What will an autoresponder do for you?

In the online marketing business people talk about ‘autoresponders’ a lot.  What exactly is one and what will it do for you?

To be accurate an autoresponder is a service or system that sends an automated message or series of messages when triggered by a specific event.  However, people tend to refer to the messages as ‘autoresponders’ too.

Why would you bother with a series of automated messages?  That’s easy – it saves you doing lots of manual work.  For example an automated message system is a great way to build relationships with people who:

• Sign up to your newsletter
• Download a free ebook from your website
• Buy something from you
• Join a group you run
• Sign up for an ecourse
• Subscribe to a membership site you own
• Enquire about a product or service

When people have shown an interest in you and your products/services you’re missing an opportunity if they then don’t hear from you again.  No business owner has time to communicate directly with everyone on their lists individually – especially when that list runs to hundreds or thousands of people.

A good autoresponder set up to keep communications open is an excellent way to build the relationships and keep the ‘door’ open.

Where can you get an autoresponder?

Mostly these are a paid-for online service that you subscribe to.  The best known services include AWeber, GetResponse, MailChimp (not the free version), Constant Contact and Infusionsoft, but there are dozens.

Generally, you pay a fixed monthly fee based on the size of your total list.  This can be anything from about $15 (they’re mostly American sites and charge in dollars).  I use AWeber and pay $29 for up to 2,500 contacts.  The last time I did a comparison they were very close in price – apart from Infusionsoft, which offers many more services and is more complex – and correspondingly more expensive.

How do you set up a series of automated messages?

Whether you’re sending reminders, a series of tips, value based information or actual learning, you simply enter each message with its subject line and then specify how many days should elapse from the previous message.

Triggering the messages

Typically, the first message is sent when a new contact is added to the list – whether they are added manually or sign up on a web form (which most of these services also provide to add to your website).

What should the messages be about?

This is a bit like the ‘how long is a piece of string?’ question!

• If someone signs up to your newsletter you might add value by sending a series of useful tips.
• If someone has bought an ebook you could use ‘soundbites’ from the book to remind them of the key points.
• If someone has bought something from you the messages could be tips related to the product or reminders about things to do following the service.
• If someone is a member of a group you run then the messages could be reminders to visit the group, advice on how to get the best from the group, etc.
• If someone buys a ecourse you can set up the autoresponders to deliver the modules at weekly/monthly intervals.
• If someone has signed up to your membership site the message could be reminders to log in and advice on getting involved and benefiting from their membership.
• If someone has enquired about a product or service the emails could be about specific features of this with benefits, plus the occasional testimonial.
• If you’re running an event you could set up a series of autoresponders to your list reminding them about it and the benefits of attending.

The options are many – be creative and use the service to save you time and build strong relationships with potential customers.

5 ways to improve your email marketing

I write a lot of email campaigns for my clients and there are a few smart strategies I’ve picked up from experts over the years.  These are my top five:

1:  Write an ‘open me’ headline

When it comes to email your ‘headline’ is what you write in the subject line.  It doesn’t matter whether you’re writing a monthly newsletter or a focused campaign to promote a specific product or service – the subject line needs to get attention and make people want to know more.

Acme Widgets Newsletter January 2017 won’t cut it!  We all get plenty of newsletters – most of which are not even slightly interesting.

To get your audience interested you need to know what will get their attention.  What are their problems?  What is giving them grief right now?  What words will connect with them?

Questions are often a good way to catch attention, but big benefits – like 7 ways to double your profits – also work well.

2:  Stick to the point

Don’t fall into the trap of waxing lyrical about your product or service, most people have the attention span of a gnat when it comes to readying email – especially what they will see as non-essential communication.

Whatever you’ve promised (or implied) in the subject line needs to be followed up in the body of the email.  Give the benefits, a brief explanation of what your product/service will do for them and a call to action (what do you want them to do next?) is enough.

Stick to one promotion per email or campaign.  Don’t confuse your reader with too many options.

3:  Keep it simple

More about simplicity – you don’t need a super-duper HTML email with lots of bells and whistles. Firstly, not everyone gets HTML – some organisations block them and deliver only plain text.  If your key message is in a graphic, the reader simply won’t see it.

Also – to put the boot on the other foot – what do you think when you see a glitzy html email land in your inbox?  My bet is that you think ‘what are they selling?’  Nobody reads obvious sales emails – you want to get people engaged enough to at least take a look at the message.

4:  ‘One swallow does not make a summer’

A newsletter and an email marketing campaign are not the same thing. A newsletter needs to lead with value and follow up with promotion.  An email marketing campaign is focused on promotion first and foremost.

One email is not enough – a campaign needs at least three messages – and can be as many as 10 or 12.   If you’ve ever signed up to any of the professional marketers lists you’ll see that they often send more than one email a day.  I’m not suggesting that you do this – although for a certain audience it works.

My suggestion is that you aim at an email every 3-10 days, depending on the audience and what you’re promoting.

