Managing an email newsletter continuously over the long-haul is much more tricky than most amateurs and gurus talk about – especially if you don’t have ample experience writing email content.
That’s why I’m writing this presentation! Let’s brainstorm three of the biggest email marketing mistakes that can bring even the best email marketer or email copywriter to their knees – even if your email newsletter is going great at the moment.
I’ll also reveal how you can overcome these dreadful email marketing mistakes and avoid the blunders that I’ve made – seemingly over and over again!
3 Email Marketing Mistakes That Can Ruin Any Newsletter
- # 1 – Running Out Of Email Newsletter Content Ideas
- # 2 – Not Sending Enough Email Promotions
- # 3 – Failing To Generate Fresh Leads Steadily
Here’s Why These Email Marketing Mistakes Are Devastating
I think that email marketing is one of the coolest ways for bloggers, coaches, authors, digital marketers, consultants, and eCommerce sellers to share their content. I also think that email marketing rocks for local brick and mortar sellers, too!
But email marketing isn’t nearly as easy as everyone talks about. In my experience, plenty of email marketers, newsletter writers, and lead generation enthusiasts struggle for several reasons.
I also think that the following three email marketing mistakes are the most common that marketing nerds like you and I encounter. Let’s talk about how to identify and eliminate these email mistakes before they render our email newsletters unusable, shall we?
# 1 – Running Out Of Email Newsletter Content Ideas
One of the worst things that ever happened to my email newsletter was when I took time off and was too lazy to schedule email newsletter content. Big mistake!
The same thing can happen to you.
I write tons of content. Heck, just on this tiny blog, I’ve published hundreds of thousands of words of content. I’m not saying that to brag, but to propose that if I can run out of content ideas and motivation to write, then just about anyone can.
Here’s Why Running Out Of Email Newsletter Content Is Easier Than You Might Think!
It might seem like an easy problem to avoid at first. All of the experts talk about how easy email marketing is – and they’ve been preaching this for years. However, you should ask yourself, how far ahead have you planned your email newsletter content? What if you want to take a week or a month off from writing email newsletter material. Are you covered?
What are you going to send to your email newsletter today? And tomorrow? And the next week? And next month? And next year?
Here Is How To Brainstorm Nonstop Content Ideas For Your Email Newsletter So, You Never Suffer From Writer’s Block!
One of the best tools in your arsenal as an email marketer is a content calendar stuffed with your best content ideas. Whenever you feel the urge to brainstorm, break out your favorite notepad and jot down 10 or 20 additional email marketing broadcast ideas (or content ideas) you want to send next.
I use an Excel spreadsheet that has hundreds – or thousands of content ideas that I want to create. Whenever I sense the unsavory urge of writer’s block encroaching, I take a quick look at my Excel spreadsheet and instantly get a ton of motivation and guidance as to what I should write next.
I propose for you to consider the same thing. You can start by writing down the next 10 topics you wish to discuss in your email newsletter, your blog, your Podcast, or anywhere.
That way, you can focus on the content you need to write. Once your content schedule is set in stone – that’s it – you’re locked in and committed. No backing down from your content creation (and email writing) tasks now.
If you get ahead of your content creation and publishing schedule, reward yourself! Maybe schedule the time so you can relax, play video games, hike your favorite trails, or spend time vegging out and watching HBO Max and Netflix! I don’t judge – and everyone needs downtime. Even email marketers and content publishers!
I also want to share an abundant wealth of email newsletter ideas for you to ponder and help to obliterate writer’s block.
Here’s a massive list of email marketing ideas that you can send to your newsletter subscribers. These promotional ideas are cool (in my opinion) for nearly any niche, industry, or market.
Email Newsletter Ideas To Send In A Pinch:
- Digital Courses – Promote an online course! If you don’t have your own – promote one as an affiliate. There are tons of courses in nearly every niche you can think of to help satisfy almost any newsletter audience.
- Webinars – Promote a webinar to your audience! If you don’t have a webinar ready, create one. Or – promote one as an affiliate!
- Blog Post – Share your latest blog post. If you don’t have a blog, then launch one! That would make for a fun email, and I think blogs are a great way to enhance nearly any email newsletter.
- Product Launch – There are new product launches all the time! Find a neat product launch and promote some of the appealing promotional material.
- Quizzes and Surveys – Ask your subscribers what kind of content they want you to create next. Or, ask about their top impediments related to your niche. Or launch a fun personality or assessment quiz.
- ClickBank Rules! – Search the ClickBank Marketplace and look for the niftiest products in your industry. Do you think any of the popular products there match your audience?
