5 Ways to Make Your Emails Better

5 Ways to Make Your Emails Better

by | Aug 30, 2021 | Uncategorized

You may have heard rumors that email is on its way out. But make no mistake about it: email is still king when it comes to business communications—especially direct-to-consumer marketing.

Sure, text and group channel communications like Slack have made significant headway. But good ole email is still the way most people reach out, respond, and build relationships when they want to connect with new and existing clients.

The downside to this is email is everywhere. And it’s created a phenomenon known as “email blindness,” which is similar to the “junk mail blindness” people developed with its predecessor, snail mail.

Think about it: How many times have you emptied your (physical) mailbox, sorted what was important and then discarded the “junk” mail without a second thought?

Over the past two decades or so, we’ve adopted the same process with our email inboxes.

First, email providers started filtering annoying spam messages (and try to find anyone who didn’t celebrate that advancement!). Then Gmail, the world’s largest email provider, decided to further filter messages into “social” and “promotions” tabs to save you from doing it.

Now, fewer messages than ever are making it through the spam, promotions, and social filters and landing in your main inbox. And if an email actually does make it to your inbox, it still has to make your cut.

Will be one of the emails you delete immediately because it doesn’t appear important? Or will it be one of the thousands that sit unopened forever?

Getting Your Message Across

One of the most common business challenges you’ll face—and what’s keeping you from reaching more clients faster—is identifying how to make the email experience better for the people on your list.

As a coach or consultant, you have to deliver content your recipients want to read. An irresistible subject line might get them to click, but if what they get inside is always disappointing, they quickly develop email blindness to your emails.

So here are 5 ways to improve your email content and get more people to read what you’re sending them.

1. Make it personal

The biggest mistake marketers, salespeople, and business owners make when they email potential clients is sending cold emails.

If you don’t want to run the risk of falling victim to email blindness, make it a rule that you never send an email without a personal element to it. That could be anything from including your name in the “from” field to mentioning a mutual friend who encouraged you to send the email.

The easiest way to do this is simply add a sentence about how you met or why you’re contacting them, even if it was just from an introduction through their network of contacts. For example:

“Hi, Tom! I’m reaching out to you because Sarah mentioned you’re looking for someone to help you with your email marketing.”

Look at every single email you send to new contacts and ask yourself if the recipient will instantly know who you are. If the answer is no, you’ve got some work to do!

2. Be concise

Nothing makes a reader tune out like a wall of text or an email that looks like a small novel.

You have only a few seconds to capture your contact’s attention, so use it wisely.

And how many times have you seen an email come in that looks like this:

“Hi Rachel, I came across your article in Forbes and thought you might be interested in our service. If so, please let me know…”

Pretty boring, right?

Boilerplate text is easy to recognize and using it is a surefire way to make your new contact feel like you don’t care about them.

Here’s a better idea: Start with a personalized greeting, especially when you’re reaching out to someone for the first time. This reminds the reader who they’re speaking with and keeps things on a more conversational level.

3. Add a call to action

This is especially important if you’re using email as a lead generation tool or for outreach purposes. But it’s also good practice when you’re reaching out to someone for the first time–or at least after they’ve taken an interest in what you have to say.

A call to action is a sentence or statement that clearly tells the recipient what you want them to do next. It could be a prompt to book a call with you, or simply telling them to reply if they’d like more information about the subject of your email

No matter what the email’s intent, it’s smart to give clear guidance on what you want the reader to do next.

4. Keep the reader in mind

Before you compose your email, think about who will be on the receiving end. What are their circumstances? Are they a busy executive? A stay-at-home mom? An entrepreneur who’s juggling everything in their business? Whatever their situation, it’s important to write your email in a way they can relate to.

This also means keeping your tone and language appropriate. Use words that your audience would use themselves. That means using everyday language you’d use in a face-to-face conversation. (Yes, even slang sometimes!)

5. Use images and videos

The internet has an endless supply of content, and it’s all competing for your reader’s attention. You have to get creative to keep your reader’s interest. One way to do this is to occasionally add an interesting picture or gif to keep your reader curious and entertained.

You can use infographics or videos, too, but don’t use them just for the sake of using them. Choose ones that are relevant to your message. If you’re adding a video clip or a snippet from an article or blog, make sure you include a link to the full video or blog.

