How To Use Automated Email Sequences To Grow Your Audience

1: Define Your Goals

Before you start crafting your email sequence, it's essential to determine the objectives you want to achieve.

Stephen Covey said "begin with the end in mind", and nurturing your leads is no different.

Are you welcoming new subscribers and need to deliver a lead magnet (and more value)?

Or are you warming an audience who already knows you (and you want some of them to self-identify as needing a certain type of service)?

Or are you onboarding new clients, and need them to engage and participate in the process?

Whatever the reason, you'll need to know the goal you're trying to achieve before you start trying to get there. 🙂

2. Identify The Trigger

Next, you need to decide which events or actions will trigger your email sequence.

Sometimes it will be as simple as signing up for a newsletter or downloading a lead magnet.

Other times it will be a more 'invested' action, like attending a webinar, or making an initial purchase. 

When you identify the trigger, it allows you to send targeted and timely emails that are relevant to your subscribers' interests and actions.

3. Plan The Sequence

With your goals and triggers in mind, map out the flow and content of your email sequence.

Keep your audience in mind as you do this, and create personalized, relevant content that addresses their needs, pain points and preferences.

You'll want to decide how many emails you'll send, the time interval between each email, and the overall duration of the campaign.

The idea is to keep them engaged without overwhelming them.

Decide on a single topic for each email.  Nothing is more frustrating to your readers than trying to figure out just what point you're trying to get across!

Each topic should logically move them towards your eventual goal, and not come before a topic that they should know beforehand. 

For example, if you're talking about playing guitar, you don't talk about advanced picking styles before you cover basic strumming. Make sense?

So... once you know how many emails you'll send, and the topics they'll cover, it's time to craft some compelling, attention-grabbing subject lines!

The subject is where you should spend most of your time.

Read that again -- I'm not kidding.

The subject line is the single most important piece of your emails, because it decides whether your email will get opened and read or not.

Now with your sequence and timing designed, it's time to deliver your best value, and actually write out the emails for your sequence...

4. Craft Compelling Content

Creating engaging and relevant content is crucial for a successful email sequence. To craft compelling content, follow these guidelines:

First, know your audience -- Are you starting to see a theme? 

Focus on value:
Ensure that your emails provide value to your subscribers. This can include helpful tips, insights, educational materials, or exclusive offers. The more value you provide, the more likely your subscribers are to stay engaged and take the desired action.

Personalize your emails:
Use personalization tokens, such as the subscriber's name, to make your emails feel more tailored and individualized. You can also segment your email list based on factors like demographics or engagement to send targeted content that is more relevant to specific groups of subscribers.

Use storytelling:
Incorporate storytelling techniques to make your content more engaging and relatable. Share personal experiences, case studies, or client success stories to connect with your audience on an emotional level and illustrate the benefits of your coaching services.

Keep it concise and clear:
Ensure that your emails are easy to read and understand. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, and clear headings to break up the text and make it more digestible. Avoid jargon and overly technical language that might confuse your audience.

Use Strong Calls-To-Action (CTAs):
Encourage your subscribers to take a specific action by including clear and compelling CTAs in your emails. This can be as simple as asking them to reply to your email, sign up for a webinar, or book a consultation. Make sure your CTAs stand out visually and are easy to find within the email.

Maintain a Consistent Tone and Style:
Your emails should reflect your brand's personality and voice. Keep your tone and style consistent across all emails in the sequence to create a cohesive experience for your subscribers.

Optimize for Mobile:
This is an often-overlooked element of content creation, but many subscribers read emails on their mobile devices, so ensure that your content is optimized for mobile viewing. Use responsive email templates, and test your emails on various devices and screen sizes to confirm that they are easy to read and interact with.

Proofread and Edit:
Before sending out your emails, carefully proofread and edit them to eliminate any grammar or spelling errors. Mistakes can detract from your message and harm your credibility as a professional.

Whew, that's a lot!  But crafting content that gets your audience's attention is a complex topic!

Let's move on to...

5. Use Automation Tools

Using email automation tools to automate and streamline your email sequences is crucial for managing your time and nurturing your audience.

These platforms not only save time but also offer advanced features that enhance the effectiveness of your campaigns.

There are a number of options out there that will "do the job", but the right one for you isn't always apparent.

When selecting the perfect email automation tool, consider the following:

a. Platform: Choose an email marketing platform or CRM that meets your needs and budget. Popular options include Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign, and HubSpot. When selecting a platform, consider factors such as ease of use, automation capabilities, integration options, and customer support.

b. List segmentation: Email automation tools allow you to segment your subscribers based on various criteria, such as demographics, engagement, or past behavior. By segmenting your list, you can send targeted and relevant content to specific groups of subscribers, resulting in higher engagement and conversion rates.

c. Scheduling and automation: Set up and schedule your email sequences within the platform, specifying the triggers and time intervals for each email. This ensures that your emails are sent automatically and at the right time, without requiring manual intervention.

d. Personalization and dynamic content: Many email automation tools offer personalization features, allowing you to include subscribers' names or other relevant information in your emails. Additionally, some platforms support dynamic content, enabling you to tailor specific sections of your email based on subscriber data or behavior.

e. A/B testing: Email automation platforms often include A/B testing capabilities, allowing you to test different elements of your emails, such as subject lines, content, or CTAs, to determine what resonates best with your audience. Use this feature to optimize your email sequences and improve performance over time.

f. Analytics and reporting: Track the performance of your email sequences using the built-in analytics and reporting features of your email automation tool. Monitor key metrics, such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates, to gain insights into your campaign's effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.

g. Integrations: Many email automation platforms offer integrations with other marketing tools, such as CRMs, social media platforms, or landing page builders. These integrations can help streamline your marketing processes, automate data transfers between systems, and provide a more cohesive customer experience.

By leveraging email automation tools, you can efficiently manage and optimize your email sequences, resulting in higher engagement, improved conversion rates, and ultimately, more clients into your coaching business.

And that is, after all, what we're after here, right?

6. Test & Optimize

Finally, continuously test and optimize your email sequences.

You can adjust your content, subject lines, or email frequency to improve results.

Remember, "what gets measured, gets improved". 

Which means you should be tracking key performance metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates.

This data-driven approach ensures that your email campaigns remain effective and aligned with your audience's preferences and needs.

Need help automating your funnel?