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Drip Email Marketing Tips For Startups

Here are a five “drip” or automated email marketing campaign ideas every small business owner can use to put their marketing database to work.


Email marketing is a powerful tool for small businesses.

“It might not be as trendy as Pinterest or as alluring as Facebook, but the tried-and-true value of email is proven, and lasting,”  according to marketing blog Act-On. “This communication medium isn’t going away any time soon.”

It’s important to remember that newsletters and lead nurturing emails are not the only type of emails a small business can send to its marketing database. There are so many different types of automated email marketing campaigns to leverage, engage and nurture all the people in your funnel – which in turn can inspire them to take action.

Here are a five “drip” or automated email marketing campaigns every small business owner can use to put their marketing database to work:

 

1. Topic-based email campaign

Create a drip email marketing campaign around topics that you cover in your business.

Start by creating simple content assets including free 10-step guides, webinars, templates, and videos for relevant business topics which can then be offered on your website in exchange for email addresses. When users download your content it will trigger the corresponding automated email campaign that then moves them through the sales funnel.

For example, if you own a fitness company you’d likely cover topics such as diet, TRX, cross-training, kettlebells, and weight lifting. You could create download content for each topic along with corresponding drip campaigns. If a user downloads your content on kettlebells, chances are they may be interested in a follow-up video with in-depth tips on the same topic. Create a drip email marketing campaign around the topic that leads them from an initial download and through your sales funnel until they’re ready to sign up to work with you.

 

2. Up-sell and cross-sell campaign

Chances are there are customers in your email database that have used your products or services. The greatest mistake a small business owner can make is to let past customers and clients wander off without keeping the relationship going.

Email marketing is a great tool for “keeping in touch.”

It not only helps you keep in touch with past clients with a simple newsletter, but it allows you to create and automate specific, targeted and relevant email marketing campaigns with an aim to up-sell or cross-sell services to existing or past customers.

This is particularly useful if you have a variety of services or products to offer.

First, get clear on what offers you want to promote and how often you want to send emails. Segment your database and create a list for existing and past customers only. Create the email campaign and let it work for you.

 

3. New customer campaign

Welcome new customers using a targeted email campaign.  This can help you start to build a relationship and keep them engaged after they buy. Start with a welcome email and follow-up with a series of quick tips on how they can get the most out of their purchase. You could then possibly follow-up with your up-sell and cross-sell campaign.

 

4. Re-engagement campaign

Have you been wondering how to get inactive contacts to re-engage with your business? If so, great. Because it’s pointless to have a database that is not responsive to your marketing messages. Start by identifying criteria on what you consider an inactive contact to be in your business. It could be people that haven’t opened any emails you’ve sent in the past 6 months. It could also be based on the length of time they last clicked on a link in emails you’ve sent.

Segment your database based on your criteria and create drip email marketing campaigns designed to inspire action. Include exclusive offers or coupons that are reserved for this particular segment of your database to get them excited to re-engage with your brand.

 

5. Engaged contacts campaign

If you capture email leads on your company website and through various marketing channels, it’s likely that there are a lot of people on your list that open your emails, click on your links, and leave comments on your website. They may not be customers, but they can make great evangelists.

Create an automated email marketing campaign that offers juicy content they would share with others. Consider exclusive offers to inspire action and tempt them a little bit further on your sales funnel.

 

Contrary to a lot of thoughts out there, email marketing is not dead. As long as you’re sending targeted emails that offer value rather than blanket emails that are not relevant you can create leverage, engage your database contacts and get results. Be strategic and remain focused on your end goal.

Connect with Elizabeth on Twitter.

 

 

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