Final Thoughts…

Even though text messages and messaging apps are popular ways to communicate with friends and family, email is still the most effective way for you to connect with prospects and existing clients.

If you’ve been working on building your email list and staying in contact with the people on it, give these email tips a try. You just might find you get better responses, avoid spam and other filters, and get more leads for your coaching or consulting business.

This is How You Get More Engagement on Your Social Posts

This is How You Get More Engagement on Your Social Posts

by | Aug 18, 2021 | Uncategorized

I know you’re always looking for new and creative ways to encourage engagement on your social media posts. So am I. I’m not immune to the fact it can be painfully difficult to get people to leave a comment or share your content.

There are the tried-and-true strategies that work pretty well. The ‘ole “comment or tag someone to be entered” type of contest comes to mind.

And that will get you some engagement. But only for as long as the contest runs.

Then you’re back to crickets.

Meanwhile, your post is probably annoying more people than it’s attracting. I’ve been tagged in the same post multiple times by several Facebook friends trying to win a contest.

Good on you if you want to enter to win a new set of patio furniture or free tickets to a wine tour. But why do you have to drag your friends into it?

These kinds of posts don’t really do much to create a relationship within your audience anyway. After all, if there weren’t an incentive, would they comment or share? Probably not.

So how can you get that kind of attention without bribing people with a giveaway?

Organic Reach is… Tough

It’s no secret organic reach is tough to get with your Facebook business page. Unless your audience engages with your content, your social posts won’t end up in their feeds.

It’s a similar story for Instagram. The algorithm’s job is to feed you content you’re interested in. And how does it know what you’re interested in?

It studies the content you interact with.

Knowing that, it’s crucial for you to put out content that’ll get people to react–whether it’s with a thoughtful comment below your post or even sharing it with their audience.

The good news is, it doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t have to rack your brain to come up with clever ways to get people to engage. In fact, doing these 5 things consistently will boost engagement on your social posts:

Share the Content of Your Followers

Communication is a two-way street and so is engagement. Try sharing content that your followers post, and they’ll be more inclined to return the favor. They’ll want to give your post a little boost when you’ve already done the same for them.

This is an especially smart move if a follower has posted something about your business, like a purchase they made, a picture they took at your location, or a review of your business.

When they make a post or share a story on Instagram, reshare it to your business page with a caption like, “Thanks for stopping in,” or “We’re glad you enjoyed your [product/service].”

It’s a super simple way to share their content but still keep your feed on-brand.

With this strategy, you’re creating a more personalized experience with your audience (which creates loyalty and boosts engagement). You’re also encouraging your followers to create posts about your business because they know it could be shared on your page. That’s a no-lose proposition!

Be Human

Social media is about being social. No one wants to talk with a business. It’s impersonal, and it reinforces the idea that business pages only exist as a marketing tool to make money (which may be true, but you don’t have to remind your followers of that).

Just like you, your audience wants to connect with other people. They want to connect with you. Be personable. It’ll make your followers more likely to engage.

Here’s an example: Let’s say you run an independent bookstore. Your social media page might include information about your hours, sales, upcoming book releases, events, etc. That’s informative, but it’s not giving anyone a reason to connect with you.

Why not take it to the next level and create posts that give book recommendations based on what your staff members are reading?

Your audience won’t only get a steady stream of information about the titles you carry, but they’re able to make connections with your staff based on reading interest. It gives your audience a chance to comment and say, “Wow, I loved that book, too!” Or they may even make recommendations of their own.

Whenever you can, show the people who work behind the scenes through snippets of everyday life in your business. People want to talk to people—and people buy from people (not companies).

Learn When Your Audience is Most Active

It’s hard to increase engagement if you don’t know when your audience is online. Posting too early in the morning or too late in the day might get your content buried in their newsfeeds. Be intentional about the days and times in which you post.

Most social media platforms now provide analytics that let you know when your audience is most active. Break it down by day of the week and time of day. Then, strategically plan your posts to publish just before peak engagement times.

Respond to Comments

One of the easiest ways to encourage people to comment on your posts is to respond when they do. If you have a small following, try to respond to each comment quickly. If you have a larger following, and comments come in faster than you can respond, spend some time engaging with as many as you can.