- Podcasts and Lectures – Record a Podcast or lecture and share that with your audience!
- Review Something! – Review the latest book, app, course, or software that you’ve used related to your expertise or interest.
Another genius tip to help avoid leaving your email subscribers high and dry is to prepare several evergreen email marketing campaigns that you can deploy whenever you wish.
That way – if you ever feel sick, get depressed, fall into a spell, or if you can’t muster the energy to write a marketing email, you can at least automate (or schedule) the email campaigns. You won’t leave your subscribers hanging – and wondering where you went!
# 2 – Not Sending Enough Email Promotions
One email marketing trap that is surprisingly easy to fall into is when you never sell anything to your subscribers. You spend days, weeks, and months creating worthy content. But, you never pitch or sell your stuff!
I’m not scolding my fellow email marketers who don’t like to sell. I’m one of the shyest bloggers on the planet – I loathe and detest selling! However,if you don’t send any email promotions, it’s easy to burn yourself out and lose interest.
Here’s Why Email Newsletter Writers Need To Advertise! And Sell! And Promote Cool Affiliate Offers!
I agree that you don’t want to spam or abuse your email subscribers – but you must include some worthwhile promotions or advertisements to help pay for your lights and effort! – Would any social media network, media outlet, broadcast station, business, or Podcast survive without promotions, advertisements, and sponsored content? Probably not. – I think email newsletter publishers and bloggers are in the same boat!
Here’s Why I Love Affiliate Marketing As An Email Newsletter Writer – And Why Affiliate Marketing Rocks For Email Newsletters.
When I was a kid, the internet was starting to get widely-used by everyday people. Back then, only a FEW PEOPLE (seemingly and compared to now, at least) used the internet. It was wild!
I’ve been building (lousy) websites and studying tech stuff for more years than I care to admit. I remember when I used dial-up modems to access the internet. I remember when there was no Twitter and no Facebook! Do you? Those seemed like the internet dark days!
I also remember when there were not many affiliate marketing networks. These days, there are countless thousands – or more of fabulous affiliate products and services you can promote on your blog, within your email newsletter, on your Podcast, YouTube channels, and elsewhere.
You can promote tons of fantastic stuff as an affiliate:
- Email marketing software
- Other SaaS products (I love software the best!)
- Web hosting
- Video games
- Dog food
- Cat food
- People food!
- Clothing
- Gold
- Crypto (Dogecoin for the win!)
- Cars
- Digital courses
- Dating memberships
- Anything you can think of – within reason
I’m always on the lookout for the swankiest affiliate programs – and I’m continually shocked to see what the market comes up with each passing year. Recurring affiliate programs, high-ticket affiliate programs, exclusive affiliate programs, plus other cool stuff.
We live in fascinating times for email marketing and tech geeks – for sure.
# 3 – Failing To Generate Fresh Leads Steadily
Another massive email marketing slip is when you stop generating leads. Lead generation is tricky, expensive, and much more challenging than many bloggers and gurus lead you to believe. Especially if you don’t have a big budget or a legion of guru pals.
The good news is that the cost of email marketing software has decreased significantly over the years. So, even if your lead generation process is a slow one, at least you aren’t burning through barrels of cash holding your email newsletter afloat.
However, the niftiest email marketing tool won’t do your email newsletter any good, nor your open rates, if nobody enters their email address into your lead capture page or opt-in form.
Here’s Why You Need To Focus On Generating New Leads To Fill Your Email Funnels – All The Time
One ugly email marketing nuance is that your subscribers may lose interest over time.
In other words – your subscribers drop off – they stop opening and reading your stuff. You can’t blame them. People, their situations, and their interests change!
That’s why you must always seek new subscribers. If your email newsletter doesn’t grow – then your email newsletter is doomed for a dismal and ungratifying end. 🙁
My Favorite Lead Generation Tips For Email Newsletter Writers And Email Marketers:
- Have an excellent lead magnet that you can proudly promote everywhere.
- Have an email marketing funnel that introduces your business, tells a story, and sells your product.
- Create new content and spread the word about your lead magnet!
- Create blog posts, podcasts, videos, social media content, webinars, courses, books, and anything else that you wish – and spread the word about your newsletter!
- Never stop creating content and promoting your lead funnel – everywhere that you can
If you have a marketing budget, you can also consider advertising your newsletter with paid advertising. I wouldn’t recommend paid advertising unless you have a marketing budget to RISK – and unless you have studied the art and science of marketing funnels and lead acquisition from a reliable source that you trust.
