Once you get set up on an email marketing platform, the first thing to do is to ensure you hook it up to the lead capture forms on your web site. That way, when a site visitor signs up on your site their contact information goes directly into your email marketing system and database of contacts.
What do you do with that contact information? Get in touch with them as soon as possible. Do not let your contacts sit there for a long time while you figure out what to do next.
When a contact signs up on a form on your web site, you immediately know they are interested in your brand and what you have to offer. It won’t take long before that excitement dies and they forget. So, get in touch with them immediately. If you use a system like Infusionsoft this can be automated.
The other important thing you need to do before you start sending emails is understand anti-spam laws.
Read about the American email law called CAN-SPAM at:http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/can-spam
Read about Canadian email law at: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/casl-lcap.htm
Materials handling email funnels:
The two most strategic email marketing funnels
An email funnel is a strategically planned sequence of emails that is intended to produce a specific outcome. An effective one takes contacts on a journey and primes them to take a specific action. There are two popular email funnel formats, for two customer segments. They are:
1. New Contact Funnel – for people new to your brand
2. Existing Customer Funnel (sometimes called a “nurture funnel”) – a “stay-in-touch” funnel that keeps you top of mind
Here is the basic premise of a New Contact Funnel:
A contact enters the funnel -> receives a number of emails with giveaways (useful content, etc) on a regular basis -> is asked to make a purchase
Here is the basic premise of an Existing Customer Funnel:
A contact that has already purchased enters the funnel -> receives a sequence of emails with giveaways on a regular basis that prime them to continue to purchase -> makes another purchase -> continues to receive emails….
The two funnels should be connected, so that anytime a lead makes a purchase they go into the existing customer funnel. This way, they will be nurtured to continue to buy and/or or engage with your brand.
A Materials Handling example of how to use email effectively:
Case study: A dealer of warehouse racking has a list of contacts comprised of warehouse managers in their sales district. They want to use email to boost sales. Here’s what they should do:
Step 1: Generate great content for warehouse managers that helps them understand racking and optimize their warehouse for efficiency, spacing saving and productivity about. Content could be in the form or: Articles, white papers, links to videos, infographics etc.
Step 2: Give away the great content for free on email each week.
Step 3: Approx. 10-15% of the time offer them a deal on rack. This could be a limited time racking special. It’s important to note: You want to send them great free stuff regularly first so they enjoy your emails and trust your brand.
Step 4: Once you’ve offered your contact to buy a product, contacts that do purchase should go into the existing nurture campaign where you continue to give them great stuff and upsell them once and a while on new products. If they bought from you once, chances are, they will buy from you again.
For B2B companies with largest services and products, you’ll want to use the same strategy. However, for you, it’s more about brand awareness. Create yourself as an experts resource, so you stand out in your industry.
