Mine is outdated, neglected, and incomplete.
I mean…I have endless .csv and .xls files saved-back. Lists of clients and prospects I’ve put together myself. Other lists I’ve paid people to glean from various services; and still other lists that are compiled automatically from software add-ons to my Gmail.
There they sit on my desktop…screaming at me to use them.
And I have! I used to send out a regular email to prospects with links to my latest demos, links to my best blog articles, and highlights of my latest work.
I got quite good at constructing periodic newsletters that were engaging, well-written, visual, and full of meaningful content. Colleagues were approving!
But prospects apparently were unimpressed. I can count on one finger the new VO jobs I got from all that newsletter work.
So, forgive my skepticism when I constantly get bombarded by the latest new list-building techniques, software, and browser plug-ins.
Building email lists is still the default way to gain and maintain clients. Whodathunk? Technology from the early days of the internet that still works and better than ever!
OK, hope springs eternal. Maybe I’ll give it another go…crack open those .xls files and work up another rash of newsletters to disinterested production houses with full rosters.
What can it hurt?
Why am I inspired again?
The nice folks at SendX keep after me with their product. I haven’t bought into it yet, but I’m intrigued. It seems like so many other popular offerings out there. “Affordable and Intuitive Email Marketing Software”.
Uh-huh.
‘Just like all the hundreds of CRM software solutions floating around out there. Not so say they aren’t helpful, but without some personal discipline in using them religiously, and without some dogged set-up and follow-up…these platforms will not yield any results.
Still…I must say their blog on “List Building Strategies” is more that the usual bait ‘n’ switch, click-bait to get you to sign up for their wares. It actually has meat on the bone, and some excellent, workable ideas. It’s a foundational primer on the subject, with topics headings like:
- Make your Emails “Hyper-Personalized”
- Catch them when they’re leaving
- Learn from your competitors and adapt
- The Need for Social Proof
If, like me, you’re think about diving into email marketing again…this is a thorough and latest updated how-to article. Whether you use it to your advantage…well…that entirely up to you, isn’t it?
CourVO
and…..