Email Marketing Funnels 101
Feeling like your emails are drifting into the spam abyss, never to be seen again? The mighty email marketing funnel is here to transform your inbox into a customer-generating goldmine.
Let's start with the basics!
What is an Email Marketing Funnel?
Imagine a funnel, wide at the top and narrowing towards the bottom. That's your email marketing funnel in a nutshell!
Top of the Funnel: You cast a wide net, attracting potential customers with valuable content and incentives like downloadable guides or discounts - these are your lead magnets.
Middle of the Funnel: Nurture those leads, educate them about your brand, and build trust with engaging emails and personalised offers.
Bottom of the Funnel: It's harvest time! Convert those nurtured leads into paying customers with targeted promotions, exclusive product launches, and irresistible deals.
Think about the type of emails you receive on the daily. What makes them effective? What makes you want to open them or better yet, buy something? Take note of these tactics because you'll soon need them!
To make it easier, you need to hunt down an email automation/ funnel builder. Some top picks include:
Clickfunnels
Mailchimp
Klavyio
Once you've signed up, it's time to actually build your funnel. Depending on what you sell, you may have multiple funnels and lead magnets but let's start with one.
Plan out your funnel emails. Don't get too carried away and spam your customers. A general rule is 1-2 emails per week max. And spread them apart.
Also don't have the campaign running for too long. I like to run mine for 6-8 weeks, then stop. A month later if the audience hasn't purchased, I send them a refresher email that ties back to the lead magnet and reminds them of my services.
Building Your Dream Funnel:
Lay the Foundation: Start with a captivating lead magnet, something irresistible like a free e-book or a discount code. Offer it in exchange for precious email addresses. Lead magnets need to be valuable but don't feel like you have to give it all away.
Welcome Warmly: Don't leave those new subscribers hanging! Craft a personalised welcome email, introduce yourself and your brand, and set the stage for a nurturing friendship. This email is normally sent either as part of the download for the lead magnet or can be sent shortly after, it's a preference for you. Either way, keep it short and relevant - don't have 1000 links or products here because it will turn customers off. Don't even allude to them yet!
Content is King (and Queen): Send valuable, informative emails that resonate with your audience's interests.Share blog posts, industry insights, behind-the-scenes glimpses, or helpful tips – keep them engaged and hungry for more. The trick here is to be selective. Don't send them everything - craft this funnel to work based on the lead magnet. If you offer several services or products, don't be sharing tips or posts about something completely different. Keep it relevant to the lead magnet because that's what your customer has shown interest in!
Segment and Conquer: Don't send one-size-fits-all emails. Segment your list based on interests, purchase history,or demographics. Tailor your content and offers to specific groups, making them feel like you're speaking directly to them. These email platforms offer heaps of ways to do this. One main thing to consider is segmenting off once someone has made a further purchase from your funnel. Segment those people into a new list, and keep going with the original line of emails that push more products.
Call to Action, Not Call to Boredom: Tell your audience what you want them to do! Whether it's visiting your website, reading a blog post, or claiming a discount, make your calls to action clear, concise, and irresistible in every email.
An example framework I like to use looks like this;
Week 1. Email 1:
Lead magnet download & about me
This is a simple email that just has the link for the lead magnet and a short explanation of who I am, my expertise and any tips on how to use the lead magnet. You can even hit them with a discount code right off the bat.
Week 2, Email 2:
For this email, I like to pull something from the lead magnet and either discuss it further - always adding information, not repeating it. This could mean extra tips or instructions, opinions or even a surprise free download.
Week 3, Email 3:
Again, this email pulls from the lead magnet and brings up another topic for discussion.
Week 4, Email 4:
This time, the email is showcasing client or customer results after they leveraged my lead magnet. This could be results they had or positive reviews and experiences.
There is a hint in this email that alludes to buying further products or services from me. I'll repeat the discount code from the first email or add a new one here.
Week 5, Email 5:
Now the email can start to push your high ticket product or service. This is your top sales email so do your best here to really highlight the product/service benefits. What problems does it solve? How does it help get your customer to their desired outcome? If you have more customer reviews or case studies to show, add them here.
Also don't forget to add in an incentive like a discount code if they buy within the next x amount of time.
Week 6, Email 6:
In this example, this would be the last email for this funnel. It's almost like a summery of your lead magnet and your high ticket product. Give one more discount offer or incentive.
If at any stage someone buys something through the funnel before the last email, I segment them off into a whole new funnel that is based on the new purchase. You can see how you end up with multiple!
This shows 6 emails but if your lead magnet is meaty, feel free to add in another few emails (and weeks) to the middle section where you draw from it. Remember, you don't just want to repeat what is in your lead magnet but add further value.
What happens next?
Hopefully, your emails and offers have been good enough to entice a purchase. If they haven't, don't get discouraged! But also don't spam the customer.
I like to leave it for a few weeks then send a follow up email asking them to provide feedback on the lead magnet. In the same email, I'll also ask them to sign up to my regular emailing list to stay up to date.
Remember, Your Funnel is a Garden, Not a Grocery Store:
Building an email marketing funnel takes time and patience. Nurture your leads like seedlings, providing them with valuable content and personalised attention.
Once they've become loyal customers, keep them thriving with exclusive offers and ongoing engagement. Your email marketing funnel can be your most powerful tool for building relationships, fostering trust, and watching your small business bloom into a thriving success story.
Have you tried building an email funnel before?
