10 Tips for Writing Cold Emails That Will Land Your Next Big Job

Despite the rise of a variety of new communication methods, such as Instagram direct messages, virtual reality meeting spaces and Slack, email remains a central part of business communication. In fact, the average professional will send or receive 86 work emails each day.

For those hoping to land a great new job, email is still an excellent way to connect with recruiters, hiring managers and influencers. But, because people are bombarded from all angles, including the new messaging platforms mentioned above, getting the attention of an influential businessperson can be challenging.

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Monthly Email Marketing Workshop Series for Beginners

Here are 10 strategies that will enable job seekers to land an exciting new gig through unorthodox email outreach strategies.

1. Embed a personal video in emails.

Both consumers and B2B buyers prefer video content to written content when shopping for a product or service. The same is likely true for professionals searching for talented people to join their team.

Free or inexpensive video-production platforms like Wistia and Vidyard make it easy for anyone to record a high-quality personalized video using only the camera embedded in a computer.

Adding a personalized video will help to set your cold emails apart, and will provide you with helpful analytics that make it easy to know how many times your video was viewed, as well as how much of the video was viewed on each visit. Armed with this information, you can create a follow-up email that outlines only the points the viewer missed.

2. Track email delivery and open rates.

Email extensions like Mailtrack and MixMax track email open rates. This allows senders to time follow-up emails based on the level of engagement from the recipient. A recipient who opens your email multiple times is probably more engaged than someone who totally ignored your first email.

Tracking open rates can also help you to understand if your email subject line is effective. Ambitious job hunters can even devise tests to determine what subject lines work best.

3. Use tracking links to determine recipient engagement.

If your email was opened, did the recipient click on a link included within the email? The only way to know the answer is if you use a tracking link. Platforms like Google URL Shortener and Bit.ly help senders see if a link shared within an email was clicked.

Senders can experiment with the call to action, or link anchor text to see if presenting the link in a different light drives better click-through rate (i.e., the percentage of email recipients who clicked on a link in the email).

4. Sprinkle in outreach via unorthodox channels.

Simply hammering away at recruiters and hiring managers via email may not get the job done. Instead, you'll need to think like a marketer developing a multi-channel marketing strategy. Make a list of the channels members of your target audience use on a regular basis, and target those.

Certainly, email is a popular channel for most audiences. But, SMS messages, phone calls and even snail mail can be effective ways of engaging otherwise hard-to-reach professionals.

5. Take the time to offer overwhelming value early on.

Whenever asking for help from a professional you don't know, it's best to offer value upfront to prove your worth. A good way to do this as a job applicant is by suggesting a fix to a small but meaningful problem.

For software engineers, that could mean emailing the hiring manager with a fix for a bug you found in their project. For a marketer, it could involve analyzing the website's SEO performance to identify new areas of opportunity.

Offering value will take different shapes for different professionals and seniority levels. The point is, offering value before receiving value can be an effective way to motivate recipients to reply to a cold email.

6. A/B test cold outreach to identify the most effective tactics.

The best digital marketers use A/B testing to perfect various channels, including email. While the average professional will not have access to sophisticated A/B testing tools, a similar effect can be achieved using some of the platforms mentioned above.

The key to conducting the "poor person's" version of A/B tests is to carefully change one independent variable at a time while measuring a single dependent variable. Slowly, you'll begin to identify the ideal combination of subject line, call to action and email content to motivate recipients to get in touch with you.

7. Include a clear call to action.

A good call to action should provide the email recipient with a clear next step. In some cases, your call to action may be a request that the recipient click on a link in the email. In other cases, you may simply want the recipient to reply.

Whatever you may want to motivate, finding the right call to action can dramatically improve performance. Be specific with your ask, and be sure to place it in a prominent location so that the call to action will not be easily overlooked.

8. Create a professional email signature.

The average person forms a first impression in just seven seconds. That means everything about your cold email must be highly professional. A simple way to add another layer of professionalism to a cold email is by including a well-designed call to action.

Using a tool like Wise Stamp, email senders can provide forms of social proof like links to social media accounts or testimonials from colleagues to encourage recipients to take a minute to reply to your message.

9. Reply quickly to those who responde to your email.

Slow response time is the bane of business success. This is true when it comes to inbound marketing, and it is also true when communicating with business leaders through cold email. If a professional takes the time to reply to a cold email, by all means, get back to them as soon as possible.

By replying quickly, you show that you are excited about building a relationship with them and help to keep the forward momentum of the conversation.

10. Move the conversation to the phone or an in-person meeting.

Conversations should never end with email. The email should be a means of achieving a phone call or, preferably, an in-person meeting. This is because it is difficult to build meaningful rapport over email, and it is easy for messages to get lost in the shuffle.

Once the recipient has engaged over email, ask for a short phone call or, better yet, ask if you can meet them near their office for a coffee.

Brand new to Constant Contact? You can try us out for free! Sign up for your free 60-day trial to see for yourself. 

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Conclusion

As the famous proverb goes, success is about who you know, not what you know. One report estimated that 70 percent of open job positions are filled through networking rather than through online applications.

Readers who are interested in landing their next great job should experiment with cold email outreach to connect with hiring managers and recruiters. Persistence, creativity and analysis will inevitably help job seekers to connect with business leaders who can advance their careers.


Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/
Image Credit: Caiaimage | Paul Bradbury | Getty Images


ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

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How to Use Email Marketing to Boost Brand Awareness

Keep reading to earn how to increase your email marketing results!

Building brand awareness is one of the biggest challenges for small businesses and startups. They often don’t have the means and channels big business have at their disposition and can’t afford to spend thousands, and often millions, on huge marketing campaigns that might not even bear fruit. However, email marketing is one of the best ways to build brand awareness easily and on the cheap. Here are a few tips on how to boost your brand’s visibility through email marketing.

