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.

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

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.

Recommended for you:
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!

5 Daily Email Newsletters That Will Make You Eager to Check Your Inbox

You follow inspirational accounts and figures on Instagram and Facebook. You enjoy their posts and find yourself motivated by them. You have given them valuable placement within your newsfeed or social feeds.

Increasingly, I find myself gravitating toward content from somewhere other than my social feed -- my email inbox. Yes, email ... a place you protect dearly and are merciless with when it comes to deleting spam and excess. I'm not talking about the typical email "newsletter." Those are boring and get barely a glance from me.

I'm talking about a new generation of email. One made by creative and inspired millennials who understand that email can be cool again. Recently, I have found myself eager to check my email each morning as more content creators and influencers are creating content specifically for email but with a unique millennial flavor.

Here are my five favorite daily emails worth leaving room for in your inbox.

1. PRSUIT

PRSUIT is a daily email dedicated to self-development in a cool and relatable way. They say on their homepage that they don't want to talk about the business news, current events, The Kardashians or stock tips -- just helping their subscribers be their best selves. They send an email weekday mornings sourced from hundreds of contributors that focuses on helping you reach your potential. They're definitely bringing the "cool factor" back to email and I'm seeing their emails being forwarded everywhere these days.


2. MatterMark

Mattermark is a great email for those interested in startups and VC. It is a daily email that provides a curated digest of posts from investors and startup owners on all sorts of topics from pitch advice, scaling, investment advice and more. Definitely recommended if you're interested in startups from both the perspective of startup CEOs and VCs/investors.


3. Coinzy

Coinzy is a twice-daily newsletter for those interested in the world of cryptocurrencies. (And let's face it -- who isn't these days!) Once in the morning, and once in the afternoon, you'll get all the latest news about what's going on with Bitcoin and all the other exciting cryptos out there. The newsletter is clean and to-the-point, without the fluff.


4. The Skimm

The Skimm has been around for awhile and is well known for its daily, five-minute rundown of what's happening in the world. It's a hit particularly with millennial women who want to keep up with important events.


5. I Will Teach You To Be Rich

The I Will Teach You To Be Rich newsletter from well-known entrepreneur and marketer Ramit Sethi sends a good variety of topics ranging from financial insights, psychology topics, case studies and entrepreneurial tips. Ramit does a great job of keeping things personal and transparent, often offering insight into his own life, companies and clients.

Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/
Image Credit: Hero Images | 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!

2 Little-Known Practices That Create Strong Relationships With Colleagues and Friends

When a friend lands their dream job or a colleague is promoted at work, most people show their support with a quick, "Congratulations!". Although complimenting friends and coworkers on their intelligence, hard work and achievements is important, going a little further than the standard pat on the back can have a significant impact on the quality of your relationships.

According to psychologist and author of The All-or-Nothing Marriage Dr. Eli Finkel, savoring happy times together and supporting people as they make those accomplishments is key to stronger relationships.

When someone is going through a tough phase of their life (a breakup, job loss, family passing, etc.), it's natural to give them a little extra attention and time. Yet, doing the same for when they have accomplishments, even small ones, can strengthen the relationship significantly. Here are two ways that you can show colleagues and friends support:

1. Recognize the win for somebody else.

According to a Gallup poll, recognition has a big influence on employee happiness and workplace culture. Top performers want to feel valued and recognized for their accomplishments, and not just by the CEO. When coworkers recognize each other, it fosters teamwork and engagement. Next time you see your colleague doing a good job, point it out and recognize them, even if the boss has already.

Instead of a generic, "Great job!", point out the details and show interest. Why was their accomplishment so great? If they landed a new client or formed a new partnership, you might say that you were impressed by how they conducted their outreach efforts or how they made connections to get warm introductions.

2. Match the support to the person.

Cater how you show appreciation to the individual. Think about how they would like to be recognized. In general, rather than say, "Hey, nice work," people should stop what they are doing and give a little more attention. Taking just a little bit of extra time to savor accomplishments makes a big difference. It could mean stepping away from the computer for a second to make a broader announcement, having the office break off for happy hour, or taking a colleague out for lunch.

We all experience small and big wins throughout the course of our careers and our personal lives. When someone puts in just a little extra time and effort, we notice and appreciate them more. In the office, showing support in these two ways can strengthen employee relationships, foster teamwork and create a high-morale working environment.

