Three ways writing emails is making you crazy and how to overcome them | Ep. 29 Content Magic with Lindsay Smith

In this special episode of Content Magic, I'm diving into one of my favourite subjects: email marketing. And, I'm going over three reasons why you'd rather do anything than email your list.

I absolutely love writing emails. And I do it really fast. For myself, for clients and when I was working full-time as a copywriter.  But, I totally get it isn't that easy for everyone.  Still, an email list is a must-have if you're a business owner or entrepreneur. 

And, here's why: for every dollar you spend on email marketing, the average ROI is forty dollars. You won't get these kinds of results on social media.

However, emails that convert is an art. And this is why I have a special 5-episode series starting Monday, Tuesday June 17 to Friday, June 21. It's all about email marketing and I'm giving you some specific examples for why you need a list and how to build, nurture and maintain that list. Don't miss it!

In the meantime, grab you free workbook for the series here.

Lindsay [00:00:00]:
Email marketing the ROI on email marketing is greater than any other type of marketing.

Lindsay [00:00:06]:
So for every dollar that you spend.

Lindsay [00:00:08]:
On email marketing, the ROI is roughly $40.

Lindsay [00:00:12]:
If you have an online business, you're creating content. And the way you create content is more important than ever. It's really noisy out there and learning to stand out is the only way.

Lindsay [00:00:24]:
Hey, I'm Lindsay and I'm the host.

Lindsay [00:00:26]:
Of the content Magic podcast, all about being an entrepreneur and creating kick ass content to market yourself and your business. I have a not so secret superpower for copywriting, marketing and content, and I've helped hundreds of folks just like you show up with a ton of confidence in the online space. I've been doing this content thing for 20 years, and I believe the real magic is a combo of intuition, creativity and strategy. You can create content for your business without losing your mind, I promise. So tune in every week for tangible content, tips, inspiring guests, and some real spicy opinions. Probably mine.

Lindsay [00:01:05]:
Ready to dive in?

Lindsay [00:01:07]:
Let's go.

Lindsay [00:01:08]:
Well, hello, friends, and welcome back to the podcast. And I have something very exciting to talk to you about today. And it's email marketing.

Lindsay [00:01:17]:
This is a thing that I nerd.

Lindsay [00:01:19]:
Out on big time.

Lindsay [00:01:22]:
I love writing emails.

Lindsay [00:01:23]:
I love doing it for myself. I still write emails for my done for you copywriting clients.

Lindsay [00:01:31]:
And I, even when I worked full.

Lindsay [00:01:33]:
Time as a copywriter, I was writing emails for some of the larger brands that I got to work on. And so most entrepreneurs when they start a business, there is this idea, well, you have to build an email list. You have to have an email list and you're kind of like, what?

Lindsay [00:01:51]:
Okay, sure.

Lindsay [00:01:52]:
So you do the regular process. You build a lead magnet or an opt in. The people sign up for the thing and now you start to build your list. Or maybe, you know, back in the day, you had like a master class.

Lindsay [00:02:10]:
And you teach people things and people.

Lindsay [00:02:12]:
Sign up for the thing and then you have a list. So are you continually building a list? And then you're like, well, what do I do with this list now? And then things go one of two ways. So, one, you might be really good at sending emails. When you have like, you're promoting something because you have like a purpose and an intention. You're like, okay, this is what I need to tell my list about. Like, I have this new thing coming up. And then on the other side, this idea of nurturing your list of like, being like, hey, guys, what's up?

Lindsay [00:02:48]:
Here's like a cool thing. Here's a little lesson for you to.

Lindsay [00:02:51]:
Take away the in between stuff, you're just like, I have no idea. And I'm going to guess that this is coming from several different places.

Lindsay [00:03:01]:
So one, it takes too long to.

Lindsay [00:03:04]:
Write an email and I think I'm a bit of an anomaly in this space because it takes me like ten minutes to write an email to my list. And usually I have an idea and I'm just like, oh, that's good, and I'll throw it up and send it.

Lindsay [00:03:21]:
Without even second guessing. I mean, I'll look it over for.

Lindsay [00:03:23]:
Like typos, but I usually send it without even second guessing. So I'm guessing and I'd love to hear from you.

Lindsay [00:03:31]:
How long does it take you to write an email?

Lindsay [00:03:35]:
I did a little poll on some of my social platforms and I'm not sure that's normal, ten to 20 minutes. I think it takes people roughly an hour. So I'd love to hear from you.

Lindsay [00:03:46]:
How long does it take you to write an email?

Lindsay [00:03:48]:
And if an hour is kind of the go to, if it's, and I feel like this is what's happening, like, you open a template in your email.

Lindsay [00:03:58]:
Provider, you start to stare at that blank screen and you're just like, huh? Maybe you start to write something.