Recommended for you: 

Monthly Email Marketing Workshop Series for Beginners

Make Sure Your Audience Comes First

Too many newsletters come off as self-serving and are nothing but glorified ads. Users are already bombarded left and right with advertising messages, the last place they want to see them is in their inbox.

The best and only way to build a solid audience is by offering value first and foremost. The large majority of your messages should be purely informational in nature and involve no selling whatsoever. The first message should ideally be a free resource, such as a free guide, course or any other resource of value. A discount or freebie will also be welcomed and will help establish trust. Your subscribers will then value your list and look for other discounts later on and you’ll be able to use your list to promote your brand or advertise product launches once you’ve provided enough value.

Compartmentalize Your List

Another mistake that a lot of email marketers do is send one size fits all messages to members of their list. If you want to successfully build your brand and retain subscribers, you have to make sure that you list is well compartmentalized depending on factors like where the subscribers came from and what your prior interactions were with them.

If someone subscribed after they made a purchase for instance, sending a message on the product they bought would not only be useless but will look unprofessional as well. A follow up email asking for their opinion would be better. Also, if you happen to have gathered a list independently through an email checker service like theemailfinder.co, your approach should be different as well. You should work first on establishing trust and keep the selling to a minimum. If the subscriber came from your social media page, then you could showcase social media specific promotions or direct them to raffles or contests you might be holding.

Remember to Remain Consistent

Consistency is essential with any email marketing campaign. The frequency of your emails as well as their format should be consistent if you want to build your brand image and build a relationship with your list. In some industries, converting a client could take years, and consistency is key if you want to keep your brand at the top of your audience’s mind when they do decide to make a purchase decision.

Email marketing is one of the most cost-effective ways to build brand awareness. When used correctly, it allows you to reach your customers directly and build a long-lasting relationship, as long as you focus on providing genuine value.

Brand new to Constant Contact? You can try us out for free! Sign up for your free 60-day trial to see for yourself. 

Put these tips to work today! Log in to your Constant Contact account to get started.

Source: https://www.business2community.com

ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

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Don't Get Left Behind by the New Online Advertising Standards

Over the summer, the Interactive Advertising Bureau released its new standards for online and mobile advertisers. These new standards involve "sunsetting" a few practices -- such as the giant, annoying ads that take over your screen and won't let you click away -- while also creating guidelines around new technologies such as AR, VR, 360-degree ads and emoji ads.

Entrepreneurs or independent companies that want to secure media dollars from brands and agencies need to be sure they understand the standard terms and conditions of the IAB. While these industry standard terms can seem overwhelming at first glance, they’re the best road map for anyone working on creative production or media-related activation with a major brand or agency, both domestically and globally.

The IAB's framework also helps brands and agencies understand how to conduct business with new technologies, and the guidelines are designed to ensure media is lightweight and adaptable to various screen sizes and the creative is encrypted where needed and supportive of privacy concerns.

Most importantly, the IAB provides a clear road map for how media and media-led digital investments are governed and paid. Most media companies will not accept or pay for content or ads that do not follow IAB guidelines. As with any set of guidelines, some buyers will make an exception, but the standards are important because they establish a common language and best practices.

For entrepreneurs and independently held media companies looking to secure media dollars from a brand or agency, there are a few important points to consider:

1. Get the most bang for your buck.

Production fees for various ad unit sizes, rich media and ad serving can increase quickly. Determine the risk versus reward of proposing various ad units, and remember that skimping on production often does more harm than good.

Also, carefully evaluate how the creative message should best be conveyed. Is a 15-second ad going to garner more attention than a 30-second spot because the consumer is engaged? Is it worth it to create a separate or different mobile expense because smaller ad units won't convey the message?

It's also important to follow the IAB's LEAN guidelines to ensure your ads can do their job. LEAN -- which stands for light, encrypted, AdChoice-supported and non-invasive -- was created as a way to combat the increasing use of ad blockers. By adhering to these rules, you're reducing the risk of your ads getting blocked -- thus making the most of your ad dollars.

2. No viewers = no money.

If creative cannot be seen by real people, it won't make any money. One of the core reasons ads are not viewed is because they do not adapt to the proper screen or the file sizes are too large to load properly. That's why it's more important than ever to adhere to the IAB's new Standard Ad Unit Portfolio to ensure the ads you're uploading are the proper sizes. The new standards have also expanded the guidelines to new types of creative, including AR and VR, social media and mobile video.

Standing out is critical, and rich media is a key component to garnering attention, but it's important to use the required file sizes so the content actually loads. Many times, organic content loads before advertising does, and the consumer has already moved on before he has a chance to see the creative. Also be aware of where on the page the creative is being placed, and ensure it’s actually viewable without needing to scroll.

3. Embrace the new.

High-impact opportunities (such as 360-degree ads, VR and AR) are typically much more expensive to produce, and the market has been slower to accept these types of experiences. Oftentimes, however, the engagement of these high-impact experiences can make the increased production costs of the ad placement worth it.

For example, Hong Kong Airlines created a 360-degree video ad to allow viewers to "walk" through the plane's business class cabin and experience the luxury for themselves. The airline company created a more traditional ad, as well, but the 360-degree ad was 35 times more effective than the traditional version, according to a report from Business Insider.

Volvo took a similar approach when it released its XC90 SUV. The car manufacturer partnered with Google Cardboard so that when users downloaded the Volvo app, they could "sit" in the driver's seat of the SUV and cruise through the picturesque countryside.

4. Put money on mobile.

Pay special attention to the mobile and tablet experience. Ad sizes should not need to be recreated because they only work on desktop, and it's important to consider the best way to showcase content on mobile.

