

"Imagine if Facebook and Google disappeared tomorrow, how would
you connect with your audience?"


Recession-proof channel that enables you to connect with your
audience no matter what’s happening.

One of the most productive channels in generating return on
investment for brands, businesses, and marketers.

Generate sales from your database in addition to building
strong relationships.



 


5:15 
Just how realistic are those massive email ROI statistics?

 


7:34 
How emails drive sales and ROI

Build trust and nurture relationships with your audience by
providing valuable content, allowing you to ask for the sale
later.


 


10:19 
Direct approach to sales

Comes down to the context of the ask. 


If the sent email asks for a sale, the audience has already
exchanged dollars prior to the email being sent.


 


10:54 
Relationship first approach

Look for feedback

Include direct links to surveys

Promote complementary tools

Ask might occur in the first link in email or in the P.S.
Find which resonates with you most.



 


12:40 
Deciding price points for products and services using audience
feedback.

 


14:04 
Email copywriting tips

Write like you're writing to one person.

Focus on their needs and the "you" and "your."

Use personalization beyond the subject line and weave into
the body content.

Focus on the benefits of what you're offering as opposed to
features (outcomes, pains, pleasures, emotional benefits).



 


17:36
Short simple vs long-form

Depends on context.

Challenge yourself to write a longer-form storytelling email
about something important to your audience.

Break up walls of text into shorter digestible sentences.



 


19:11 
Email sequences and conditioning subscribers

If you're just getting started or just launched a
product:


Cadence should be more frequent in the beginning and trail
off over time.

Every other day for the first week and every 3rd or 4th day
after the week.

Provide great content. Subscribers won't realize you're
conditioning them to look for your email in their inbox.



 


Established brands or marketers


Focus on consistency.

Pick the day that you'll condition your audience to expect
your emails.

This helps increase open rates and engagement.



 


21:24 
Test your market

Ask your audience for feedback about email frequency then give
them what they want.


 


23:34 
4 main levers for email deliverability

Spam triggers: erratic volume, spam complaints,
dragging email directly into the trash without opening.
Set the right expectations. Choose the
right ESP (email service provider) for your business and
make sure it has strong reputations with all ISP’s (internet
service providers) Prompt your audience to whitelist your
emails. Make sure you have the right subscribers
on your list by doing your due diligence.

"One of our philosophies is that an unsubscribe is much better
than a spam complaint."


27:59 
The importance of cleaning your list.

 


29:12 
Tools and resources

Getting started: Write down the top 5 qualities
most important to you in an ESP and research them.  (Hint:
check out their Twitter feeds)


For transparent reviews: Email Vendor Selection,
G2 Crowd


Preview your email before you send it: Litmus


Editing: Grammarly and Hemmingway


Health check your emails: Sender Score and
Kickbox.io to check for hard bounces and soft bounces.


 


33:14 


“Don't underestimate the power of asking your audience for
feedback.”


 


Know anyone who could benefit from this episode? Please feel free
to share!
Connect with Erik:

Email: ErikH@aweber.com


Twitter: @ErikHarbison


LinkedIn
  Mentioned in this episode:

G2 Crowd


Litmus


Grammarly


Hemmingway


Email Vendor Selection


Sender Score


Kickbox.io


 


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