Email Marketing Mistakes FAQs
Even though I’ve sent a lot of marketing emails, I still make mistakes. That’s why I’m pleased to answer some of your most prominent email marketing FAQs! I’m happy to help.
# 1 – How Often Should I Email My Email List To Add The Most Value For My Email Subscribers?
How often do your email subscribers want to receive emails? That’s the million-dollar question! If your email subscribers want and expect daily emails – send daily emails.
But – maybe they want and expect emails at a much lower frequency? Let the expectations of your subscribers be your best judge.
Also – consider your capabilities! Your subscribers might beg you for ten emails per day. But, how many high-quality emails can you realistically produce in a week? Food for thought!
# 2 – How Am I Supposed To Generate Leads If Don’t Have A Marketing Budget?
In a world where paid advertising is out of reach for so many small business owners – I think that content marketing reigns supreme.
There’s no shame in acknowledging that the economy is tough right now. I also think that small business owners are flocking to social media, blogging, content marketing, YouTube, Podcasts, Clubhouse, TikTok, and other popular apps to help spread the word about their business.
I also want to let you know that I understand your pain as a small business owner. The USA is undergoing a historic unemployment crisis, the United Kingdom has experienced the worst economic contraction since The Great Frost of 1709, and people all across America suffer from food insecurity.
So, yes, I understand that many small business owners like us don’t have lavish marketing budgets to spare. Times are tough, and all we can do is keep fighting because I, for one, will never surrender!
# 3 – How Many Words Is The Perfect Marketing Email?
The answer is to test different email lengths. The answer will always be to experiment and see what works with your audience! I’m also happy to share my preference.
Some email marketers love long emails. However, I prefer short emails. I try to keep my marketing emails impactful. When I draft my emails using Microsoft Word, I aim for the email to be less than one page. Usually, the email ends up being about 1-page, lol.
But – there is no perfect size! Copywriters have different styles.
Short emails are much easier to write in batches – which I try my best to achieve. That way, I can churn an afternoon’s worth of work into a month’s worth of emails! (An evil yet genius email marketing trick! Muahaha.)
I’ve written countless marketing emails in my life. I’m not saying I’m the best – but I have a boatload of practice writing. Everything from email newsletters, email challenges, email courses, public relations emails, emails for clients, and other stuff that I’m forgetting!
The point is that I have a ton of experience writing emails. I don’t think that there’s a perfect one-sized email that’s absolute for every situation. That’s what my experience and gut instinct say, at least.
# 4 – How Do I Build A Lead Capture Page That Converts To Help Invite New Email Subscribers?
My first online course taught students how to create beautiful lead capture pages that converted amazingly-well using nothing but a text editor and simple graphics made in Microsoft Paint!
The course was a smashing success, by the way. It was a little cheesy – but I had a ton of experience split testing lead capture page styles at the time.
Back then, there weren’t nearly as many cool email marketing templates! Now, there are endless reliable email marketing apps that provide stunning lead capture pages ready to help attract subscribers and build your email list.
Try using a tool like ClickFunnels for a polished lead generation app with boatloads of templates. You can also use AWeber. AWeber and ClickFunnels work together well and I’m a fan of both apps.
# 5 – I Don’t Have A Newsletter! What’s The Best App To Launch An Email List Without Coding?
My two favorite lead generation and email marketing apps are ClickFunnels and AWeber.
I’m a fan of ClickFunnels because the ClickFunnels team loves the world of small business and, they’re more obsessed with marketing and sales than I am – which says a lot about their commitment!
I also love AWeber and, I’ve been using them for many years to help keep track of my email newsletter subscribers. AWeber is one of the original players in the email marketing game – and they also manage my push notifications for MrComputerScience.com. Push notifications are a neat bonus that many other email newsletter services don’t offer.
Here’s One More Email Marketing Tip That Can Help Any Email Newsletter Writer On The Planet!
Remember to maintain good karma with your email subscribers! I know that I sound like a hippie. That’s because I am a hippie! 🙂
I also know that if you treat your email subscribers like a bucket of gold – and like your best friend – that your email subscribers will be much more likely to thank you for your content. Hopefully, they decide to stay subscribed over the long-haul!
I think that if you treat your email subscribers right, that’s the best way to build a beautiful email newsletter, and it’s also the top goal to have as an email publisher in any niche, at any time. It’s also hard to make email marketing mistakes if you treat your subscribers right.
Thanks so much for reading this blog post, and please have a beautiful day!
Cordially,
Mike “Newsletter Recovery” DeVincent
MrComputerScience.com