How to create a follow-up email series for those who opt-in

Once you’ve managed to get the signup, your struggle is only partially won. Even though they’ve now given you permission to email them begs the question, what do I do now?! You create an email follow up series, that’s what! Of course, there’s something of an art to this also.

What you don’t want to do is set one up with the intent of sending an email every couple of days filled with offers and sales pitches. This is a sure way to see your list shrink before your eyes, causing you to be in constant replenishment mode. Instead do your best to offer value and excitement via your emails, and not merely pitch fests. Let’s examine how you can make this happen.

Choose your goals – Knowing the exact result you wish to have is vital to your success in email. Whether you’re seeking to generate sales, create long-term connections, create a buzz about an event or your company, or other aims, knowing this going in gives you a huge leg up when crafting your autoresponder series.

Find your best strategy – This will vary from business to business, and it requires some thought. Factors that play into this directly include things like trust and authority, being front of mind in your market, and being personable, likeable, fun or all of the above. Nobody likes boring!

Map out your email sequence – Do this on a spreadsheet, delineating each mailing in the sequence, as well as what its purpose is. This is where you’ll determine how long the sequence is going to be, and there are no cast in stone rules for this. Whether it happens to be 12 or 200, it’s up to you and your business needs.

Write the emails – Now that you have your purpose planned out, it’s time to get down to it. If you are doing it yourself, do some of research into the psychology of selling via email, as this will make a difference. If you are outsourcing the writing, knowing this will help you know if what you’re getting will stand a chance of working!

Track and test again! – Most email service providers are able to provide you with excellent tracking stats. Start using these and tweak your emails as needed for better results!