{"id":4775,"date":"2018-01-05T08:27:16","date_gmt":"2018-01-05T08:27:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bme2.flywheelsites.com\/blog\/overcoming-fears-getting-started-email-marketing\/"},"modified":"2020-01-30T19:55:36","modified_gmt":"2020-01-30T19:55:36","slug":"overcoming-fears-getting-started-email-marketing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.benchmarkemail.com\/in\/overcoming-fears-getting-started-email-marketing\/","title":{"rendered":"Overcoming Our Fears: Getting Started with Email Marketing"},"content":{"rendered":"

For a lot of us, doing something new is scary.<\/p>\n

It could be that we fear the unknown, a fear of failing or that we fear we won\u2019t know how to do something.<\/p>\n

Regardless of the source, many of us won\u2019t ever try a new thing as we succumb to our fears.<\/p>\n

When it comes to email marketing<\/a>, several fears or impediments may come into play. So, let\u2019s address them. But first, let\u2019s take a look at why you should even be doing email marketing in the first place. If you made it this far, you\u2019re at least curious.<\/p>\n

The Case For Email Marketing<\/b><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s projected that there will be 2.9 billion email users worldwide by 2019<\/a>. That\u2019s quite the large audience.<\/p>\n

Additionally, 105 billion emails are sent daily<\/a>, with that number expected to increase to 246 billion by 2020.<\/p>\n

If the numbers aren\u2019t convincing enough, here are several more reasons you need to be doing email marketing:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Affordable.<\/b> Hands down, email marketing is one of the most, if not the most, cost-effective marketing solutions<\/a> available to businesses today.<\/p>\n

It’s Fast<\/b>. You can create and send your first email in under thirty minutes. You can reach thousands (or more!) of customers and leads in less time than it takes to watch an episode of Game of Thrones<\/i>. Sending the right message will even inspire your subscribers to quickly engage with your campaign and act upon your call to action.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Focused.<\/b> Few people enjoy feeling like they\u2019re being marketing to. Email marketing allows you to segment your lists into targeted opportunities which allows you to address the needs and wants of your subscribers and provide them with value. That makes for a happy, engaged audience.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s Simple.<\/b> Anyone can succeed with email marketing, no matter their experience. Thanks to email templates and drag and drop email builders, as well as other easy-to-implement tools such as A\/B Testing and List Segmentation, the learning curve for email marketing is lower than ever before. Plus, real-time reporting shows you your successes and areas for improvement. When your strategy is properly executed, your campaigns will contribute to managing themselves while freeing you up to plan the next move.<\/p>\n

It Works.<\/b> A well-planned email campaign will work to drive traffic to your website, increase sales and create ongoing engagement that leads to loyal customers. In fact, for every $1 spent on email marketing, the Return on Investment is $42 earned. Other marketing opportunities simply don\u2019t see those results, all while creating and building brand reputation.<\/p>\n

So, now you know why you should be doing email marketing. Now, what\u2019s stopping you?<\/p>\n

\"Overcoming<\/p>\n

Fear of Not Knowing Where to Get Started<\/b><\/h2>\n

In the almost decade that I have been working in the email marketing industry, there is one statement that I hear all too frequently from business owners:<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re not ready for email marketing yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the real reason they\u2019re not doing email marketing yet is that they don\u2019t know what to do or afraid they\u2019ll do the wrong thing.<\/p>\n

The truth is, any business, even before they have officially opened their doors (either at a brick and mortar physical location or on the web), should have an email marketing account.<\/p>\n

Why?<\/p>\n

It All Starts with a List<\/b><\/h2>\n

An email list is the single most important marketing asset to any business.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s more important than social media followers and a presence on those sites. After all, those sites could go away one day, and all your hard work would be erased along with your followers on that site.<\/p>\n

Your list of contacts endures.<\/p>\n

Plus, you can start growing your list even before you company officially launches. It\u2019s a good idea to place a signup form on your website and Facebook page. Tell people to signup to get updates from the company to begin growing excitement.<\/p>\n

That reason for that is twofold. On the one hand, it helps you build hype leading up to your launch date. It also helps you hit the ground running once you\u2019re open for business.<\/p>\n

Upload Your List<\/b><\/h3>\n

Many companies have a list of contacts, even if they are new to email marketing.<\/p>\n

For some, it\u2019s the list of customers with whom you\u2019ve already established a relationship. For others, it\u2019s the leads you\u2019re already nurturing with one-off basic emails or phone calls. It could even be just the friends and family members who you can test your early strategies on.<\/p>\n

Take what you have to work with and upload it to your email marketing account. Based on the amount of data you have on your list, you may even be able to begin some segmentation.<\/p>\n

At the very least, it\u2019ll give you your start to email marketing. You have to start somewhere, and even sending to a small audience will help you learn what works.<\/p>\n

Create a Signup Form<\/b><\/h3>\n

After uploading any existing contacts you may have already had, a signup form is going to be your new best friend.<\/p>\n

According to the Nielsen Norman Group, when asked to opt-in to receive updates for a company, 90% chose to receive an email newsletter<\/a>. Only 10% elected to get updates via Facebook.<\/p>\n

This is how your list will grow. From there, you expand your reach, follow-up with leads and build your brand–all while doing nothing more than placing a lead capturing form in the places that people interested in your business may visit.<\/p>\n

So what goes into a great signup form?<\/p>\n