If you can’t comment on all of them, try to at least leave a reaction to their comment. Personally, I prefer to use the heart emoji over the thumbs-up emoji. (Maybe that’s just me be over-enthusiastic.)

When you respond to comments, you’re telling your followers that you appreciate their engagement and you’re interested in what they have to say. It can be something as simple as a thank you when they leave a positive comment, or a longer response when they ask a question.

You may even start to recognize some of your more frequent commenters and build a relationship with them. That’s when you can reference them in old comments or tag them in content you think they may find interesting. All of this builds a sort of mutual engagement that creates loyalty and boosts engagement even further.

Create Posts That Spur conversation

This is a really basic strategy, which is probably why it’s so effective. Create posts that spark a conversation by encouraging viewers to share what they think.

These conversation starters don’t have to require deep thought. It could be something as simple as comparing two similar products and asking customers which one they like best and why.

You’ll often see this strategy in action by businesses that sell handmade jewelry or some other handmade item.

The post might have a picture showing two plates, with copy that reads, “We can’t decide which glaze we like better on these ceramic plates: green or blue. What do you think?”

Not only are you encouraging your followers to comment, but you also get some feedback on your products. When they give it, don’t forget to respond to their comments!

So there you have it: 5 easy ways to boost engagement on your social media posts.

None of these strategies is particularly advanced. They don’t have to be to work. The trick to building a good relationship with your audience is to put in the work.

Show excitement about their content, their comments, and publish posts that spark their interest and curiosity. When you do, your followers will naturally want to comment and share more often—no “like and share this post” incentive needed.

7 Good Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Blog

7 Good Reasons Why Your Business Needs a Blog

by | Aug 12, 2021 | Uncategorized

Congratulations! You’ve finally started the coaching business you always dreamed of. You’re making connections and getting yourself seen on social media. You’re building your email list.

But have you started a blog yet?

I’ve done some poking around, and from what I’ve heard from the coaches I’ve spoken to, most don’t have one. But they intend to… one day.

They say their priority is building their business through social channels: Some have started a Facebook group, others are being active in others’ Facebook groups. They’re getting onto LinkedIn. They’re focussing on Instagram.

And social media is an unbelievable marketing tool, so I can’t deny you need a social presence for pretty much every type of business.

But did you know that having a blog is one of the most under-utilized tools by business owners today?

A small business blog is a crucial aspect of any content marketing strategy. In fact, it should be one of the first pieces you put into place when you’re creating a content strategy for your coaching business.

And because a blog is an extension of your brand, you’ll need to come up with compelling and engaging blog posts consistently. This is where people can dive deeper into your services, your expertise, and how your methods work.

If you don’t think having a blog for your coaching business is a priority, here are 7 good reasons why you should start one right away:

Attract More Search Engine Traffic

Your blog can be a natural information resource. Sure, you’ll want to have your most recent post come up on the homepage of your website, but you can get it noticed elsewhere, too. And not just for a week or two; a well-written blog post can attract readers indefinitely.

When you optimize your blog copy (which means you include popular keywords and phrases in your text), it helps capture traffic from search engines like Google.

What you end up with is “evergreen” content that ranks higher in the search engine results pages (SERPs). People looking for the information you’ve written about in your blog will find it when they type it into Google or other search engines. And the more people who see it and click on it, the better your chances of staying on the first page of the SERPs.

Keep Your Customers Updated

Marketing your business with a blog gives you a bigger space to talk about what you do.

Long social media posts don’t get a lot of views because there’s just too much competing for your reader’s attention at once.

A Facebook newsfeed is—literally—endless. Dropping a 500-word (or more) social media post in your group or on your Facebook page will usually go unread. At best it might be skimmed. And without being able to add subheads or use other techniques to make your post easier to read, most long posts on social media pages just look like big, solid blocks of text.

And big, solid blocks of text look complicated to readers. They’ll scroll right past.

With a blog, you can talk to your customers about what’s going on behind the scenes at your company. You can talk to them about a specific issue you know they deal with. You have a quiet place to show your expertise—and can do it away from the distraction of social media.

