One thing I’ve noticed these past few years about email marketing?
People severely underestimate a small email list.
If we’re not careful, we can get so caught up chasing the numbers that we miss the huge opportunity before us. Right here. Right now.
Because small email lists have something that big lists can only dream about…
Instead of wishing away the days until you have thousands upon thousands of subscribers, I want you to enjoy and appreciate the list you have now…not the giant one you wish you had.
I have a trick to really make the most of each and every email subscriber…even with a small email list. And it’s a strategy that people with huge lists simply can’t replicate. (#sorrynotsorry, giant list-havers.)
What small email lists have that big lists only dream about
If you ask me, the best part of the whole online marketing game is the connections.
Yes, working in yoga pants is a pretty sweet perk. But connecting with actual, real people out there in the great big world?
Super freakin’ cool.
Small lists have quality, man. What they lack in numbers, they make up for in substance.
(Because you know I’m all about that bass substance.)
With a small email list, you can actually get to know people. You can know subscribers’ names. Know their businesses. Know what they struggle with. Know their wants and goals.
If you have a larger-than-life list, it’s simply not realistic to know your subscribers on a personal level.
Due to the realities of the natural world (thanks, science,) there are only so many hours in a day. And in each day…only so many hours you can spend at your computer.
A small email list allows you to genuinely connect with subscribers in minutes each week. And you can do it, quite simply, by starting a conversation.
The quick trick to show big love to your small email list
The trick? Send a personalized email.
Not an autoresponder. From your actual email account.
K, that’s all! Bye.
Just kidding. But that’s the gist!
It’s one of those simple-but-brilliant moves we forget about when we have tools like segmenting, funnels, and autoresponders at our fingertips.
Very few people send personal emails out to new subscribers. Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve ever received one from an email list I’ve joined.
But that’s what makes it stand out.
Suddenly you’re not karla@karlasmith.com anymore. You’re Karla, the awesome coach who sent that sweet personalized email.
Every time you do something to really connect with a subscriber, you take a step towards becoming unforgettable. And isn’t that what we all want in this online marketing game?
The three things that make connecting easy as pie
All you need to make a killer first impression is about one minute per subscriber…and these three things:
1. A list of new subscribers
It’s up to you how often you want to send your personalized emails.
You can do this in real-time, weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly if you like.
Pick a system and stick to it! It’s all about consistency here.
2. An easy way to copy and paste your welcome message
We want this to be easy peasy. So there’s no need to reinvent the wheel for each new subscriber. You can send the same basic welcome message to everyone, customizing it as you see fit.
I love me some Gmail canned responses for things like this! A canned response is a message you create once and can easily add into new emails in the future.
Alternatively, you could use Evernote, Asana, Trello, or Google docs to store your welcome message, if that’s easier for you.
3. Your welcome email template
Here’s a simple template for your welcome email. Take it, tweak it, and season it up with your own Signature Blend.
It’s got all the bones of a welcome email to make each person feel like, well…a person. And to get you on the road to unforgettability.
Subject line: quick Q for you, [[FIRSTNAME]]…
Hey [[firstname]],
First things first — no, this isn’t an autoresponder. 🙂 It’s actually coming from my inbox.
I wanted to say hi as a real person. Not, like, an automated email marketing program. So, hi!
Thanks a million for joining my email list! It means so much to have this space in your inbox and I don’t take that for granted.
My goal with my emails is to deliver real value to real people — not just write about the topics I think you want to learn about.
To do that, I gotta know…
What are you struggling with when it comes to [[YOUR INDUSTRY]], right now, today? It could be a small challenge like [[EXAMPLE]] or a biggie like [[EXAMPLE]]. All are welcome!
Just hit “reply” and share a topic you’d love a blog post, free cheat sheet, or webinar training on. I want to make sure my future content is tailored for real people like you, [[FIRSTNAME]].
Hope you’re having an awesome [[DAY]]!
– [[YOUR NAME]]
To make the most of the connection opportunity here, make sure you’ve got a professional email signature all set up so new subscribers can see your smiling face and find out more about you.
What if I have a nurture sequence going at the same time?
Your call, boo.
You can send your personal welcome email while new subscribers are receiving your automated nurture sequence. Or you can send it before or after the sequence.
Don’t overthink it too much! The beauty of the welcome message is that it’s imperfect. It’s coming from a real person.
And there’s no exactly perfect moment to connect on a human level. Just doing it is enough.
And then we play the waiting game…
The honest truth is that not every new subscriber is going to reply to your email. People are so used to autoresponders that even when you flat-out SAY it’s coming from your inbox, they’re still dubious.
We live in a world where people lie about these things, unforch. So don’t take it personally if you don’t get a ton of action back.
That’s not the point.
The point is the handful of genuine connections you’re going to make each month by sending out a welcome email.
We’re not playing the quantity game here. We’re going for quality.
And taking a minute out of your day to connect with a new subscriber? That’s got “quality” written all over it.
join the convo
How else do you authentically connect with the subscribers on your list?
What’s your favorite way to make them feel like people, rather than simply numbers in your MailChimp account?
In what other ways does a small email list prove that bigger isn’t better?