The next time a spouse, colleague, friend or family member has a win, take them out for a meal or drinks. Supporting them in both good and bad times will make a significant impact on the quality of relationships overall.

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!

Making These 4 Email Marketing Mistakes Will Keep You From Success

When I started learning about Internet marketing many years ago, the first thing that I heard over and over again was “the money is in your list.” This wisdom still holds true today, despite the growing number of digital media platforms that marketers can use to reach their audience, the average ROI of email marketing is 3700 percent.

Unfortunately, too many marketers go about email marketing all wrong.

Marketers often believe that email marketing begins and ends with building a list. The value of your list isn’t correlated with the number of subscribers. You can build a list of a million subscribers, but if you don’t engage with them well, your marketing efforts will fail miserably.

Email Marketing Engagement Mistakes to Avoid

If your open rates, click-through-rates and conversion rates are very low, then you are probably not engaging with your list well. Here are some common email marketing engagement mistakes you may be making and some tips to turn things around.

Not Offering Incentives to Keep Them Interested

Are you using your list primarily to educate customers about your brand? This is one of the biggest reasons engagement is faltering.

Few of your subscribers joined your email list simply to hear you talk. Most joined because they expect you to give them something of value, which can include deals on future services, exclusive content or freebies. You need to keep offering them things to maintain their interest.

You don’t have to give them the next winning lottery ticket to keep them interested. Small incentives can work wonders. UncommonGoods has kept customers engaged by offering discounts on premium shipping. They have found that customers are thrilled to save a few dollars on shipping, which is enough to keep them subscribed.

Failing to Initiate Engagement by Making the Customer Participate in the Process

Email marketing is usually very passive. The marketer sends an email and customers read it. It is very easy to begin tuning out emails that don’t require the readers to participate in any meaningful way.

A lot of brands have started changing things up. Bonobos has one of the best email marketing strategies of any brand. One of the biggest reasons their strategy surpasses competitors is that they prompt customers to take action. They often have emails that ask customers to fill out surveys about their clothing choices or answer questions to help them come up with their dream wardrobe.

Avoid Sending Messages for the Sake of It

One of my old roommates used to have an email list to promote his video transcribing business. The problem was he used his list as a soapbox for completely unrelated things. He talked about animal rights activism, vegan recipes and political developments overseas. I stopped reading his emails after a while. Apparently, a lot of his other subscribers did as well, because he noticed his engagement rate plummeted after he started sending irrelevant messages to his readers.

This is an extreme example of a mistake most email marketers make. You need to engage with your subscribers on a regular basis. However, you should only send messages when you have something meaningful to say.

Make sure your emails are relevant to the interests of your subscribers.

Personalize, But Don’t Be Creepy

Personalization is a good thing. Email automation tools, such as Campaign Monitor, give marketers the ability to aggregate customer information. By connecting disparate systems like Salesforce CRM and Shopify eCommerce, marketers can personalize email messages based on information such as geo-location, age, gender and transactional history. For example, let’s say you’re an online jewelry retailer and want to send a discount offer to customers for a female bracelet product line. Segmenting your list by all customer who are female and have purchased a bracelet over the past 12 months, you can send more targeted offers that increase your email engagement and conversion rates.

It is a good idea to begin every email by using your subscriber’s name. You may want to use it one other time in the body of your content if it makes sense. However, many marketers have started using their subscribers’ names too much, which makes their messages seem less natural.

Source: https://smallbiztrends.com/
Image Credit: Shuttershock


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!

What Your Brand Needs To Know About Email Marketing to Generation Z, Plus 9 Brands Doing It Right

By 2020, Gen Z will make up 40 percent of consumers. Also known as the iGeneration, these teens and tweens grew up with smartphones in their hands.

Born between 1996 and 2010, these digital natives are the group after the millennials, and they have different needs, wants, and expectations. As such, brands need to adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.

Below we’ll cover email marketing to Generation Z and how it does particularly well with this demographic, as long as you do it right.

What Email Marketers Need To Know About Gen Z

Unlike their narcissistic predecessors, Gen Zers have been described as independent, realistic, and private. They grew up with pragmatic Generation X parents (instead of baby boomers constantly telling them how special they are) and, thanks to millennials, they’ve seen the dangers of oversharing. As a result, they’re fans of the disappearing, anonymous nature of Snapchat, Secret, and Whisper, versus the very public world of Facebook.

