Email Marketing…
Dead?
Lots of marketing types… mostly Social Media gurus with an agenda… are spreading this myth.
When done right, Email Marketing still delivers ROI value.
Why does Email Still Work?
Email Marketing has always worked. The problem is many businesses stopped doing email marketing when Social Media hit the scene. The truth is, Email Marketing is harder to do… and do right… than Social Media.
Email Marketing works because:
1. It’s easy to target prospects with it.
2. Everyone… especially B2B executives… still live in email. Even more so with mobile devices.
3. It’s easy to track. You can track delivery rates, open rates, click through rates to determine engagement with your email messages.
4. It’s easy to test and improve. Since you can track key engagement metrics, you can easily test elements with email- Delivery day and time, Subject Line, Links, Call to Action
5. You can automate the follow-up. Email Marketing scales easily because using Email Programs or CRM, you can create and automatically send follow-up messages. You can also segment your lists for multiple follow-up sequences based upon responses.
Digital Health Targeted Email Marketing
Follow these steps to make Email Marketing work for your business.
1. Develop your own list- It’s best to build a permission-based email list. However, don’t dismiss or hesitate to reach out to highly targeted prospects who haven’t opted in to your list.
Build your targeted email list from Social Media contacts, such as Linkedin, Twitter, and Google+. Add prospects to your email list from conferences you attend. Conduct online research to pinpoint prospects.
However…
NEVER buy an Email list.
2. Determine the decision makers- Within your list, always identify the decision maker or key contact. Always address your Email Marketing to a specific individual. Use LinkedIn, Jigsaw, and Google search, or even a phone call to the business to determine the contact.
3. Email message essentials-
From- Include an individual’s name from your company’s domain name. Do not send initial contact email messages from a business account without a person’s name attached. NEVER send from a Gmail, or other free email service address.
Subject Line- Short and to the point. No hype.
We’ve had success using:
Appropriate person?
Are you the appropriate person?
This creates curiosity. It’s a message that could be sent internally or from a referral or vendor. Most busy executives will at least open this message.
Email Message- Keep in mind, your prospects are time pressed. Their email inboxes are bombarded with messages. Often times, they check email between meetings or on the run using a smartphone.
After you get them to open the message, you must grab their attention.
FAST… like with 3 seconds.
Here’s a sample email:
I am writing in hopes of finding the appropriate person who spearheads your Emergency Room IT efforts? If it makes sense to talk, let me know how your calendar looks?
(Your company name) specializes in increasing internal efficiency and reducing costs in hospital Emergency Room operations. Using proven, proprietary technology coupled with iPhones and iPads, we help nurses and ER doctors to better communicate in the chaos of the ER. We custom tailor and field test a communications platform for your ER operation.
The benefit to ER operations and patients is using mobile technology to save time and lives. Some clients include Mass General and Cedars Sinai.
If you are the appropriate person to speak with, what does your calendar look like?
If not, who do you recommend I talk to?
This email is to the point. It begins with a question directly related to your product or service. It expresses up front what you want. You want to talk to the right person.
It continues offering the value and benefit of what you do. It includes social proof and credibility when you mention other clients you’ve helped.
Send this email using no graphics. It should look like a personal business email from a co-worker or business contact.
Your signature should include your Name and Title and Name of your business. Do not include links to your website or social media. Prospects who are interested will look you up online.
4. Follow up- Give your email message a week. Then resend the same message. Also, don’t dismiss calling and leaving voice mail messages as part of your efforts to get on the radar of a top prospect. Build in a series of 7-9 touches- email messages and voice mail messages over a 10 day period.
If you get no response after 7 messages, send a Close Your File email:
Subject: Close your file
{Name},
I’m writing to follow up on the proposal I emailed. I just met with my business partner. She asked about our project status. I told her I didn’t know.
We are in the process of closing files for the quarter. Typically when I haven’t heard from a client after a few months it means they are really busy or aren’t interested.
If you aren’t interested do I have your permission to close your file?
If you are still interested, what do you recommend as a next step?
Thanks for your help.
5. Have a Plan B- Most of the prospects you email won’t be interested… at this time. Encourage those who say “No”, or contact me later… anything other than a meeting… to sign up for your newsletter or email follow-up list.
After 6 months, recontact and attempt to schedule a meeting.
Email Marketing is NOT dead.
It works.
If you need to boost your marketing efforts, give targeted email marketing a try.
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