Lindsay [00:04:06]:
You second guess yourself, you get self conscious and you start thinking, who's going to read this?

Lindsay [00:04:13]:
Is this any good?

Lindsay [00:04:14]:
And then you know the subject line, that's the even tougher part because you're like, so you sort of put something maybe generic or cute because you don't know what else to put. And then you sit there with that.

Lindsay [00:04:29]:
Blank page and the cursor staring at.

Lindsay [00:04:31]:
You and you, rather than write something, here's what happens. You just kind of like, put it in your drafts and you're like, I'll come back to it later.

Lindsay [00:04:41]:
And then here's what happens.

Lindsay [00:04:44]:
Number two, you end up ghosting your list. So rather than go back in and look at that draft, you're just like, no, I don't want to, it's not good. And then instead of focusing on your email list, a week goes by, and then another week goes by, and then another week goes by, and then another week goes by. And it's been a month since you've emailed your list. Anything besides promotions, because, and this is what I'm guessing, so, you know, we are told we have to build this list.

Lindsay [00:05:20]:
Does anybody tell us what to send the list?

Lindsay [00:05:24]:
And so this is what, something I've been working on. So I have a fun podcast series coming up. So at the time of this recording, it is. This new series is coming out next.

Lindsay [00:05:39]:
Week, June 17, 1819.

Lindsay [00:05:41]:
20 and 21. So it's a five episode series all about email marketing. And like I said, this is a thing that I love doing and I nerd out on it. So, and I want to give you.

Lindsay [00:05:56]:
All the things that you can do.

Lindsay [00:05:58]:
In between the promotional stuff, which may become easier to you. Okay, so the ghosting, and it's a little bit like, you know, anything, like.

Lindsay [00:06:10]:
Let'S pretend it's like, working out.

Lindsay [00:06:12]:
So, you know, maybe you go a.

Lindsay [00:06:14]:
Stretch of doing it every two days.

Lindsay [00:06:16]:
Or something, and then, you know, other stuff, life happens and it's been a month, and you're like, hmm, I don't really like now you just feel silly for starting over again. And it feels like you're starting over again because your list is there, even if it's small.

Lindsay [00:06:36]:
Like, even if it's small, it can convert.

Lindsay [00:06:38]:
Because here's something I want you to know. So email marketing, the ROI on email marketing is greater than any other type of marketing.

Lindsay [00:06:47]:
So for every dollar that you spend.

Lindsay [00:06:49]:
On email marketing, the ROI is roughly $40. So I don't think you can say the same about Instagram, where, you know, Instagram is showing your content to, like, a very small percentage of your following. And, and this is the other thing, you know, social media, while it is.

Lindsay [00:07:10]:
A tool, and here's the way I look at it.

Lindsay [00:07:13]:
I look at it like, you know.

Lindsay [00:07:15]:
The meme of the guy who's holding.

Lindsay [00:07:16]:
Up the cardboard on the street, and it's always says something different. So this is how I, this is what I feel like social media is.

Lindsay [00:07:26]:
It's that guy. You're standing on the street, you're kind of yelling your message.

Lindsay [00:07:30]:
Some people might pick it up, some people walking by might pick it up, some people might not.

Lindsay [00:07:35]:
However, when it comes to your email.

Lindsay [00:07:37]:
List, people giving you their email address.

Lindsay [00:07:42]:
In exchange for something super valuable from.

Lindsay [00:07:47]:
You, they're essentially, like, inviting you into their living room.

Lindsay [00:07:51]:
So it's far more personal.

Lindsay [00:07:53]:
They're there because they want to be. And so you, like, you have to.

Lindsay [00:08:01]:
Sort of, like, talk to them. Otherwise, you're sitting in a living room.

Lindsay [00:08:06]:
With a bunch of people, like, kind of staring at you and it's really awkward. So I want you to think about that.

Lindsay [00:08:14]:
So what do you want to say to those people in your living room?

Lindsay [00:08:17]:
Because they are probably more captive. Well, I know they are thankful. People on your social platforms who are essentially strangers, and then the people on.

Lindsay [00:08:29]:
Your list.

Lindsay [00:08:33]:
You know, like, it's a. It's a more personal relationship, so you sort of need to earn that trust and keep the trust. So this is where nurturing your list comes in. Okay, so. And then here's. So you end up ghosting your list if we're going back to number two.

Lindsay [00:08:51]:
So you end up ghosting your list.

Lindsay [00:08:52]:
Because you're just like, well, this. It's easier to just do nothing, then have to think up a way to, like, reengage my. My ghosted community kind of thing. And I think it's the same for any kind of community. Right? Like, after you ghost it, you're just.

Lindsay [00:09:06]:
Like, well, what's the point?

Lindsay [00:09:08]:
Like, nobody's listening anymore. I'm just gonna leave it. And so. And then the third thing, I feel like it might be tripping you up.

