Email marketing can be a powerful and effective tool for freelancers. But it’s hard to know how to do it right. How can freelancers make the most of email marketing?
Today we hear from Jason Resnick. He’s a freelance WordPress developer who helps other freelancers streamline their process. He lives in New York City and is a new dad.
“To be successful at email marketing, you need to know exactly who you are marketing to and know the path you want the reader to take to convert.”
– Jason Resnick
This conversation covers email personalization, speaking a client’s language and knowing your audience.
What are some of the most important things you need to do to have a successful email marketing strategy?
To be successful at email marketing, you need to know exactly who you are marketing to and know the path you want the reader to take to convert. Being too general and vague will have your subscriber unsubscribe quickly if your call to action even gets those subscribers in the first place. If you know who you are talking to and what problem you are solving for them, it’s easier to gain subscribers but it’s also easier to get the emails you are sending to convert for you.
How do you stand out in someone’s inbox when there are so many other things going on (both for the recipients of your email and for you)?
You stand out by speaking directly to one person. Sure there are tips and tricks to tailor subject lines, but they only work if there’s quality in the email itself. If you can use a tool like Drip and track your subscriber’s interaction with you, you can personalize email content. That personalization allows your emails to customize the experience in a way that keeps the attention of the subscriber. It also can help you in knowing what will convert someone from just a reader to a customer by checking on your analytics.
It seems like a lot of people in this industry who are successful with email are actually targeting freelancers and not clients or they have a product to sell. When you’re a freelancer and focus on clients, how do you offer valuable content to people who need websites but don’t live and breathe websites?
This is easy, since I do it myself. You offer something that solves a problem that those who need websites know they have but don’t know exactly what the problem is. In other words, talk their language.
For example, my service clients are for ecommerce clients, and I offer opt-ins usually targeted towards addressing “getting more customers,” “a slow site,” or “make more money with your current traffic.”
You’ve specifically transitioned from client services to coaching/consulting/education (primarily of freelancers). How has your email strategy changed with that transition?
In general, my email strategy is the same. Addressing problems and then customizing the content of the email based on what I know about the reader.
For example, if I know that someone has read five posts on my website about getting clients, I know that’s the struggle they have. I’d much rather send them an email with a link to a podcast about the new service to generate leads than a link to a podcast that talks about how to relieve stress by meditation.
I’ve performed this for my clients over the years and seen it work first hand so it was easy to transition it into my own business.
For more from Jason Resnick, check out our previous interviews on productivity and taking stock.