Like most small companies, we at Feed. The Company used to get 90% of latest shoppers from referrals. If we had extra time, we would generate leads by way of inbound advertising. If we had more cash, we would buy $30,000+ in commercials or sponsorships.
However we had restricted time AND cash. So, we needed to give you a unique answer — e-mail sequences.
Consequently, we constructed a follow-up e-mail sequence.
What’s an e-mail sequence?
An e-mail sequence is a collection of emails that’s despatched routinely to a prospect, person, or buyer utilizing automation software program. The emails are despatched primarily based on predetermined standards equivalent to a time delay or motion being met.
In different phrases, in case you construct your emails out beforehand and set it up with e-mail advertising automation, you may observe up with prospects at scale… with out being the one to click on the “Ship” button time and again.
At Feed. The Company, we constructed our personal follow-up e-mail sequence — utilizing the free Electronic mail Templates software from HubSpot Gross sales — that generated $100,000 in 30 days. Our complete income elevated by 215% since we began sending these templates in a sequence.
To create an efficient e-mail sequence, you will want a number of instruments to get began:
- Lead Technology Type: Earlier than you think about your content material, the platform you will use, or how you will phase your lists, you will need to determine how you will gather the knowledge you obtain from these emails. Consider it as working backward from the top purpose of sending the e-mail.
- Electronic mail Builder: Selecting an e-mail constructing software that has record segmenting capabilities, an intuitive design interface, and an inexpensive ship restrict in your pipeline would be the high priorities you will need to look into.
- Topic Line Checker: The topic line is the primary a part of your e-mail sequence that your readers will see — whether or not they open the e-mail or not. So, take a little bit further time to get it good through the use of a topic line testing software.
HubSpot’s Electronic mail Advertising Device is a superb place to begin constructing customized e-mail sequences that focus on your prospects or clients.
Attempt HubSpot’s Electronic mail Advertising Device Free
How lengthy ought to an e-mail sequence be?
There isn’t any set size for an e-mail sequence. The period of the sequence and variety of emails will rely solely on the client persona, the client’s journey stage, and the typical gross sales cycle size at what you are promoting. It is going to additionally rely upon what you are hoping to perform with the sequence.
For instance you’re making a nurturing e-mail sequence to immediate a prospect to take motion. Such an e-mail sequence ought to do a number of issues:
- Educate them alongside their path to buy
- Deal with any objections they’ve alongside the way in which
- Set up your authority and credibility within the trade (and thus make you their supplier of selection after they’re prepared to purchase)
- Hold you top-of-mind till they’re prepared to purchase
You do not need to do an excessive amount of in a single e-mail, so every e-mail have to be crafted to play a component as you get the prospect from the place they’re at to the place you need them to be.
However the variety of emails and period of time will rely upon a number of components. For instance, a first-time homebuyer might begin their path to buy years earlier than making an attempt to safe a mortgage mortgage, whereas somebody who’s in search of an emergency HVAC restore is able to take motion instantly (and thus wouldn’t want a nurturing sequence in any respect).
Moreover, somebody who has downloaded an book for “The best way to Put together My Credit score for Shopping for a Home” is far earlier within the course of than somebody who crammed out your contact type and is not sales-ready.
In different phrases, how lengthy is your purchaser procuring round, the place are they at in that course of primarily based on what you already learn about them (actions they’ve already taken in your website), and what data do you want them to know throughout that point? Understanding these components will show you how to decide how lengthy a sequence needs to be.
The best way to Create an Electronic mail Sequence
Now that you’ve got an concept of what e-mail sequences are, the conditions by which you’d use one, and the way lengthy a sequence can/ought to final, let’s speak about the best way to put one in place:
1. Decide the sequence’s function.
Usually, most e-mail sequences (particularly these created in a gross sales context) have the broader purpose of incomes new enterprise. Nevertheless, there are a lot of methods of going about “incomes new enterprise,” and context issues for delivering the proper message on the proper time. Honing in in your causes will assist as you construction your automation logic, craft your emails, and measure success.
For instance, for instance you need to construct a simple follow-up sequence designed to transform a dialog right into a demo. On this case, success would imply the prospect reserving a gathering by way of your scheduling software program.
