How to Turn Your Email List into Sales!

It goes without saying that generating a list of email addresses for potential clients has great value; yet, while offering a traditional “Opt-in Gift” may help you begin your list, it will not enable you to generate conversions from your list. It may not even do much for growing your list. So, what’s the solution? You need to generate an ongoing series of emails that offer real value, that nurtures a relationship between you and your list, and that asks for your target audience to take action.The best way to accomplish this is to offer a series of valuable FREEBIES to those on your list. By using their email address to stay in touch with them on a regular basis, and to address their pain points with valuable free information, you can begin to build the type of trust and loyalty that will eventually lead them to seriously consider doing business with you. After all, when was the last time you were willing to commit $1000-$2000, or more, with someone you didn’t know?

Implement a Nurture Strategy

Create a series of Free Gifts and Nurturing Emails, designed to nurture an ongoing relationship between you and those on your list. These gifts should be composed of:

• Opt-in Gifts:
  • Opt-in Article (1250-1500 words) a narrow topic, explored in depth
  • Mini-eBook (2500-3000 words) expanding on the first subject, with multiple resolutions
  • Full eBook (5000-7500 words) explore the subject fully and in depth, with multiple resolutions and exercises to reach them
  • Newsletter Template – 3 parts: share a timely subject with resolution (latest blog post/vlog?), special offer (from self or others), bio and experience, ask for feedback/contact info.

Once you’ve designed and created your series of Free Gifts, you’ll need a matching series of Nurture Emails to help build the relationship with your list members. Of course, you can keep a nurturing email string going almost indefinitely but, at a minimum, this series of emails should include:

• Nurturing Emails:
  • Thank you for opting-in, your gift is on the way
  • Your Gift is here!
  • Mini-eBook Give Away Follow-up Email – Get Your 2^nd FREE Gift Today!
  • 2^nd gift is here!
  • Full eBook Follow-up (for sale CHEAP or 3^rd give away) – Get Your 3^rd FREE Gift (or Special Price) Today!
  • Your eBook is here!
  • Special Offer – for email list subscribers ONLY! Close the Sale!
  • Special Offer – Thank you for Signing-up!

An email nurture strategy like this is a proven technique for not just increasing conversions, but also for growing your list, by offering recipients the opportunity to share links to the valuable information with others who may then Opt-in with you!If you’d like to begin working on an Opt-in/Email Nurture Strategy, but aren’t sure how to begin, get in touch with me today for help and guidance.

7 Designer Website Must-Haves

While there are many aspects to developing an integrated internet marketing strategy, everything begins with a well-designed website. Think of it as your home base, your store if you will – the place where prospective clients can always find you, 24/7, 365.Having said that, it is not necessary to spend tens-of-thousands of dollars hiring a website designer to create such a site for you. In fact, you can actually contract for a great website, built on WordPress, for something less than $2000. WordPress is easily the largest content management system (CMS) in the world, and is also the most Google-friendly approach to setting up your website. Believe me, that has value and cannot be ignored.

7 Elements of a Successful Designer Website

A basic website will require three pages: Home, About, and Services. It should also have a Blog, allowing you to post regular updates and/or important information that enables the search engines to see your site as relevant, timely, and informative.

1. Home Page – Yes, first impressions are still important and, since approximately 60-65% of your visitors will land on your Home Page before any other, your content must make an impression on them. It must be benefits-based, and must also compel them to action: whether scrolling down or clicking through to more information, opting-in to your mailing list, or clicking a link to contact or to hire you, your Home Page copy must lead them into further action.
2. About Page – Here is where visitors will begin to get to know you: your training and experience, your motivation, your skill set, and your desire to help them. As they learn about who you are, you’ll begin to create interest and build loyalty, two crucial aspects of the copy you post here, and an absolute necessity for overcoming the impersonal nature of internet marketing.
3. Design Services Menu – Here is where you begin to display and reinforce the benefits your visitors will enjoy from working with you as their designer. Create and display design packages that illustrate your understanding of their needs, as well as the specific solutions you offer to satisfy their pain points. While some prospects may be amenable to a “Click her for an estimate” appeal, most will want to see something they can identify as meeting their needs. If you haven’t already, create something that offers such a resolution.
4. Compelling Images – It should go without saying that images of previous work will be important to your success. Sprinkle pictures of rooms you’ve designed for others throughout all of your pages, allowing the imagery to do much of your work for you. Identify any high-profile work you’ve performed, as well as smaller jobs that you believe speak most clearly to your target audience.
5. Interesting Videos – Nothing is more compelling than video for marketing. Using before-and-after video of the rooms you’ve reimagined for your clients may be your greatest tool in landing new contracts. With current technology, creating a clear and compelling video representation of your work has never been easier. If you can include a few comments from the satisfied client – even better.
6. Client Testimonials – Client testimonials are the modern equivalent of word-of-mouth advertising. When combined with compelling copy and beautiful images, praise from satisfied clients boosts confidence in prospects and enhances your reputation as a creative – dependable – designer who can be trusted. Hard to imagine anything more effective when you're marketing your design services online, is it?
7. Blog Page – Gone are the days where simply putting up a cool website and waiting for the clients to hire was possible – if those days ever existed. (Hint – they didn’t!). Modern internet marketing requires an ongoing flow of fresh information, if you hope the search engines will take notice of your site, that is. If the key to successful retail is all about location, then the key to successful online marketing is content – fresh information that appeals to an identifiable audience. This is where your blog becomes your ultimate tool for long-term success. Post regularly and offer good stuff!

With the right help (and we’ll get into where to find that help in a later post), creating an effective business website is not as daunting as it may seem. As long as you keep in mind the 7 elements of a successful website outlined above, you should have little trouble finding a niche to fill.