So maybe you?ve heard about the benefits of email marketing for your freelance business or maybe you?ve heard about the crazy ROI email marketing can get: The DMA puts email marketing’s ROI for 2011 at $40.56 for every $1 invested.
But starting a new marketing channel can appear overwhelming when you don?t know what to do or where to start.
Forget about being overwhelmed. Here are 3 simple steps to get started with email marketing TODAY.
1. Sign up!
MailChimp and Aweber are two popular email marketing solutions. Choose one and get yourself an account!
You may be wondering: “Can?t I just start collecting email addresses and send emails out on my own?”
Unfortunately, the answer to that is NO. An email marketing service provider protects your individual email address from spam reports and helps you comply with anti-SPAM laws by doing a much better job of confirming subscriptions and managing unsubscribes.
No, don?t set up your account with your Gmail address or some other personal one. Get yourself a real dot com domain name email address. If you don?t have one yet, then sign up for one. Email marketing is for pros – so be one!
Check with your hosting company for specific information on how-to on this. Here?s an example of how to do it with DreamHost.
Yes, you?ll need to supply a physical address to comply with anti-spam laws when signing up with a legit email marketing service provider. If work out of a home office, then get yourself a PO box and use that. Remember, you?re a pro – and pros have real mailing addresses too.
2. Add opt-in forms to your website
Use WordPress plugins like this one (if you have a WordPress site) or grab the code from your email service provider.
Be sure to include text explaining exactly what subscribers get and when. Consider adding some social proof, like testimonials or your large number of followers on Twitter. Or, add an opt-in incentive, like a free download. Of course, include a privacy statement.
Here are ideal places to add your opt-in form:
- Above-the-fold on your homepage (meaning visitors don?t have to scroll to see it).
- After your blog post.
- Where else? Check out more suggestions from DIYThemes.
3. Start Developing Content
That content schedule you just said you would stick to on your opt-in form? Better stick to your word – start developing content. Have a blog? You know, to help with SEO? Some people choose to just share a descriptive intro with the link to their blog posts as the bulk of their email marketing content, which is totally appropriate!. Depending on your content schedule, you might send this out weekly or bi-weekly.
Stuck for content ideas? Try these:
- Customer questions/inquiries – what questions do you get the most? If one person asks, others are silently wondering.
- Head to Google Analytics and see what keywords are landing people on your website (find these in Standard Reports > Traffic Sources > Sources > Search > Organic)
- Head to the Google Keyword Tool, search for your topic areas, and see which ones get the most monthly searches
Write a few pieces at once so you have your content ready to go for a few weeks once you get your first subscribers.
That?s it!
And just like that – you are officially set to start your email marketing program!
Your turn: Do you have an email marketing program? Have a tip for freelancers just starting with theirs? Did you find this article helpful? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/FreelanceSwitch/~3/ZmGvYkiKaY4/
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