They say when you’re building a business, your email list is one of your greatest assets. While social media has, in many ways, overshadowed traditional email marketing protocols, your email list is still the gateway to generating leads through your sales funnel.
The idea of a sales funnel can be ambiguous and overwhelming for new and established entrepreneurs alike. Here are the basics of how to get started and necessary aspects to include when implementing your lead generation strategy.
Branding
Before you focus on communication strategies and lead generation, you need to ensure you have a strong, cohesive brand. Your mission statement, values, logo design, color schemes, and fonts all speak to your core offering, creating a bridge between your business and potential customers. Your brand is the foundation of the trust you will build using your sales funnel, as you build a rapport with your target market. While your brand will evolve with your business, you will want a strong starting point.
Opt-Ins and Lead Magnets
To collect email addresses, you need to give people a reason to share their information. This incentive– often called an opt-in or lead magnet– solves a problem for your potential customers. The incentive should be free in return for an email address and be of high enough quality that it tells your customers that spending money with you will be worth it.
There are various options for incentives, including eBooks, webinar workshops, downloadable content, or coaching calls. Choose something that directly relates to your business and the market you will be targeting. Consider your incentive an appetizer to entice people to purchase your main course.
Email Management and Automation
Once someone has entered your sales funnel, the work of building a rapport begins. Using an email management system, you can set up a series of automated emails that tell a story. You may choose to share your personal story to add a human face to your organization. You can include testimonials and positive stories surrounding the use of your products or services. After building trust, you’ll invite your leads to make a purchase.
With experimentation, you’ll find what works for your target market and what doesn’t. You can adjust your messaging as needed, based on the outcomes and analytics of your campaigns. To learn more, read Are You Getting The Most Out of Your Email Lists? By Fang Digital Marketing
Repetition and Fresh Content
Subscribers to your email list may not buy something the first time you ask for a sale, the second or even the third. There are many reasons contributing to this. Perhaps they don’t need your services when you offer or they may not yet have enough trust to click the purchase button. Continue to rework your content, build your relationship, and ask again in a different way. Develop new services or offerings that will appeal to your market, and repurpose old content into new formats.
In addition to strong communication, a successful sales funnel requires a balance between innovation and not recreating the wheel. You may opt to try and recycle your email list through the same funnel, or change up the offering based on their buying habits. Remember to be authentic, consistent, and stick to your core branding strategy for success.