Everyone knows that mobile is important, but it's now more important than ever. In 2016, more than half of Google's search queries came from mobile devices, according to a report from media buying agency Zenith, and according to another Zenith report, 73 percent of time spent online in 2018 is predicted to be through a mobile device. Also, 60 percent of global online advertising spend is expected to come from mobile ads in 2018, so advertisers that aren't optimizing for mobile will be missing out.

Perhaps the most important advice for an entrepreneur who is partnering with a global brand or agency is to carefully review where the investment or media fulfillment is placed on the IAB contract. Then, ensure that in addition to the most creative elements included in the program, there are multiple avenues to fulfillment that ensure the ads are viewable and can fully deliver on media impressions. Because creating ads that don't deliver is just as harmful as not creating ads at all.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com

Image Credit: Hinterhaus Productions | Getty Images

ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

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These 10 LinkedIn Tips Will Make You a Networking Master

One of the central rules of networking seems simple but bears repeating: don’t reach out only when you need something. It’s imperative that you cultivate relationships and engage with people, so when the time does come that you’re looking for that recommendation or connection, it won’t be an awkward stretch to make the ask.

Even better, you can help others. If you meet people at conferences or other events, following the exchange of business cards and the invitations to join LinkedIn networks, how can you make the most of the platform to really make an impact where it counts? Read on for 10 strategies to become a networking master.

1. Personalize it.

When you’re asking to connect with someone on LinkedIn, it’s easy to use the template the platform provides. But if you’re reaching out cold, that’s the last thing you want to do, because it won’t set you apart, or give the person a reason to connect with you. Introduce yourself, say something about why their work or business resonates with you, a bit about what you bring to the table and then thank them for their time. Don’t forget to sign your name.

2. Get offline.

Once you do have that connection, it does nothing for you as just another name on your list. Make plans to speak via Skype or meet in person. These relationships only have as much value as you put into them.

3. Make it a reflection of you.

This might seem straightforward, but as you craft your profile, make sure you have a current, clear photo of yourself, a description that is a creative encapsulation of the kind of work you do and related links to the projects that you are most proud of. Make sure that your voice is present in how you talk about your work. If you’re stuck, look at people in your industry who you admire and take inspiration from how they lay out their accomplishments.

4. Update it regularly.

You don’t want to only be using LinkedIn when you are looking for something. Constantly stay engaged, revising your resume as you get new experience and commenting regularly on what people on your network share on their accounts. Consider giving your profile the SEO treatment. You don’t want to shoehorn in terms where they don’t fit, but incorporate the industry terms you need in an organic fashion.

5. Stay involved.

Don’t forget to join LinkedIn groups for organizations you’re involved with as well as general interest groups. You’ll never know what sort of information might come up that you might be able to use or the relationships you might be able to build. Be an active participant by regularly posting relevant links, job listings and industry news.

6. Be a completist.

If you want to put your best foot forward, don’t forget to fill out every section of your profile, from certifications, professional groups you belong to, awards that you have won and industry-specific skills -- for example, a coding language -- that you have learned. When someone comes to your profile, you want to give them the most robust sense of your experience.

7. Make sure people can get in touch.

If you’re a freelancer, for example, and you’re comfortable with having your contact information readily available, make sure that your phone number, email and relevant social media accounts are easily accessible. By growing your network, there is no reason why you wouldn’t be able to get more clients from your presence on the platform.

8. Put out the bat signal.

Is your company hiring? Then say so right up front. Put a “we’re hiring” next to your name at the top of your profile and next to the name of your business on your company page. If someone is searching for a job in your industry, you want them to know you are in the market for some new employees.

9. But don’t forget to use discretion.

Whether you’re putting feelers out as a prospective employer or job seeker and you’re not 100 percent ready for the world to know that, feel free to use the platform’s full complement of privacy settings to travel incognito while you’re doing your due diligence.

10. Support your colleagues.

Of course, you shouldn’t forget to list your own skills, but a simple and effective way to stay active on the platform is to endorse and recommend the skills of your past and present colleagues. Don’t do this rotely or performatively. Sincerity and specificity about what makes them great at their jobs reflects well on them and speaks to your ability to be a team player.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com

Image Credit: Klaus Vedfelt | Getty Images

ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

How to Build Intimate Relationships With Your Customers With This Single Lead Nurturing Campaign

What is marketing? This is a question many marketers have tried to answer, and most get it wrong.

I'm not saying I have the definitive answer, but for me marketing is simple: It's about creating a one-on-one relationship in a one-to-many way.

On first glance this may sound impossible, but it isn't. And the key to this is intimacy.

What most marketers get wrong is they try to automate a process that doesn't need automating. They do this because they're obsessed with growth and scale, yet there's a good chance they don't need massive amounts of leads and customers to achieve success. Instead, all they need are quality connections that count.

The SSF Method

A couple of years ago, I created the SSF Method, and it's helped a lot of entrepreneurs bring meaningful intimacy into their lead generation. Why? Because it removes this idea that everyone should get the same message as everyone else.

You can no longer create a single funnel or lead magnet and expect success. Your audience are at different stages, and your job as a marketer is to give them the right content at the right time. In general, they fit into one of three key buckets of awareness:

• The Sidewalk: Those who are not aware they have a pain or problem
• The Slow Lane: Those who are aware they have a problem, but don't know enough about the process or methodology to move forward
• The Fast Lane: Those who are ready to commit to a solution, but need more information about what the solution is

If you create specific messaging for each, you bring intimacy into your lead generation and become relevant to the right people at the right time. But, it isn't only the message that matters, because it's when you share it when the magic happens.

How to serve the right content to the right people at the right time

Once you understand who your audience is and whether they fit in your sidewalk, slow lane or fast lane, it's easy to create specific content for them.

• People in your sidewalk are not aware of their problem, so you need to produce micro content that illuminates their pain.
• If they're in your slow lane you need to educate them of your process, which means more in-depth content (articles, guides, longer videos, etc.).
• Once they enter your fast lane, you can share intimate and detailed content with them, such as webinars, training sessions and one-on-one phone calls.