Alternatively, you may want an automatic nurturing marketing campaign to set off after they obtain an book or content material supply. Success for this is able to imply turning them right into a gross sales certified lead (SQL), so that you’d present data and alternative for them to take motion and meet your SQL standards. As soon as they do, you may have your system hand them off to gross sales.
The alternatives for focused experiences are countless in case you’re strategic about it.
2. Determine the enrollment standards (or set off) for the sequence.
Automation software program cannot learn minds (but?); identical to any software, we have now to inform it when and the best way to work.
That is the place enrollment standards is available in. Whenever you arrange your sequence, you will specify the circumstances that have to be met for the automation to set off. For a gross sales follow-up e-mail sequence, it may be so simple as manually enrolling them utilizing your CRM or e-mail advertising software program.
Alternatively, you need to use extra superior standards in case your automation software program permits it. Examples of triggers embrace:
- When a contact fills out a type
- When a contact visits a specific web page
- When a contact enters a brand new lifecycle stage
- When a contact books a gathering
And plenty of extra. In case your CRM information it, and if the info in your CRM is dependable, you might be able to automate round it. (In the event you’re utilizing HubSpot, you will discover extra details about HubSpot’s enrollment standards right here.)
3. Decide the period of the sequence and the variety of emails required.
As talked about beforehand, there is no set timeframe or variety of emails. You may have to get strategic in regards to the touchpoints which might be required and the frequency of these.
For instance, if I do know the typical gross sales cycle for my purchaser persona is 30 days and I need to have twice-a-week touchpoints, I would have to map out round 8 emails. This offers a framework to plan the messaging essential to get the prospect from A to B.
Alternatively, if it is a follow-up e-mail sequence from a face-to-face dialog, you may think about fewer emails earlier than sending your self a reminder to achieve out by cellphone (sure, this may be automated too).
4. Write the emails for the sequence.
After you have your framework and you’ve got outlined which emails are wanted, it is time to get pen to paper.
Listed here are some sources that can assist you out:
Needless to say every e-mail will probably be despatched to a number of prospects, doubtless at totally different instances. Your emails needs to be evergreen, and the knowledge you embrace needs to be common sufficient to use to any prospect who matches the factors you set. Nevertheless, personalization tokens may be added to offer that customized contact.
The fragile stability between common and particular is how one can scale whereas nonetheless making every prospect really feel as if you are speaking on to them.
One extra tip: every e-mail ought to have one function. Do not water down the message by overloading every e-mail with data. By maintaining it to 1 function, one purpose, and one call-to-action, you eradicate confusion and enhance the probability of success. You may at all times add extra emails if one e-mail is doing an excessive amount of heavy-lifting by itself.
5. Construct the emails utilizing e-mail software program.
After you have all of your emails in textual content type, it is time to put them within the system.
- With gross sales emails, it is usually higher to maintain issues easy as if a rep despatched the messages personally from their inbox.
- Advertising emails, although, have extra room for branding aptitude and crowd pleasing visuals.
No matter your method, you can copy and paste your textual content into your e-mail builder. Placing them in your system permits you to have the ability to inform your automation software program what to ship.
6. Arrange the automation.
Contemplate this a part of the method as instructing your automation software program, step-by-step, the best way to execute the duties you need it to. This consists of:
- Specifying the enrollment standards you selected
- Designating which actions (e.g. e-mail sends) to carry out and when
- Organising how a lot time ought to elapse between every motion and what to do when particular situations occur (if/then logic)
Automation software program is extraordinarily literal, so be sure you’re not taking something as a right or leaving stones unturned as you create these “directions.”
Listed here are some sources for working with HubSpot’s automation software:
7. Take a look at the sequence.
In the event you’re in a position to, it helps to check the sequence earlier than launching to see if it behaves the way in which you count on it to. You are able to do this by setting it stay and enrolling your self.
Alternatively, you may also ship check emails. You may need to make sure the emails look good throughout units and whether or not the personalization tokens are functioning appropriately.
Take it from me — testing helps save plenty of heartache.