• Promote the same product/service consistently
• Use a different subject line for each email 
• Send them on different days of the week (so if someone isn’t in the office or has a busy day each week, they will see one of the messages on a different day).  There are stats that say that Tuesday is the best day at 11am or 2.30pm – but that depends on your audience and doesn’t take into account people with specific work commitments
• Pick a time when your audience are more likely to be browsing whether that’s mid-morning when they stop for coffee or late afternoon when they’re winding down.  

5:  Stylish communication

Think carefully about the style and tone of your email.  If you’re targeting corporate enterprises it can be easy to fall into formal, business-speak.  This often results in the energy in your email getting lost.

If you normally talk with enthusiasm then you shouldn’t filter that out. People who send friendly emails that sound as if they are talking directly to the reader get a much better response.

Having said that, your communication style needs to be congruent with all your other material – website, blogs, social media, marketing flyers, etc.

Now you’ve got the keys to success – good luck with your next email campaign.

Facebook – Social or Business?

If you’re in business and you’re not using social media to create and maintain visibility, you’re missing a trick!  However, which social media should you be active on?

People call online networks ‘social media’, but does that mean it’s not business?  No – perhaps it should have been called ‘networking media’.  Many people think LinkedIn is more of a business platform, than a social environment (and it is), but there’s a lot of discussion about whether Facebook is a business platform or not.  I think that, if you’re selling business-to-consumer (B2C) Facebook is a great place to do business, but that doesn’t mean that businesses that are selling to other businesses (B2B) should ignore it.

Get the focus right

People on Facebook tend to be in social ‘headspace’.  In other words they’re thinking about leisure, family, friends, hobbies, interests – even if they’re the MD of a big organisation.

People do buy things on Facebook – they spend millions of dollars!  However, they tend to be skewed towards, gifts, personal services (hair, beauty, therapy, personal trainer, etc.) handbags, shoes, sports kit, and personal development – so courses or training that will help the individual in some way.

People are less likely to buy business equipment or services – but that doesn’t mean they don’t look at them at all.  It’s just not their primary focus.

What will a Facebook Page do for you?

Originally Facebook created Fan pages for people, brands and companies that wanted to grow a following.  They were (and are) great for speakers, musicians, artists, and personal services (hairdressers, make-up artists, personal trainers, dieticians), but other companies quickly realised there was an opportunity and started using them to create communities around specific products or brands.

These are now known simply as ‘Pages’ and you can have more than one – but, for them to be successful, you need to put in the effort to build your following and maintain it.

Big organisations use them as a way to communicate directly with their customers – and most of the big brands (mobile phone companies, food and drinks manufacturers, etc) have Facebook Pages to allow them to interact with their customers – something that they don’t do on their corporate websites.

I think a Facebook Page has many advantages – but you do need to think about why you have one (or want to create one) – and what you expect to achieve with it.

If it’s just about keeping your head above the parapet then all you need to do is to post a few times a week.  If you want something more you may need to work harder to develop your following and promote your products or services.

Think about what you want your Page to be or do.  It could

• Create a community with conversations
• Provide an opportunity to share your expertise
• Promote your products, services, training, events.
• Be a means of reaching more people who match your target market profile
• Be a forum to talk directly to your customers, answer questions, deal with problems, etc.

Making it work

Bunging in the occasional post won’t cut it – you need a proper plan of action.

• What subject matter will you cover?
• Will you have themes for a week or month or just post anything that seems appropriate?
• How frequently will you post?
• Who will be responsible for posting?
• What kind of images will attract your audience?
• How do you get a big enough audience to get traction?
• What kind of material will interest your audience?
• Video is popular – and attracts views – can you use this effectively?
• Will you grow your page organically or through Facebook ads or boosted posts?

Do your planning first and your Page will have a much better chance of delivering good results, but it will take time.

How to get funding

Small businesses are no longer dependent on the banks for funding – crowd-funding is the hot new way to raise money.

There are many crowd-funding platforms that give you the opportunity to pitch to potential supporters, but it’s not just an easy way to get money there are some essential things to consider.