Over time, you share more detailed content with them, because they trust you. But, building their trust takes time, so although someone may enter your fast lane from the beginning (because they are actively seeking a solution), you must still take the time to build their trust.

You cannot bombard them with sales messages and expect them to pull the trigger. They can see you have a solution that may solve their problem, but they don't know you; they do not trust you.

So, as well as understanding your audience's awareness level, you must also appreciate how relevant your content is, and the perfect time to share it with them. To do this you must move your relationship out of their inbox, and the best place to begin is Facebook.

The four types of Facebook ads (and when to use each one)

You can achieve a lot in your audience's inbox, but you cannot do everything. You must take your relationship away from your marketing funnel, so you can truly become top of mind.

My clients and I have found the best success using Facebook ads, but you can replicate it for other platforms. The point is to use retargeting ads to ensure you give your audience relevant content at the right time, meaning you extend your reach without overwhelming them with irrelevant messages.

This is where most marketers go wrong, because they place all their focus on lead generation. They send the same people the same ads, meaning everyone sees the same thing again and again. But, it's important to remember there are four types of Facebook ads:

1. Lead generation
2. Sales
3. Awareness
4. Audience building

Everyone focuses on the first two, but there should be a 50/50 split between lead generation/sales and awareness/audience building. This means you should spend 50 percent of your advertising budget on awareness and audience building, as this is what ensures you become top of mind.

How to dominate your audience's newsfeed and capture their attention

Your aim is to dominate your audience's newsfeed with relevant content -- not just based on whether they are in your slow lane or fast lane, but also on their engagement level and how long they have known you.

Remember, the key is intimacy and to build their trust.

It's not all about those lead generation and sales ads. To begin with, you should focus on building their trust with case studies, PR pieces and other social proof. Nurture them, and after a while, share your process and invite them onto a call.

You now have their trust, and as such, you own their attention.

This is how you build intimate relationships with your audience, and don't worry about how much time this all takes because you can still automate most of the process. You still have your funnels. You batch your content and messages. You set up your Facebook ads and run them on autopilot.

But, not everyone goes into the same funnel, and you don't share the same content with everyone in the same order. You provide an experience for them that's specific to their engagement, awareness level, and trust toward you as an authority figure.

You only give them what they need, when they need it. You nurture them and build their trust. You become omnipresent and relevant, and the "go-to" expert with the solution they need. So, turn your lead generation around this year, and stop wasting money on the wrong content at the wrong time.




Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/
Image Credit: Roo Lewis | Getty Images



ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

Small Business Email Marketing Trends to Watch for In 2018

2017 is in the books.

But, as you know, a business owner’s work is never done.

Where should you focus your energy to make the most of your time?

First, consider how your customer has continued to evolve.

Today’s consumers expect your business to provide experiences tailored to their needs, interests, and habits.

52 percent of consumers say they’re likely to switch brands if a company doesn’t make an effort to personalize communications to them.

Recommended for you:

Monthly Email Marketing Workshop Series for Beginners

If your marketing messages aren’t relevant and easily read on mobile devices, you can expect consumers to move on.

It’s now more critical than ever to get the right message to the right person at the right time.

With that in mind, how can you expect email marketing to help you reach your goals in 2018?

Here are three areas you can expect to come to the forefront for small businesses and their use of email marketing.

1. Real insight from data to make better decisions

There’s no shortage of data available these days. Access isn’t the problem; it’s making sense of all that data in a way that’s beneficial to your business that’s important.

It also goes beyond opens and clicks to actions and interests. It allows you to understand who your best customers are and get carefully crafted messages to them based on what you know and what they do.

Expect to see email marketing providers like Constant Contact looking for ways to give you more proactive insights that allow you to make smarter decisions in addition to what’s available today.

2. More personalization for better results

When you think of personalization, you may think of adding a person’s name in an email. Yes, a person’s name is an essential element in any form of marketing. Beyond that what we’re talking about is timely and relevant messages. It’s about using the data to get more relevant information and offers to your customers.

Expect your email marketing provider to help you better segment your contacts and do so more efficiently.

3. Simple automation to save you time

Automation is where the two previous trends come together to allow you to do more business in your sleep.

For example, if someone expresses interest in a product or service by clicking a link in your email, you can automatically send a follow-up email or series of messages knowing that these emails will be relevant and lead you closer to a sale.

Click segmentation combined with an autoresponder series creates a potent one-two punch that works on autopilot so you can tend to other areas of your business.

Expect to see small businesses embracing this trend as email service providers make it even easier to do so.

But won’t automated messages make my marketing feel impersonal?

If you think relationships are still the backbone of your business, you’re right. You may be thinking that the methods above may feel impersonal, be too complicated to start or be too costly. The truth is just the opposite.

Using these methods above allows you to take the wow experiences you’re already creating for your customers, whether they be offline or online, and make them easy to extend in ways you could never do alone with your limited time. And the costs are a small fraction of the return you can expect from the time invested.

Brand new to Constant Contact? You can try us out for free! Sign up for your free 60-day trial to see for yourself. 

Put these tips to work today! Log in to your Constant Contact account to get started.

Are you ready to embrace these email marketing trends in 2018?

• Real insight from data to make better decisions
• More personalization for better results
• Simple automation to save you time

Each of these trends plays off of one another to help you to do more business.



Source: https://blogs.constantcontact.com/



ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

Is Email Marketing Dead? 5 Thing To Know About Email Marketing!

So I hear this all the time: Email marketing is dead. Email is dead. Well, I’m here to tell you that that’s far from the truth. Why is that? Well, first and foremost let’s look at corporate America. We all know our millennials — our kids or ourselves — we want to text. That’s what we like. We like that instant gratification of forwarding them and sending them back-and-forth and not having to work on email. But, corporations need some kind of paper trail and until somebody comes out with a way to archive texts like you do email, it’s not going to be a useful tool for them.