The success behind this sequence comes from its potential to affect the psyche of your prospect. Pleasure, gratefulness, and remorse are highly effective emotions that may immediate folks in direction of actionable steps. The next sequence attracts in prospects by catering to their satisfaction, offers them with content material they are often grateful for, and leaves them with emotions of remorse in the event that they miss the chance.
Able to see this sequence in motion? This is how we earned $100,000 in 30 days.
Step 1: Discover prospects who’re talked about within the information.
As a branding company within the healthcare trade, the vast majority of our shoppers are docs or dentists. Step one we take on this sequence is to seek out information tales that point out docs. As soon as we are able to safe a listing, we attain out to congratulate them. Not solely does this heat up the preliminary e-mail and catch their consideration, nevertheless it additionally performs on their satisfaction. Many equate a information point out with success, and likelihood is, your prospects do too. They’ll doubtless be happy with this point out, and congratulating them will open doorways to establishing a connection.
Google Alerts and Feedly are two sources for monitoring the information. Google Alerts permits you to monitor the net and obtain e-mail notifications for explicit key phrases. Making a Google Alert is straightforward. Kind the key phrase and save the alert to ship it to your e-mail handle.
Within the instance beneath, we monitor the key phrase “orthopedic surgical procedure.” After getting into the key phrase and my e-mail handle, I click on Create Alert. Now I’ll obtain an alert any time the information mentions an orthopedic surgical procedure or orthopedic surgeon.
Feedly is one other software to make use of when monitoring information matters. It’s a house the place you may privately set up and analysis matters related to you. It’s an alternate software Feed the Company makes use of to find docs talked about within the information. To make use of the platform, add web sites to your “feed.” When an internet site you’re monitoring publishes a brand new article, you’ll obtain an alert inside the platform.
For instance, an internet site we observe in our trade is KevinMD.com. So as to add it to our feed, I:
- Click on +Add Content material
- Enter the URL within the search bar: KevinMD.com
- Click on the inexperienced +Feedly button
- Click on Add
In these 4 steps, we added KevinMD to our feed. TEDmed.com, AdWeek, and Promoting Age are different web sites we’ve used to amass new clients. They’re examples of different web sites I’ve added to my Feedly account.
To view the content material from these web sites, I click on on the Well being tab the place all of the content material seems directly.
Step 2: Ship an e-mail congratulating them on their information protection.
When you discover a prospect, ship the primary e-mail utilizing the free e-mail templates builder from Gross sales Hub.
This is our best-performing preliminary e-mail template:
Free to speak?
Dr. [Last name],
As a result of I work a lot with [targeted industry], I consistently observe trade information. Lately I seen that you have [insert company action].
Often when that occurs, [insert business issue] turns into a precedence. That is why I believed you could be involved in discovering out how we helped [similar firm] get going shortly of their new course — with none of the everyday cookie cutter approaches to advertising.
Try our affected person promoting and model campaigns right here. If you would like to be taught extra, let’s arrange a fast name. Schedule quarter-hour right here on my calendar.
Regards,
Matthew
P.S. In the event you’re not the proper individual to talk with, who do you advocate I speak to?
Sometimes, this e-mail garners two reactions — a reply or time scheduled on my calendar. In the event you I do not obtain a response in 24 hours, I observe up with a second e-mail.
Step 3: Ship a follow-up e-mail with useful content material customized to their trade.
In the event you can add worth to somebody’s life or occupation, it is going to enhance credibility and strengthen the connection. Due to that, this e-mail template at all times drives a ton of responses.
For instance, I ship physicians a precious branding survey software we use to assist shoppers differentiate themselves.
This is what which may appear like:
Free doctor branding software
Whats up Dr. [Last name],
I am following up on my earlier e-mail with a free software I believe you will love.
It is a model evaluation survey I created only for you (actually, your title is on it), that may show you how to perceive how your observe is totally different from different docs in [insert their city].
Click on right here [add hyperlink to survey] to start the model differentiation evaluation survey. Once we communicate, I am going to benchmark your responses in opposition to the highest doctor manufacturers across the nation.
I am sharing my calendar (click on right here) so we are able to schedule a handy time to debate.
Take pleasure in your weekend,
Matthew
Add names at any time when doable. Including a physician’s title to the survey induced our response charges to skyrocket. Though it was a small tweak, personalization is a strong software. If this e-mail fails to drive prospects to answer or e book time on my calendar, I’ll ship a second follow-up e-mail utilizing the “Attempting to Join” e-mail template.