When someone clicks to read your blog post, it’s the only thing on the page. You’ve got their undivided attention—and for much longer than you’d have it on Facebook or Instagram.

Increase Your SEO Potential

Besides improving your search engine ranking, a blog is great for your other web-based marketing efforts.

Each time you add a new blog post, it helps drive more traffic to your site. This means you’ll get more chances to capture new leads.

One of the greatest things about a blog is that you can go back update old posts to keep them relevant. And when you regularly post new content, Google’s web crawlers have to keep coming back and indexing your new pages. This signals to Google that your website is active (which helps your search engine rankings).

This is especially important for content marketing because you can capitalize on the popularity of different topics and trends with each new blog post. It gives your business a chance to stay relevant in your market.

Generate Leads and Sales

If you’re having a hard time generating leads and marketing your business, content marketing is your best bet.

With a blog, you can capture more leads by adding a signup form or some type of opt-in area right at the end of your posts so people who’ve enjoyed your content can be notified about future posts, resources, and offerings.

This gets them on your mailing list, too. A double win!

Generate Traffic to Another Site

As a coach working in the personal development space, you can link your blog posts to other resources that may benefit your readers or ones that complement what you do.

If you’re offering health and wellness coaching services, for example, you could link to studies or other sites that deal with sleep, meditation, or mental health services. Let your blog help you connect with other bloggers. These connections will serve you well as you work to grow your online presence and reputation.

Get to Know Your Customers

Blogging helps you get more insight into your customer base and understand what your followers are looking for.

Use your blog to track the demographics of your readers. What types of content do they like best? What posts are attracting the most attention and comments?

Blog posts also make it easier to track what keywords are being used most for searches in your industry.

Get People Excited About Your Business

Creating a blog will generate more energy and excitement around your company, courses, and industry.

Think about it: The more posts you write, and the more you attract comments and connections with other bloggers, the more the people who visit your site will get a feel for who you are and what you do.

This is, of course, is in addition to them being able to see—through your posts—that you’re an expert in what you do.

Plus, regular blogging can keep you on top of trends in your industry. That’s a great way to get inspired about new innovations, releases, and marketing campaigns.

Final Thoughts…

If you’re a new coach—and even if you’re not—a blog is an important piece of your content marketing strategy if you want to set yourself apart from others in your field.

It’s not just about acquiring new clients; a blog can keep you connected with your existing clients, the ones who are still on the fence about working with you, and others who are tied to your industry. And a blog allows you to stay relevant in an ever-changing marketplace.

Need some help coming up with blog topic ideas? Send me a message through my Contact page and I can help you brainstorm.

How to Write a Sales Page That Doesn’t Sound Like One

How to Write a Sales Page That Doesn’t Sound Like One

by | Aug 5, 2021 | Uncategorized

There are a lot of ways to write a sales page, but is there a “right” way?

For every person who tells you there’s a particular way to write one, there’ll be a reader who says that’s not how they like to be sold to. For every copywriter who says there’s a formula, there’s another who says formulas are too impersonal.

But there’s one universal truth when it comes to writing a sales page: What you say on your sales page isn’t half as important as how you say it.

Everyone knows the purpose of a sales page is to sell. When you land on a sales page, you know the intent of the page is to get you to buy.

But when you think about the sales pages that have inspired you to buy in the past, what ultimately convinced you to open your wallet?

Was it client testimonials that made you feel confident the product or service was worth the investment?

Was it the way the words on the page made you feel understood? That there was (finally!) a solution to a problem you’d been grappling with for months?

These are strategies copywriters use to create a bond with the reader. And it’s a fairly simple technique for you to learn so you can write more effective sales pages of your own.

 

Do You Really Need a Sales Page?

Any page on your website could technically be considered a sales page. That’s because every page on your website should be able to convince a visitor that they should at least consider buying from you instead of someone else.

It may take browsing a few pages on your site to prompt them to buy, but whatever page they land on first needs to be strong enough on its own to hold their attention and keep them interested.

A sales page is a critical part of your marketing strategy. A great sales page can get you more traffic, leads, and customers. But it takes some work to create one that converts well for your business.

A bad sales page, on the other hand, can turn people away by being too pushy or otherwise not addressing their needs.