So, email marketing is far from dead. As a matter of fact, it’s alive and well and doing fine. Should you have it as part of your business? The answer that I have for you is yes, and what I want to talk today is about the five parts that you really need to think about.

Lists

Let’s start off with the first one, and that is creating email lists. A list is a group of people that have signed up for a particular email. Yes, you’re going to have subscribers and emails and all this other stuff, but I want to get into the philosophy of lists. Now, I had like 25, 30 lists. I know people that have hundreds of lists. The thing you need to question is if you can take the subscribers and consolidate them into a unified group, into a congregation, so to speak.

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I had too many, and so when I was sending out emails, I’d have to check all of these but there was a group that had certain things in common. People I gave free things away to, whether they were lead magnets or giveaways at speeches or conferences. There was another group where I did affiliate webinars. There’s another group where I do webinars. There’s another group where I do live presentation speeches. So I took a whole bunch of those individual lists and I combined them into just that, groups that had something in common that I would want to communicate with a different way.

The people who got the freebies are not the same as the people that are my customers. And even though I might send the same email to both of them, not necessarily every email is going to be the same. So, you could have too many lists. Maybe you have too few. I had one customer who had 5,000 people all in one list. They had no idea whether they were current customers, potential customers, past customers, whatever.

So you really have to think about that, and take a look at your email lists and see if maybe now is the time to start consolidating. It’s not easy to do and I don’t have enough time today to get into it, but there are ways of tagging. There are ways of exporting and re-importing. It depends on the platform that you’re on.

I happen to use AWeber. I’ve looked at Drip. I’ve worked with MailChimp, Constant Contact, Infusionsoft, GetResponse, all of those kinds of things. There are tons of them out there. The key thing you have to do is use the tool that you can afford where you’re at right now and make the most of it.

Autoresponders

The second thing is autoresponders, which is where your lists are maintained and where you manage the emails you send. So, when somebody signs up for a list, you have a sequence of emails that are set to go out based on what they purchased or what they did, or what you want them to do. So, it could be a sequence of one, 10, five. I’ve seen as many as 300 or more emails all sequenced out to somebody who joined a list. The key question is with this particular list, what is the goal that you want? Somebody who purchased a product? Maybe you want to get them to purchase another one. Somebody who came to a webinar and maybe you want to get them on a phone call or a mastermind. Maybe presentations, I want to get another opportunity to speak. You have to think about the sequence of emails that you’re going to send to those people.

Subscribers

The next thing is, now we have to start attracting subscribers to these lists. Now you can export, for example, all of your customers out of QuickBooks and import them into an email list because you’ve gotten their information, you’ve done business with them and they can be set, customers. But in most cases, your website is going to have a form or a pop-up form that’s going to integrate with your email program.

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Monthly Email Marketing Workshop Series for Beginners

Maybe somebody signs up for a webinar; you can take those people and import them automatically. Maybe somebody signs up for a meeting, you can do that automatically with some type of integration, like for example, Acuity Scheduling integrates with AWeber so when somebody schedules something, I can add them to a list of coaching clients because they booked a coaching session.

So, there are lots of different ways to do that. The key thing you want to do is make sure you’re getting the right person subscribed to the right list so that you can communicate with them the way they want to be communicated to.

Email Formats

The next thing is the actual email. So there are lots of different ways to do emails. First and foremost, you can use templates that are built-in, but a lot of the fluffy graphics and things like that tend to distract from the message. One of the things that I have found and I have heard is that, believe it or not, plain text messages that look more like an email coming out of an email program, have better open rates, better click-through rates, than these big fluffy graphics, but I still use both. It just depends on what I’m trying to do.

For example, if I’m doing an email sequence, I’m keeping them as plain text graphic. I may add a header at the top that just says it’s coming from Brian Basilico the Bacon Guy, but sometimes it’s just plain text.

When I’m sending out my weekly digest — and please don’t use the word ‘newsletter’ — it’s a digest of all the content I’ve created this week. (Newsletters are very old school.) This is very simple, clickable content to get to my blogs and my podcasts, and maybe click on information about speeches or classes that I’m giving. Those will tend to have a little bit more graphic content because the graphics from the podcast and the blogs, or maybe a picture of me speaking, may add a little bit to the opening rate of those particular links.

Call-To-Action

So, when we talk about the call-to-action when you put together an email, you want somebody to do something. Yes, you want them to read it, but more often than not you’re going to want them to click and go somewhere.

Now, in the case of most emails, you want one call-to-action in the email at least three times. So it’s the same call-to-action with three opportunities to click the link. In the case of my email digest, I have multiple links but people have been trained to expect that there is a link to a podcast, an expert interview, and a blog, and there are links to my presentations, speeches, what have you, even classes. They’ve been trained that there’s a little bit more in there, but in general when you’re putting together your autoresponders, when you’re putting together any kind of email out to your list, you want to make sure that there’s one call-to-action, and you want to have that call to action in there three times.

Here are a few other best practices. Sometimes I found that if you add https to your website links, it can actually stop the program from tracking clicks, so I’ll change it to http. The other thing that you cannot do is use a URL shortener. So if you use bit.ly or ow.ly or something like that, those tend to get spammed, which means the servers receiving them are less likely to deliver them because there’s the higher possibility that there is a bogus spam link or some kind of virus behind it. So make sure you’re using full, legitimate links.

Final Thoughts

That’s it. Those are the five things you’ve got to think about. Your lists, setting up autoresponders, getting people to subscribe to your lists, what kind of emails you’re going to send out, and what is the call to action in each one of those emails.

Put these tips to work today! Log in to your Constant Contact account to get started.