Lindsay [00:09:18]:
Is this idea of a newsletter.

Lindsay [00:09:21]:
So for whatever reason, I don't know where this newsletter thing came from, but.

Lindsay [00:09:27]:
A newsletter and email marketing are completely different things. A newsletter is a very specific format. It's a very specific format for an.

Lindsay [00:09:37]:
Email, and it is not synonymous with email marketing. And if you have this idea that.

Lindsay [00:09:44]:
You need to send a newsletter, I'd like to ask you, where did that idea come from? Did somebody tell you, you need to do that?

Lindsay [00:09:52]:
Or did it come from your brain of, like, oh, I have to update everybody on things. So there are times when I think a newsletter works. However, if you're, like, a one person business, this is my challenge to you.

Lindsay [00:10:06]:
Do you feel you need to send some sort of update to your list of what's happening in your business or.

Lindsay [00:10:12]:
What'S happening in the industry? And, you know, 15 years ago, one.

Lindsay [00:10:18]:
Of the bigger clients I worked for.

Lindsay [00:10:21]:
When I worked full time as a copywriter at an ad agency, was l'Oreal. So if you don't know, l'Oreal owns, like, everything. L'Oreal owns Maybelline P's. And so Garnier. They also own Garnier. So one of my main gigs for a few years was writing the Garnier newsletter, and it was a very specific format, and there was very specific things I had to promote, and it was, you know, at the time, it was.

Lindsay [00:10:48]:
Like, these little boxes of information, and then, like, you know, the new scent.

Lindsay [00:10:51]:
Of shampoo goes in this little box, and then the new, like, you know, hair oil. It was in this little box and whatever. So it was very. It was a very specific, very specific format, you know? And that's a bit different because it's like a million dollar company, so. But that is not like that. And that makes sense for a huge company. Right. But if you're a little company, I'd like to, like, and to be fair, like the email list for Garnier, like, those aren't the kinds of people who like Garnier was not invited into their living room.

Lindsay [00:11:30]:
That was like a massive list. So if you're a small company, it's a bit different because you're in somebody's living room and it's just you and it's talking, so. And you have to take care with that and listen. Yeah.

Lindsay [00:11:47]:
People are going to unsubscribe for sure.

Lindsay [00:11:49]:
That's fine. It happens. It's just how it goes. And it's fine because it just sort of, you know, I look at it as it makes room for new people to be added to your list and that's fine. Like, it's, it happens.

Lindsay [00:12:03]:
Everybody has unsubscribers.

Lindsay [00:12:05]:
It's not that big of a deal. So those are the three things. And let's recap here. So this is what happens. You open up that email template, you stare at it, you overthink, and then it takes you a really long time to write an email. And then what happens? Because it takes so long, you get.

Lindsay [00:12:28]:
Frustrated and you just end up ghosting.

Lindsay [00:12:30]:
Your list because that's sort of becomes easier to, like, avoid it than it is to sort of pick it up again and figure out a system. And then there's this idea of a newsletter, which is, I'm going to challenge you.

Lindsay [00:12:47]:
Do you need to send a newsletter to your list?

Lindsay [00:12:50]:
If it comes easily to you, amazing. Keep doing it. And if, if your email list is absorbing it and they like that type of format, awesome. Keep doing it. However, if you've just sort of like.

Lindsay [00:13:04]:
Self implemented this newsletter thing, I'd like to ask you why so.

Lindsay [00:13:10]:
And the reason I'm talking about this is because, well, I have a super special podcast series coming out next week. So at the time of this recording, I have a five episode workshop about email marketing coming out next week. So. And I'm going to talk about some.

Lindsay [00:13:29]:
Of the things you can send your.

Lindsay [00:13:31]:
List and some other formats you can think about. Between the promotional stuff and this whole idea of nurturing your list and why it's important and why focusing on building.

Lindsay [00:13:50]:
Your list, nurturing your list, maintaining your.

Lindsay [00:13:52]:
List is probably one of the best marketing decisions you can make. So tune in next week or next episode because we're going to nerd out on this some more. Okay. And if you and I'd love to hear from you about email. So shoot me a message in my DM's or send me an email because I genuinely love this stuff and I'm excited to help all of you figure out how to build, maintain, and nurture your list. Okay? So I'll see you next time.

Lindsay [00:14:33]:
Thank you so much for listening.

Lindsay [00:14:34]:
If you loved what you heard, don't.

Lindsay [00:14:36]:
Forget to subscribe, leave a review, or share this episode on social media. And don't forget to tag me on Instagram.

Lindsay [00:14:42]:
Lindsaysmithcreative and if you do all three.

Lindsay [00:14:44]:
I'll be your best friend forever and.

Lindsay [00:14:47]:
Invite you to all my birthday parties. That's it for today, and I'll see you next time.

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