Speaking of Snapchat, Generation Z never knew a time before social media. They’ve always digested information instantly. If your brand wants to catch their attention, you need to do it as quickly as possible (this is where emojis can really come in handy).

Overall, Gen Z holds brands to higher standards. To a group who grew up with smartphones, any experience that’s less than perfect indicates a brand who doesn’t know what it’s doing. They’re also incredible multitaskers, so brands need to bend over backwards for them. Otherwise, they’ll simply leave.

Finally, it’s important to remember that Gen Zers grew up in a world with 9/11, and saw firsthand how the recession impacted their families. They want to make a difference in the world more than any previous generation, and they’re willing to work for it. Make sure they know about your brand’s humanitarian impact, and how they can contribute.

3 Rules for Marketing to Generation Z

Over half of Gen Zers prefer to shop online, and one of the best ways to invite them to shop with you is through email marketing. 

Here are three rules of thumb to follow.

#1. Be instant

Gen Zers grew up traversing the web and multitasking like there’s no tomorrow. Millennials use three screens at a time, while Gen Zers use five. This means they can tune out your ad on one screen while they look at another. How’s that for multitasking?

At 8 seconds, their attention span is a full 4 seconds shorter than the typical millennial. According to Fast Company, this is more of a filter than an attention span: you have 8 seconds to convince them not to move on from your brand.

Marketers need to prioritize immediacy in their marketing strategy for Gen Z. Don’t worry about complete sentences – it’s better to make information easily scannable. Lean into their at-a-glance digestion abilities by using emoji, abbreviations, images, and videos. Splitting up one piece of content into smaller chunks will perform better than long-form stories. Marketing workflows should react to their actions – special offers, cart abandonment, and welcome emails should all be timed accordingly.

#2. Be personal

Yes, email marketing may be way older than Snapchat, but its personalization capabilities make it a perfect fit for Generation Z. With segmentation and marketing workflows, you can cater precisely to them.

Unlike me-me-millennials, Generation Z isn’t necessarily focused on becoming rich and famous. These individualistic teens are concerned about crafting their unique personal brand, whatever that may be. They’re more discerning and less prone to flattery than their millennial counterparts. Rather than just catering to their ego, be a helpful partner to their brand creation process to gain their loyalty.

Let Gen Zer’s shopping habits inform what you send them, and also let them dictate how often you fill their inboxes. Don’t bombard them, and don’t resend the same information, just repackaged. Remember that you don’t have as much leeway with this generation: unlike older users who may have been more understanding of irrelevant or repeated information, Gen Z will view it as a fault in your system and lose trust in your brand.

Use email as a jumping off point for other social media channels, especially YouTube: this generation watches up to 2 hours of YouTube video per day.

#3. Be authentic

Many Gen Zers never had to sit through ads – they started watching TV on Netflix straight from their iPads. As a result, they know an ad when they see one, way more so than any other generation. In the same vein, they also know when you’re BSing them. The days of getting by just talking the talk are officially gone.

To connect with Gen Z, you have to genuinely talk with – instead of at – them. A great way to do this is through finding influencers their age that inherently “get” them in a way your brand may not. Gen Zers prefer real people (or YouTube and Snapchat stars) over celebrities as brand ambassadors. They like behind-the scenes content that feels real, not marketing jargon.

And your actions need to back up your words. You need to actively involved in the causes your Gen Z customers care about if you want them to take you seriously. Go global and speak to the world. Gen Z grew up in a multicultural society with a black president and believe the world can coexist peacefully.

9 Brands Doing Gen Z Email Marketing Right

Now that you know what to do, let’s take a look at some brands for inspiration.

#1. Do Well by Madewell

In their “Do Well” email series, women’s clothing brand Madewell keeps it short and sweet, just how Gen Z likes it. They use their lingo (“this new collab gives back”) with a big image that instantly creates a story. They offer choice, too: shoppers can click through to browse featured products or learn more about Madewell’s various philanthropic “do Well” efforts, such as their work with the Surfrider Foundation and their jean recycling program.

#2. Go Behind The Scenes With Sephora

With a subject line that says, “Go behind the scenes with RIHANNA  ,” beauty retailer Sephora starts things off right. Both the subject line and the pre-header use fun emojis (the company has even created their own Sephoji app to cater to younger demos) and speak to Gen Z’s desire to go behind the scenes with people they admire.