Source: https://www.business2community.com


ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

Managing Relationships on the Run: 4 Reasons to Adopt a Mobile CRM

After years of experts saying it was coming, mobile usage has eclipsed desktop. Including tablets, mobile usage has exceeded 56 percent, according to StatCounter’s December 2017 GlobalStats report, while 43 percent of users prefer desktop.

What does this mean for entrepreneurs and startup founders? It means your software and sites have to be adaptable to mobile. But what you might not realize is that it’s time to update your CRM to include a mobile strategy as well. With your sales team members always on their phones, it makes sense to give them the tools they need right where they are. Using a CRM compatible with mobile devices -- whether it’s a web browser with cloud CRM or a mobile CRM app -- they can access important customer data when they meet with customers and prospects out in the field.

According to research conducted by Innoppl Technologies, 65 percent of sales reps using mobile CRM met their goals. In contrast, only 22 percent of reps using systems that weren’t mobile-enabled achieved the same. At Hatchbuck, a mobile CRM strategy has helped our sales teams to move deals faster and more efficiently.

Closing deals with agility and grace.

Today’s customers don’t just want to know you’re there for them, but that you can also respond quickly to their needs. A mobile CRM puts all of the data sales teams need at their fingertips.

While instant, easy access to customer data is the most important aspect, there are many good reasons to upgrade to a mobile CRM in 2018. Here are four benefits of doing so that will make you happy you did.

1. Syncing saves time and boosts revenue.

Recent research by InsideSales.com labs showed that 47.2 percent of sales reps are inside sales, selling remotely most of the time. However, even outside salespeople sell remotely at least 45.4 percent of the time.

If these figures reflect your sales approach, a mobile CRM can help you keep everyone on the same page, saving time and money over the long haul. It gives the entire team -- customer service, marketing, sales -- a 360-degree view of customer data at all times. Access to the most up-to-date information, all in one place and on the go, enables better, speedier responses to your prospect and customer needs.

When Molex moved to a mobile CRM, for example, its sales reps were able to see opportunities in real time. For this niche B2B company, a manufacturer of electronic and fiber-optic interconnection systems, mobile access to this kind of information proved invaluable. The improved teamwork created by Molex’s mobile CRM increased revenue by 5 percent the first year.

2. Mobile keeps you on your toes -- in a good way.

In a study conducted by Nucleus Research, sales productivity was boosted nearly 15 percent with mobile access to a CRM.

A mobile CRM ensures that sales opportunities don’t slip through the cracks or out of the sales process completely. Ultimately, people buy when they’re ready. However, with a mobile CRM, your team is able to respond immediately to questions as they come up -- and close that deal the moment the customer makes a purchase decision.

Using a mobile CRM has been an easy way to put our own product into practice. Our salespeople have access to all of the people in their pipeline with the tap of a finger, whether they’re at their desks or in a sales meeting. With the entire team able to quickly retrieve tasks, notes and upcoming to-dos on their calendar, we’re hyperfocused on the customer experience, delivering timely communications and fostering better relationships.

3. Increased engagement helps convince naysayers.

Let’s face it: Busy salespeople aren’t always the most open to implementing change. Getting these teams on board with a new system is usually a tall order.

However, by giving them access to the CRM on their phones, you enable them to stay connected and engaged throughout the entire customer life cycle -- whether they’re out on the road or working after hours.

The key to encouraging the adoption of any new initiative is to demonstrate the true value for the user. This holds true for your sales team, too. Once we proved that a mobile CRM system could increase sales (and commissions), we soon had a crowd of devoted users.

4. Mobile CRMs improve data quality.

Data integrity is paramount to building better relationships with your customers. However, data is only useful when it’s accurate.

Avoid collecting incomplete data or missing out on opportunities for sales, upsells and re-engagements. A mobile CRM standardizes customer and prospect data within a uniform system that’s accessible at any moment. In fact, according to a survey by Software Advice (a Gartner company), 82 percent of salespeople using a mobile CRM believe it improves data quality.

To illustrate: Say a sales rep goes out on a call but has to wait until he’s back in the office to enter meeting notes, adjust appointment times or update customer info on a desktop CRM. There’s a good chance he’ll forget some critical piece of data along the way -- or forget to enter it at all. If the CRM were mobile, though, he could enter that information on the spot, in real time, and even let the customer review and confirm that the data is accurate.

Your competition for new business isn’t likely to fade in 2018. Fortunately, empowering your sales team members with a mobile CRM will give them everything they need to keep your business growing and thriving, no matter where they are.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/

Image Credit: Tim Robberts | Getty Images



ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

5 Common Networking Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many people assume that once workers become executives, networking is no longer necessary. According to a survey by Robert Half Management Resources, this misconception often extends to higher-ups themselves who undervalue networking as they advance in their careers.

The survey also revealed that those who network face pitfalls, no matter how experienced they might be. Here are five common networking mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Not asking for help

Often people worry about imposing on others and are unsure of themselves. As a result, they avoid seeking help from others. This does more harm than good, even if they think they're saving their pride.

"We all need guidance from time to time, and people are usually happy to offer support when they can," said Tim Hird, executive director of Robert Half Management Resources.

2. Failing to keep in touch or reaching out only when they need something

Business relationships may differ from personal relationships, but the rules still apply: If your businesses associates only hear from you when you need something from them, you'll soon find your requests for help going unanswered.

According to the survey, sending a friendly email or forwarding an interesting blog post keeps connections strong. That way, it won't be awkward or one-sided the next time you ask for help.

3. Taking a narrow view of your potenital network

Many professionals, executives and entry-level workers alike limit the scope of their networking to people in the same field and those who are at the same stage in their career.

Connect with professionals at all levels and across many fields rather than sticking to the comfort of industry peers or former colleagues. It's useful to have access to perspectives different from your own, and you may discover unexpected opportunities for applying your skills and knowledge.