Step 4: Ship the “Attempting to Join” e-mail template.
For prospects who’ve but to reply, I’ll observe up with this e-mail template:
Attempting to attach
Hello Dr. [Last name],
I am sorry we have not been in a position to join. Once more, I understand how hectic issues can get at work and with household.
I might be obtainable for a name throughout weekends or earlier than or after work hours if that is simpler for you? I do not imply to bug you, however I do need to show you how to handle your crew so you may exceed your objectives of [insert custom goals].
To schedule a time on my calendar, simply click on right here.
Finest,
Matthew
This single e-mail has the best response fee of all of the templates. Why? We will’t say for sure; nevertheless, providing prolonged hours could possibly be the important thing. With out mentioning express hours, prospects may routinely assume that scheduling instances can be throughout their enterprise hours. Providing instances outdoors of normal “9 to five” hours can push prospects to motion.
Step 5: Ship the ultimate “Permission to shut your file?” follow-up e-mail template.
When struck with silence, you need to ship a closing e-mail that prompts them to reply. We deal with this with our closing follow-up the place we ask for permission to shut the file.
Permission to shut your file?
Hello Dr. [Last name],
I am writing to observe up. We’re within the technique of closing recordsdata this month.
Sometimes, once I have not heard again from somebody, it means they’re both actually busy or aren’t . In the event you aren’t , do I’ve permission to shut your file?
In case you are nonetheless , what do you advocate as a subsequent step?
Thanks in your assist.
Regards,
Matthew
This e-mail performs effectively. Why? I believe it’s a mix of two issues. One, it could possibly be FOMO or concern of lacking out. Nobody desires to really feel as in the event that they’re lacking a possibility.
Two, some folks need what they’ll’t have. As soon as a possibility feels prefer it’s about to slide away, some prospects may bounce on it. Frankly, I’m not solely positive. My assumption is that they understand, “Oh, I’m by no means going to listen to from this man once more. Possibly I ought to look into the supply…”
When you’re in a position to drive a prospect’s response to answer or shut out the communication, the final step is measuring the efficiency of the e-mail templates.
Step 6: Enhance your e-mail templates by measuring their efficiency.
HubSpot’s free e-mail templates software permits you to measure open charges and click on charges. At Feed. The Company, we consistently measure e-mail efficiency and make enhancements as we see match.
Measuring e-mail efficiency will show you how to perceive what templates are performing finest versus what wants enchancment. With out this software, it will be exceedingly tough to make selections because of the lack of information.
The return on this sequence has been large, however we’re nonetheless early within the course of. We’ll proceed to check these templates till we uncover the “good” e-mail.
We have been in a position to shut $100,000 in simply 30 days. These templates provide the potential to get related outcomes. Attempt it out. Create a free HubSpot account, open the e-mail templates software, and click on ship.
Electronic mail Sequence Examples
Whereas we despatched a follow-up e-mail sequence, there are a number of kinds of sequences you may ship to have interaction your prospects.
1. Nurturing Electronic mail Sequence
A nurturing sequence introduces the prospect to your organization. They might have downloaded an book or opted right into a content material supply, however they don’t seem to be sales-ready. A nurturing sequence is designed to get them there by offering social proof, dealing with objections, and establishing worth.
Instance of an e-mail in a nurturing sequence from Second:
This e-mail sequence is finest for firms which have brief gross sales cycles like many client packaged items and even easy B2B digital applied sciences. To have the perfect outcomes with a nurture e-mail sequence, you will need to concentrate on educating your prospects reasonably than promoting to them. This builds belief and familiarity between your model and the recipient. After they’re prepared to purchase, you will be high of thoughts.
2. Engagement Electronic mail Sequence
An engagement e-mail sequence makes use of e-mail to construct rapport with prospects. The concept is to get them engaged along with your content material to construct curiosity and maintain your group high of thoughts. Any such sequence may show you how to establish engaged subscribers who open, click on, and take motion on emails with the intention to enroll them in different sequences tailor-made to their particular journey.