Of course, your sales page needs to provide the information a customer requires to make an informed decision about buying from you. But for your sales page to be successful, it needs to have the right balance between information and empathy. Your sales page has to sell the reader on the solutions you deliver, not just the service you provide.

 

Make Your Audience Feel Like They’re in Control

I’m sure you’ve heard your fair share of sales pitches. So you know how uncomfortable it can be when someone’s outright trying to sell you on something.

This can be especially true for coaches who are writing their first sales page. It can come across as pushy and fake if you don’t know how to do it right.

The most important thing to give your audience is a sense of being in control. That means making them feel comfortable and safe by reaching out to them where they are and reminding them that the choice is up to them. The last thing you want your sales page to do is to make them feel pressured to buy anything.

When you use your sales pages to give them a glimpse into a better life instead, they come to see you as an ally—someone who understands where they are and how they’re struggling.

Too many people think the most important thing in sales is to get the client to buy. But is it really?

As a coach, is that the advice you’d give your own clients? Or would you tell them it’s more important to be of service first?

When your client feels in control of their decision to buy—and you can demonstrate the benefits of buying from you—you’ll notice more people feel compelled to work with you.

This same strategy can be used in offering different levels of service, too.

By creating a sales page that gives your audience options, they feel empowered to make a decision that works for them.

Do you offer 1:1 coaching and a group coaching package? Tell them how each can change their situation and then let them decide the one that best suits them

 

Make Your Offer Irresistible

An irresistible offer is hard to pass up. It’s also hard to create if you’re too focused on getting the sale.

Instead, come from a place of service. Let your audience know you’re not in it to make money. Yes, you charge a fee for the work you do. But if the almighty buck is the only reason you’re in this business, that’ll come across loud and clear in your sales copy.

And if you’re genuinely driven to help people, that’ll shine through in your copy, too.

Here are 3 ways you can use a sales page to connect with your audience and show you’re there for them, not the money:

  1. Give them a glimpse of their life after working with you. Will they feel more confident? Less overwhelmed? Will they have more financial freedom or feel more fulfilled? Tell them how you’ll get them there.
  2. Use the power of storytelling. Whether it’s your own or someone else’s, a good story grabs people’s attention. Stories are relatable. It’s why we use them all the time to share information with our family and friends. And the best stories have a plot that includes conflict, suspense and resolution—the very things your client is dealing with (and looking for from you!)
  3. Provide social proof. Social proof is like a modern-day form of peer pressure—only without the high school drama! It draws on the basic human instinct of following the action of others to get a similar result. When you use the success of other clients as a reference point, you build trust and credibility that your technique, your system, or your program works. By the way, this technique works in plenty of other places, too, not only on sales pages

 

Avoid Being the Pushy Salesperson

If you’re in business, your audience already knows you have something to sell. You don’t have to make it obvious or awkward.

Here are 4 things you should avoid and one thing you should focus on when you’re writing copy for your next sales page, so it doesn’t sound like an obvious (and obnoxious) advertisement:

Don’t:

  1. Overpromise
  2. Undersell yourself
  3. Make promises that are too vague
  4. Speak too generally

When you’re trying to encourage someone to buy, it’s tempting to use phrases like “you need” and “this is the only way.” But that kind of language turns people off because it makes them feel pressured and backed into a corner.

Instead, let your reader see what’s possible by working with you. Let them feel empowered, not manipulated.

Then design an effective call-to-action that they’ll actually respond to.

What’s the point of writing a sales page if the reader doesn’t do anything when they get to the end of it?

A strong call to action tells your readers how they can take the next step—whether that’s joining your mailing list, booking a call with you, or something else.

When you give your reader a choice other than just “buy now,” you give them a chance to stay connected with you even if they’re not ready to lay down their cash yet.

Final Thoughts…

The days of over-the-top and gimmicky sales pages are gone—and thank goodness for that.

The best sales pages focus on the client first and the business second. They include stories, testimonials, and reassurance that the reader has come to the right place to find a solution to a problem they’ve been stuck on.

A sales page doesn’t just list a service and a price. It’s a tool to build a connection with your audience. It’s a chance to let your readers feel empowered. To show them how they can work with you to overcome challenges that hold them back from moving toward—and hitting—their goals.