4. Not thanking contacts when they provide help

Failing to thank contacts can come across as rude, as though you are taking the person's assistance for granted. By not acknowledging and thanking your contacts, you risk jeopardizing your relationships and reputation. A simple "thank you" might sound trivial, but it goes a long way in the business world.

5. Not helping others

A reciprocal business relationship is hard to come by. There's rarely a perfect match between what two professionals need and can provide for one another at a given time. However, most people can find someone, somewhere, to help.

When you develop a reputation for reaching out and giving, people are inclined to do the same for you. Not to mention you create new contacts when you offer yourself to others, which never hurts.

This survey was based on the responses of more than 2,200 CFOs to identify the most common networking mistakes among executives.

Source: https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/




ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

10 Ways to Immediately Improve Your Listening (and Networking) Skills

Most of us move through each day engaging in conversations with friends, co-workers, and family members. But the majority of the time, we aren't listening.

We're often distracted by things in our environment--both external things like televisions, cell phones, cars, and other people talking, and internal things like our own thoughts and feelings.

We think that we're listening to the other person, but we're really not giving them our full and complete attention.

As a licensed therapist and coach, one of the most important things I do for clients is deeply listen to what they're saying. When you deeply listen with your whole body and mind to what another person is communicating, it helps them feel understood and valued.

One technique that therapists learn in graduate school that aims to provide full and complete attention to the speaker is called active listening.

Active listening builds rapport, understanding, and trust. It's a proven psychological technique that helps therapists create a safe, comfortable atmosphere that encourages clients to discuss important thoughts and feelings.

Active listening involves fully concentrating on what is being said rather than passively absorbing what someone is saying. It's not just about remembering the content of what someone is sharing, but actively seeking to understand the complete message--including the emotional tones--being conveyed.

This type of listening involves participating in the other person's world and being connected to what the other person is experiencing.

That's a lot of information--much more than you're used to consciously interpreting in daily conversations. And that's because many things get in the way of active listening.

People often are selective listeners, meaning that they focus on a few key words and ignore the rest of the person's communication. They're often distracted by external stimuli like random sounds or movements, and internal stimuli such as one's own thoughts and feelings.

In other situations, individuals allow their own biases and values to pick arguments with the other person's speech rather than remaining focused on their message. They waste valuable time and energy preparing to respond rather than giving their full, undivided attention to the speech.

With all of these challenging layers to active listening, how does one improve these skills?

Read the list below to discover how to become a better listener, and in doing so, become better at navigating relationships and networking opportunities.

1. Avoid internal and external distractions.

Focus on what they're saying. Don't allow other thoughts or sounds to sway your concentration.

2. Listen to the content of their speech.

Focus on the specific words they're using. Each phrase and word choice is something interesting that you should be taking in.

3. Listen to the context of their speech.

What are the over-arching stories and circumstances they are discussing? Are there common themes? What are the unique situations this person finds themselves in and how does that relate to what they're telling you?

4. Listen to tone of their voice.

Vocal tones convey a lot about what a person might be feeling. Think about what their vocal tone implies about their feelings. All feelings have a story--learn theirs.

5. Listen for the emotions the speaker is likely experiencing.

The more that you follow and amplify the person's emotions, the more likely they are to feel understood. With so many people uncomfortable about sharing their feelings, moments of vulnerability can quickly build a deeper connection.

6. Pay attention to their body language and make appropriate eye contact.

With much of communication being non-verbal, it's incredibly important that you soak in as much information as possible while also showing them--physically--that you are sharing in their experience.

7. Provide small verbal encouragements and don't fight silences.

Saying small things like, "yes," "right," "that makes sense," and allowing natural silences to occur without filling them due to your own discomfort go a long way in building rapport.

8. Ask open-ended questions to encourage elaboration.

There's no substitute for a good question--try to get lengthy responses to understand the big-picture.

9. If you need them to slow down or want specific info, ask close-ended questions.

Questions that can be answered in yes or no slow down the pace when you're feeling overwhelmed and also allow you to gather important details that you missed earlier.

10. Offer affirmations that the person has made valuable and important choices.

Affirmations are like compliments--everyone likes them. Instead of saying, "I'm proud of you," like a compliment, an affirmation focuses on the other person, "You should be proud of your hard work."

Start practicing these basic listening skills. They are simple, yet powerful ways to facilitate conversation and help others feel understood. 

Source: https://www.inc.com/
Image Credit: Getty Images


ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

7 Lessons About Networking People Learn Too Late in Life

There is an art to building strong relationships in business.

Unfortunately, most people never learn the art. Instead, they wear Hello, My Name Is name tags and attend big, fancy networking events. They get hundreds of business cards printed and hand them out whenever possible. They approach relationship building with the mentality that "more is better."

In reality, that couldn't be farther from the truth.

As a result, these seven lessons are learned far too late in life.

1. One great connection is worth more than 100 forgotten acquaintances.

Having a Rolodex of names upon names of people you haven't spoken to in years (or spoken to ever) isn't valuable. At all.

What's valuable is having someone in your life you can count on for advice, for insight, for referrals, for introductions. Someone you believe is a good representation of who you are and what you do, and hopefully, someone to whom you embody those same characteristics.

2. Business relationships are built on actions, not promises.

Nobody trusts the person who says they can do something that never happens.

Tried-and-true business relationships manifest solely through action. When two parties agree to work together, and both deliver on their promises, trust is inherently solidified.

Unfortunately, most people try to build relationships on the basis of promises. They measure their value through the things they say they can do, as opposed to what they actively and consistently deliver.

3. Positive relationships require nurturing.

You can't ignore someone for months and then reach out and ask them for a favor.

Building business relationships that last means taking the time to check in with people, to see how they're doing, to show an interest in their own goals and aspirations--and to understand what would help them the most in exchange.