Instance of an e-mail in an engagement sequence from A Youngsters Guide About:
The engagement e-mail sequence works effectively for manufacturers which have frequent occasions. These emails are finest used as soon as the connection has been established and the recipient seems to be ahead to your emails. Ideally, an engagement e-mail sequence needs to be despatched after there was significant engagement on previous e-mail sequences.
3. Conversion Electronic mail Sequence
This sequence is used if you’re asking one thing of your prospect (e.g., reserving a name or assembly, or scheduling a demo). Which means that you will focus your complete copy round a single call-to-action, and you will use the sequence to get the recipient to take that motion.
Instance of an e-mail in a conversion sequence from Yokel Native:
SaaS firms and different service suppliers who depend on reserving calls and demos to shut offers will discover worth in a conversion e-mail template. Any such e-mail needs to be the ultimate one in your e-mail sequence as a result of it not educates or evokes the prospect — as an alternative it asks for one thing, their time. So, be sure this e-mail sequence is reserved for many who have opened, engaged, and even responded to previous emails.
4. Comply with-Up Electronic mail Sequence
Simply because a prospect does not reply to a gross sales outreach e-mail doesn’t suggest they don’t seem to be . They might want a number of “impressions” earlier than noticing and taking motion. A follow-up e-mail sequence loops again and touches base along with your prospect after a number of outreach makes an attempt. That is so gross sales reps can cut back the variety of handbook emails they ship and admin work they should do.
Nearly each enterprise can profit from a follow-up e-mail sequence. In the event you discover your prospects have had in any other case nice engagement and open charges however nonetheless have not taken motion on a conversion e-mail sequence you’ve got already despatched, a follow-up message is usually a nudge in the proper course. Any such e-mail sequence works effectively when it is customized and empathetic — assume optimistic intent and genuinely relate to the individual on the opposite aspect of the inbox.
5. Reminder Electronic mail Sequence
Whether or not a lead has booked a demo, signed up for a webinar, and even snagged a seat to an occasion, your group has an opportunity to please that particular person (and presumably earn their enterprise). Nevertheless, you may’t present that delight if the lead forgets to point out up. Little reminders can go a good distance in attendance fee over time, growing the variety of alternatives you will have “at bat,” so to talk.
Reminder emails are a low-friction method to make sure that the lead does not overlook in regards to the occasion or appointment and likewise present them with any mandatory logistical particulars.
Instance of an e-mail in a reminder sequence from Dyspatch:
Reminder emails are just like follow-up e-mail sequences in that they are a finest observe when speaking with potential clients. The important thing to creating these sequences work is to maintain the topic line easy, the copy easy, and the decision to motion distinguished. Bear in mind: the purpose right here is to get the prospect on a name they’ve already agreed to.
6. Re-Engagement Electronic mail Sequence
To get outcomes from e-mail as a channel, you naturally want a wholesome database. Over time, nevertheless, e-mail addresses change and prospects lose curiosity. The typical e-mail database loses contacts at round 25% per yr, so even in case you’re producing new leads at a fast fee, you will naturally get some information skew from uninterested or deprecated contacts.
As a last-ditch effort to win again a few of these contacts, you may deploy a re-engagement sequence. Any such marketing campaign’s purpose is to immediate the person to open emails and take some sort of motion; in any other case, the result’s you eradicating them out of your database. This can show you how to maintain your e-mail record wholesome and correct.
Instance of an e-mail in a re-engagement sequence from Return Path:
In case your model sees a possibility to nurture prospects with a nurture e-mail sequence, then you definitely’ll need to be sure your messages aren’t going to the unsuitable individual, or worse, bouncing. It might sound counter intuitive to deliberately ask folks to choose out of your e-mail subscription, however it might probably do wonders in your engagement metrics. Slightly than having a bloated record of contacts, you may change into laser centered on the people who’re within the e-mail content material they obtain out of your firm.
Create Your Personal Electronic mail Sequence
Electronic mail sequences can nurture your leads into changing into clients with out the work of writing a brand new e-mail sometimes. Take from the examples above and get began with your individual sequence to begin successful over clients.
Editor’s be aware: This submit was initially revealed in Might 2019 and has been up to date for comprehensiveness.