The email emphasizes the “real-life” authenticity of Rihanna’s look, and how it’s helping expand global definitions of beauty in its design “for women of all skin tones” (which are still woefully underrepresented by many of the major beauty brands). Finally, the email creates multiple jumping off points to the various screens Gen Zers use: they can watch a quick 3-step YouTube video featuring Miss RiRi herself, or virtually try on makeup using the Sephora app.

#3. Welcome to Adidas

Adidas remains a popular brand with Gen Z, and their emails explain why. They reward users for subscribing with a 15% off coupon, and their imagery focuses on young people having fun. They show everyday, smiling people enjoying their lives while wearing Adidas clothing. It’s about the customer living their best life, not Adidas making the most money.

#4. H&M: Look Good, Do Good

H&M wants Gen Z to know they believe they can make the world a better place, but still look good doing it. They even found a clever way to bring people into their stores with a clothing recycling day on Earth Day.

H&M also does a good job getting the point across with a heavy focus on imagery and minimal text. With a clever play on words (“Go Green, Wear Blue”) and callout that H&M jeans are “conscious denim,” Gen Zers can feel good about shopping at H&M.

#5. Victoria’s Secret PINK Nation

It’s easy to see from their email that Victoria’s Secret’s PINK collection targets young shoppers. Victoria’s Secret customizes the brand for Gen Z, using youthful color choices and fonts, inviting recipients to “shop your school” through their collegiate collection, and leaning into the temporary nature of their preferred social networks like Snapchat through a “pop-up blog.”

Showing that they walk the talk, the PINK experience continues once users click through to the website. They’re taken straight to the home page for the PINK sub-brand, which utilizes a different header, font, and even account logo than the standard Victoria’s Secret page (it’s a dog instead of a heart). The PINK Nation home page highlights their “campus life” content and their Instagram, which includes personalized local city accounts. All this adds up to a true lifestyle hub, a social media destination worthy of Gen Z’s time online, instead of just a place to buy new bras and underwear.

#6. Urban Outfitters Keeps Things Fresh

Urban Outfitters constantly keeps things fresh with entirely redesigned and radically different, but all equally fun, email newsletters. These funky emails stand out in Generation Z inboxes, and despite an occasionally cluttered design, the essential information is always clear. From sales to co-branded events, UO keeps their brand top of mind with Gen Z shoppers.

#7. The Chubbies Lifestyle

Chubbies became famous for their no-holds-barred content marketing and unabashedly short shorts for men. They don’t just sell shorts; they offer shoppers a carefree beer-and-shorts lifestyle. Sales emails like this one barely even mention the shorts – they let the image do the talking:

The brand’s abandoned cart emails have made the internet rounds for their hilarity. With a distinct voice that pervades all their content, they’re funny, to the point, and effective.

#8. Asos Caters to Curves

While brands are starting to offer plus-size lines, they’re often tucked away in the stores and altogether ignored in their marketing. Asos takes a decidedly different approach: their Curve Crew makes plus-size women not only feel welcomed, but part of an exclusive group. They do more than just offer a few token plus-size items. Instead, Asos offers dedicated emails, special promos for plus-size brands, and even plus-size stylists to cater to all aspects of the buying experience.

Asos maintains a clean look across all their emails, using pops of color to highlight important text callouts and relying on big images to sell the product. They do a wonderful job making sure their emails are responsive and look good, regardless of which device they’re being viewed on.

#9. Content that Sells: Warby Parker

Warby Parker has since expanded into retail stores, but the e-commerce brand has always known how to be successful online. They consistently use the same blue font for CTAs across all their marketing, training customers to know where they’re supposed to click.

Their content often uses hand drawn sketches, expressing their modern brand look and mimicking the frame of glasses at the same time. They also provide Gen Z with fun content that helps them live a better life. Instead of an email saying, “Hey, check out our latest sunglasses!” Warby Parker presents a whimsical look at how to wear sunglasses indoors, amusing customers while at the same time persuading them to buy.
Conclusion

Email marketing for Generation Z can be extremely effective, when done right. Take a cue from the brands above. Be instant. Be personal. Be authentic.

Source: http://tweakyourbiz.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!