Business relationships are still relationships. And nobody wants to feel like they're being taken advantage of. They want to know that it's a mutual exchange.

4. You should always give more than you take.

In business especially, giving goes a long way.

Every time you ask someone for a favor, you should be offering to help them with something twice as often. Most of the time, people won't even need what it is you're offering, or will decline, but it's the gesture that shows how much you care. And in the moments when they do take you up on your offer to help, make sure you deliver. That's what they are going to remember most the next time you ask for something in return.

5. Talk numbers second. Talk value first.

Too many hungry people in business want the very first conversation to be all about the numbers.

They want to know how much they're going to make before they even think about the project. They want to sign contracts before they've taken a step into the work. And as a result, the message they're sending is they care more about their own self-interests than they do about creating something meaningful and delivering value to the project.

The best business developers and networkers do the opposite. They show and prove how valuable they would be by taking a few steps into the work, almost always causing the team members to willingly make an offer in return.

6. Your energy introduces you.

Just because you're "doing business," it doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't be personable.

In fact, the more likable of a person you are, the easier it will be for people to welcome you into their inner circles--and the more willing they'll be to help you out.

It doesn't matter how talented you are, how well-connected or wealthy you are. Positive energy attracts positive energy. And if you want the doors of opportunity to stay open, then what's most important is that you always remain humble, grounded, and willing to learn and connect with those around you.

7. Business takes time.

Some of the best opportunities take months, or even years, to nurture.

Some of the best connections require a lot of giving in order to turn into a mutually beneficial relationship.

Part of maturing in the business development world is understanding that patience is as crucial as anything else. To build sound relationships, you can't expect bonds to be formed overnight.

Source: https://www.inc.com/

Image Credit: Getty Images



ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!

How to Write a Proper Follow-Up Email After You've Been 'Ghosted'

You’re bound to get inbox-ghosted during your career. And if my experience is any indication, it’s bound to happen more than once.

But what are you supposed to do when all you get from a well-crafted email is radio silence? At what point does it go from persistence to nagging? To help you navigate the muddy waters of following up with someone who isn’t responding to you, let’s talk about all the people who will probably leave you hanging outside your office.

Your Former Co-worker You’d Like a Favor From

Maybe you’re bad at math and someone you used to work with is a whiz. Or maybe, and this is hypothetical now, you know that a former teammate writes for a particular website and hasn’t gotten back to you with resume suggestions (to that person, I’m very sorry). Your ex-teammates probably mean well, but either way, they’re ghosting you--and it’s not cool.

How to Get a Response

When you’re dealing with someone you knew at a previous job, be sensitive to their other work duties, but add a little urgency to the task.

Try this in a follow-up email:

Hi there,

Hope you’re well. I know you must be busy at work, but wanted to know if you think you’ll have a chance to [insert the task or feedback that you’re waiting on] before [your deadline]. No worries at all if not, just thought I’d check back in.

Thanks,
Your Name

Your Former Boss

Interviewing for a new job and waiting for a reference call to seal the deal? Want some tips on how to take the next step in your career? Your former manager can be a great resource--if you can get him to respond.

How to Get a Response

Here’s a real example that I used when I couldn’t get a hold of a former boss during a tough interview process.

Hi there,

Hope you’ve been well. I’m following up about that email I sent you because I’m in the advanced stages of an interview process. The employer recently emailed me and said that they couldn’t get a hold of you for a reference call. If you could send me a few dates and times that you’d be available, I’d appreciate it. But if you’re unable to do the call, please let me know and I’ll send them another contact.

Best,
[Your Name]

That Random, But Exciting Person You Met at a Networking Event

Woah! I made a contact at a networking event. And he might have an opportunity for me to consider! How exciting, right? Totally, unless that person goes dark on you after the first few emails.

How to Get a Response

Since you’ve already sent this person an email, you can gently remind them that you exist with this template:

Hi there,

Hope you’ve been well since [insert the event you attended]. I wanted to send you another note because the opportunity you mentioned sounded really interesting. I’d love to learn more. If that’s no longer on the table, I’d still love to connect and discuss [something you spoke about]!

Best,
Your Name

That Friend of a Friend of a Friend

How many times has someone told you that they “know someone” who can help your career? And even though it feels weird, how many times have you emailed those people? Sometimes you’ll get a very friendly response. But other times, you get, well, nothing. And why should you, right? After all, there are a few degrees of separation here.

How to Get a Response

Here’s a short email you can send that’s not awkward--and might even get this person’s attention.

Hi there,

Hope you’ve been well. [Your friend’s name] mentioned that you might be able to help with [specific ask you’re making]. I wanted to follow up to see if that’s still the case. If so, here are a few slots I’m available over the next week. If you need additional times, I’d be happy to accommodate.

[Insert 3 dates and times]

If it’s no longer possible, I also understand! Just let me know.

[Your Name]


As you’ll notice, all these templates offer the person an out. And while it sucks to have someone go back on their word, it’s always better to know that’s the case. Because otherwise, you’re stuck waiting for a response (and hoping against hope your message did end up in their spam folder and that’s why they’re not responded).

So even though following up means a little extra work for you, it’s still worth trying to figure out if the conversation is going anywhere. After all, there’s a deadline looming. Or a job possibility waiting. Or, an endless list of things that could positively impact your career.

But if you let it lie, those things will be nothing more than possibilities, so go get what you deserve.

Source: https://www.inc.com
Image Credit: Getty Images



ABOUT WNFP
Westchester Networking for Professionals (WNFP) is a business organization focused on providing our members and guests with an extraordinary networking experience, bringing business professionals together for the sole purpose of generating new relationships and developing new business opportunities. Not a member, learn how you can become a member and join this awesome group of professionals to connect and grow your business.

Stay Connected with WNFP!