3 Fears You May Have About Email Marketing — and What To Do About it

Email has its strengths. There’s a lot of marketing value in email. But did you know it’s not just a tool for marketing?

The value goes beyond email marketing to be a space where you can share your valuable content or message with readers, ask them to connect and move them through a change or transformation in their lives.

As a business, your content is solving problems for your readers, and you can do it with email.

Because… Email. Is. Powerful.

But if you think about it, email marketing is simply humans talking with humans.

Now, let’s talk through some fears you might have about email marketing.

3 fears you might have about email marketing

When you think about your automated welcome sequence — one you already have or the one you’re hoping to create — do you come across any fears about getting started or putting yourself out there?

See if any of these thoughts or fears about email marketing resonate with you:

Fear 01: I’m not sure what to say when I write emails to my list

If you’re not sure what to say when writing to your list, take a step back and consider your audience.

Think about the change you want to see in their lives with what you know and how you can help them get there.

This does NOT need to be a life-changing email.

When you’re on a journey, every baby step, simple touch and encouragement can make a big difference.

You’re not selling snake oil or throwing up smoke and mirrors. You’re saying, “I see you. Here’s what I know might help… Try this [mindset, resource, life hack]…”

When I had a personal finance blog, my goal was for readers to “feel comfortable talking about money.” I didn’t want them to be scared to address their own money situation.

So when I wrote my emails, I was open about my own money mistakes, conversations I’d had with friends about money, as well as wins, like paying off my student loans (!!).

I used email to reinforce my “brand” of personal finance — an open, honest and personable tone — so readers felt like they knew me, were comfortable asking questions and had some practical tools to change their relationship with money.

You can create a “voice” for your email content, too.

Start by answering this question: Why do you do what you do?

Channel this WHY through your welcome sequence and you’ll connect with people quickly and authentically.

Bring readers into the fold of your brand by being yourself.

Related: A simple 5-step framework to write your first email welcome sequence

Fear 02: Will my email subscribers find this valuable?

While discussing with a client what he could share in his welcome and nurture sequences, he very abruptly asked, “Why waste their time?”

Immediately, I gave him a classic Allea-cheering-session about his value as a content creator who has helped SO many people over the last 10 years. “You’re not wasting their time. You’re helping them! They are grateful for you, I promise.”

Then we went through an exercise.

I asked, “When someone comes to your site, what are they usually looking for?”

He answered.

“Okay, so for any new subscriber looking for that, what would you share with them?”

He spilled out details and blog posts he could share.

END POINT.

Your content — whether you wrote it years ago or it feels too simplistic — is still valuable to new subscribers:

• If your audience is asking for help with XYZ Topic, give them answers to XYZ Topic when they first subscribe.

• If your site traffic is always lighting up a page or resource about ABC Topic, consider sharing this as a top resource for all new subscribers to check out. Catch them up to speed, right when they walk in the door.

• Ask your readers questions, and see how they respond. Use this as fuel for new content.

Listen to your readers. This will make sure that the content you share will match what their needs are — and that’s valuable.

Related: What to do when no one replies to your emails

Fear 03: If I automate my email sequences, will the content feel fake to new readers?

Ahhh, the fear of sounding like a robot. I hear you.

The fear of sending out emails and sounding forced or fake goes beyond automations. Automated or not, our tone in emails can either disarm new readers or cause them to throw up a wall of skepticism.

To combat this, I suggest you bring personality into your emails. Share your heart. Write like how you talk. Tell stories. Show pictures.

Related: How to add personality to your email marketing with custom gifs

Rarely will readers feel like they’re “being put through an automation” when it’s clear that the author spent time and energy to share what matters to readers.

When automating content, build out an ongoing nurture sequence to send out your best content to new subscribers no matter when they join your list.

Related: 3 ways to find & repurpose popular content in an evergreen email nurture sequence

Creating value for your readers with email marketing

Be honest and open with your new subscribers.

State it clearly in your welcome sequence — something like, “Over the next few weeks, I’m going to send you some of my favorite posts to help you get caught up to speed on all things My Brand.”

Easy peasy, right?

You have value to share with the world. I want your audience to experience it, too.