So, you’re all set to launch a new product. Excellent! I trust you’ve got your entire marketing and promotional schedule squared away, right? I’m also guessing that you’re about to fire off an email blast to everyone on your list to let them know what’s happening. That’s also excellent.
“Email” is not an all-encompassing term. You can’t just “send an email blast” and hope for the best. Out of the numerous personality types, income levels, and other demographic differences that exist within your list, you might manage to get the attention of that tiny quorum that will at least click through to view the product page, but a little thought to the “how” can make a huge difference in the way that email blast is received.
There are literally thousands of methods and practices out there that everyone who has developed said methods will swear are the best. The same people typically have entire programs to sell you complete with swipe files and instructions that are “guaranteed to get results or your money back.”
See, I’m in an interesting position here. I don’t have to offer you a money-back guarantee. I’m not trying to sell you on anything except perhaps the notion that you have options and that some are more effective than others.
Types of Campaigns
There are a few basic email campaign styles that many of us have seen more times than we realize. We get so used to seeing things in our inboxes we rarely, if ever, really take a look at the framework of the campaign. I’m going to give you a few ideas here, and you’ll find that some of them actually build on others. In other words, you’re not bound to a single style when it comes to how you use email. Quite often, a longer pre-launch sequence will need to be followed up with something else.
Since I just brought it up, let’s talk about pre-launch sequences. This is precisely what it sounds like: an email sequence designed to build up anticipation for a product launch. How far ahead do you start sending messages? Furthermore, how many do you send?
I haven’t used my catchphrase in a while, so let me take a deep breath and exhale with, “It depends.” How much urgency do you want to create with a pre-launch? Are you trying to educate and inform as much as possible, or are you going for the impulse buy? You know your audience and you know what will work better. I’ve seen pre-launch sequences that went on for two weeks with a dozen or more messages and others that were much shorter and much more hard-sell in their delivery – two or three days maximum.
Longer sequences tend to be more emotional. They are often more aggressive, and they start putting the pressure on somewhere beyond the halfway mark. What will work best for your audience depends greatly on what you’re trying to sell. There is a variety of products and services that could easily benefit from a high-energy, weeks-long pre-launch, but sometimes information can be the enemy.
The trick is to develop a pre-launch that puts the product in front of the right buyers before they get tired of seeing you in their inbox. Whether the goal is to excite, inform, or do a little of both (which really is the best option most of the time), timing is key. If your last pre-launch campaign fell flat, it could have been dragged out too long or it didn’t provide enough information to elicit a buying decision. Not to step on anyone’s toes, but it could also have been the quality of the content… nothing a good custom writing service or talented copywriter can’t help you fix.
Once you discover a pre-launch method that works, it’s time to enter the lead nurturing portion of your campaign. You do this with follow-up sequences. Note that I said “sequences” and not just “emails” or “messages.” You want to keep your readers engaged and ease off the hard-sell at this stage. You want to coax the ones sitting on the fence to choose your side. That happens when you stay in close contact with your list, appear often in their inboxes, and continue positioning yourself as a relatable, trustworthy authority.
It’s a great idea to make ample use of postscripts in follow-up sequences. I’ve found that calls to actions in postscripts get the best response. I’ve also found that a postscript can be a bit more editorial in nature, and your opinion is better received in that context. It can also be framed much more as an opinion than fact.
“Urgency” Sequences
I recommend creating multiple list segments based on how well average pre-launch and follow-up campaigns convert. The ones that take no action because of either are probably procrastinators or they’re nervous about spending money. This is where cart abandon sequences and focused hard-sell methods, like Frank Kern‘s 4-Day Cash Machine, can really tip the scales.
Three or four messages should be the cap in these instances. Remember, we’re talking about people who see you in their inboxes all the time already. You need to be sensitive to wearing out your welcome. You can do a lot to lengthen your stay by simply choosing subject lines that are engaging without looking stupid. You know what I mean…
OMG!!!! ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT!!!!!! <—-Don’t Miss this!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’ll get a lot more mileage from something like this:
Price Drop for List Members: Just 5 Days Left to Save!
These types of sequences appeal to people who are interested in getting a good deal, so mention (or at least hint at) the deal in your subject line. The body of your email should also be short. Here, we’re talking about raw selling so just sell already! Come up with a discount or asset that adds value to your offer and drive that value in the later stages of your email campaign.
I hope that I’ve given you a good framework for a successful, comprehensive email campaign. Need help knowing where to start? That’s where Beez comes in. Feel free to contact us and let us help you organize the pieces.