1. How powerful is your pitch?  Whether you’re selling direct to consumers or to other businesses you need to engage the emotions of your potential backers.  This means creating something compelling that the reader ‘gets’.  Do explain how your product or service will help the end-user in terms of ‘what’s in it for them’ – how their life/business will improve with your solution in place.
2. Do your due diligence.  Unlike a bank you won’t be expected to provide a financial business plan, but you do need to be sure that you’ve done your research into the demand for your product and get some evidence that there is a real market.  The more evidence you can include in your pitch the better.
3. Pick your platform.  There are plenty of options and they have different audiences.  For instance, Indiegogo specialises in holistic, lifestyle, art, music, etc, while Kickstarter is more entrepreneur-focused.  These are just two – but they also have different terms and conditions – with Kickstarter you have to raise the full amount of your target to receive any of the money, while Indiegogo delivers whatever you raise, even if you don’t hit the target.  Read the T&Cs carefully before making your choice.
4. Structure your pitch well.  Some platforms will give you guidance as to what goes in each section – others leave you to decide what to say without any advice.  To keep your readers engaged you should aim to have some sub-headings that lead the potential investor through the pitch and persuade them to take action.  These sub-headings might include – What the project is; The target audience; The benefits; Why you want funding; What you’ve done so far; The time-frame for the project (remember to under promise and over deliver – not the other way around).  Every pitch is different so you may have different headings.
5. Stick to the point.  Don’t ramble in your pitch – be clear about what your product or service is and WHY you’re developing it.  Be specific about what the money you raise will be used for – people don’t support anything that’s a bit woolly.  Ideally, you will have a specific project to fund with costs and deliverables.  Remember you’re aiming to sell the idea to potential backers so write your pitch carefully.
6. Use images to enhance your pitch.  A picture says 1000 words – pictures of your product, graphs, charts and video are all powerful ways to get your message across.  Use relevant, good quality images and video clips.  Stick to short videos (90 seconds max).
7. Offer a range of investment options.  Start with a ‘no-brainer’ of a few pounds or dollars and then a number of other options for medium investors to substantial backing.  For instance, your investment points might be £5, £25, £100, £250 and £1000.  For each investment point you’ll need to offer a reward to each investor – that might just be an entry on the ‘Investors Roll of Honour’ for the lowest level, but bigger investors will expect something more substantial.  This might be one or more of the finished product, depending on the cost it will retail at – their investment should represent a saving on what they would pay in a shop.  If you’re funding something that isn’t a product or isn’t appropriate for everyone you might think about T-shirts, bags or other rewards that are appropriate to the level of investment made. 
8. Tell the truth!  In some crowd-funding formats they ask you to list the drawbacks, potential problems, etc – don’t avoid this, but do explain your plan B should it happen.
9. Share your project.  Don’t expect the world to know your project is live – get on social media and tell people about it – on LinkedIn, on your Facebook Page, on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest – and anywhere else you’re active.  If you have a list tell them by email – they’ve already shown an interest in you and your business so they’re more likely to be good investors.
10. Communicate.  Once your project gets off the starting blocks, communicate regularly with your backers to tell them what’s going on.  This allows you to let them know where time frames slip or changes to manufacture (if it’s a product) are applied.

If you do all this you’ll have a sound proposition.  Good luck!

STOP PRESS!

Getting your company featured in the right publications is what companies pay top PR agencies a lot of money to do.  Why?  Because it’s tough to get published.

Over the years I’ve had plenty of companies come to me and ask for a press release to be written – with the belief that all they have to do is to submit it – and it will magically appear in a prominent position in their chosen publications.  This is a myth – it’s much more likely to get ‘spiked’ (that’s old-fashioned press-speak for deleted/thrown away).

There are two ways to get your material published:

1. Write good press releases – and submit them to the right publications – and keep doing that regularly, whether or not they get published.
2. Find industry journals that need good articles and write something that adds value for them.

They both have their challenges – and I think that 2 is often much easier than 1, but let’s look at the 5 Golden Rules for each of them.

Press releases

1. Make sure you have a real story that is of interest to your chosen publication’s readers.  A new member of staff, premises or product doesn’t constitute an interesting story unless you’re hiring royalty, moved to the top of The Shard from a back street lock up or your new product is a serious innovation (like driverless cars).
2. Write a good headline – that tells the editor what the press release is about.  This isn’t time to get creative – this isn’t email marketing with an ‘open me’ intriguing subject line.  The point is that the editor gets the message quickly and clearly or they just won’t bother reading any further.
3. Get all the key facts into the first paragraph – for the same reason as above.  Don’t make an editor work any harder than necessary.  With most publications they will rewrite it in any case.
4. This is not an epic novel – keep it short.  No more than two pages – but one is even better.  You’re looking at a maximum of 400 words.  List any images you’re attaching at the end.
5. Make sure your phone and email information is at the foot of EVERY page.  If the editor likes your story they may want to talk to you about expanding it with more information.

Articles

1. Don’t write on spec – contact the publication and find out if they accept unsolicited articles or, better still, find out what they would like you to write about.  This is best done by phone, it helps to build relationships.
2. Lead with value.  What do you know about that you could write an article that will help your chosen media’s audience?  The more value you give the better the editor will like it.
3. Use examples, statistics and quotes if appropriate – it all adds colour (and often creates an opportunity for an interesting graphic.  NEVER quote anyone without permission and NEVER invent statistics; ideally quote the source of your stats.
4. Although an article tends to be longer than most press releases, don’t ramble.  Stick to the point and using sub-headings and bullets helps the reader to process the information. 
5. If you’re given a deadline – stick to it.  If you don’t you’re just going to upset the editor and you may not get another chance.  If you’re writing for a monthly the deadline can be as much as 6-8 weeks ahead of publication date.  You might want to keep this in mind when you’re writing so you don’t include any references that may be out-of-date by the time it’s published.

Finally – and this applies to both types of item – do not try and sell your stuff in your press release or article.  It won’t get published – and will alienate the editor.  They know you’re using them for PR, but they don’t expect you to treat them as a source of free advertising.  The item has to have value.

This doesn’t mean you can’t mention your products or services, but no direct sales pitch.  Most magazine editors are happy to publish your name and contact info or website at the end of any article you’ve submitted.  You just need to trust that your article is so captivating that people will want to find out more!