3 of the Most Important Types of Email Sequences

Brands earn $38 for every $1 they invest in email marketing programs, according to Email Marketing ROI: The Factors That Lead to Better Returns, a research report published by Litmus.

An even more recent study performed by Litmus shows for every $1 marketers spend on email marketing, they receive $42 in return.

In fact, email is 40 times more effective at acquiring new customers than Facebook or Twitter.

Because email marketing is only showing signs of growing, continue reading this post to learn:

What is an email sequence?
Why should you use automated email sequences?
3 of the most important types of email sequences

What is an email sequence?

Not to be confused with email frequency, an email sequence is a series of emails sent to different segments of your email list.

Email frequency – is how often you send emails.

Drip Email Sequence – trigger-based emails automatically sent out at predetermined times to achieve a specific result.

Think of trigger-based emails as “desire action taken” emails.

For example, in a welcome email sequence you might provide an offer to your new email list subscribers.

If a subscriber is ready to redeemed your offer, they will take a certain action, perhaps, click on the CTA to move forward.

If a subscriber is not ready or ignores your offer, they may just close out of your email.

You wouldn’t send the subscriber who ignored your offer or wasn’t ready the same email you would send to the subscriber who is ready and willing to accept your offer.

Depending on how an email list subscriber behaves with your welcome series, will determine what type of email they receive next.

Email Sequence – time-based emails automatically sent out at predetermined times.

For example, a monthly email newsletter would send once a month and would send regardless of if any action was previously taken.

No matter if an email list subscriber engages with your CTA within your monthly email newsletter (or if a subscriber does not engage) both groups will receive next month’s email newsletter.

Both groups that “clicked” and “did not click” are not necessarily segmented and will receive the same email communication.

Why should you use automated email sequences?

Nurture Leads and Prospects – Trigger-based email sequences are sent when they are most likely to have an impact. Why?

Because each lead and/or prospect will fall on different stages of the buyer’s journey.

This means they are receiving critical communication once they’re ready, you’re not spamming them with information they don’t care about.

You are catering your business based off of their needs and meeting them where they’re at.

But you also have insight to where they are on the buyer’s journey, this also means that you can send them more information to help guide their decision making.

Time-based email sequences also benefit from automation as it allows you to stay in front of your email list consistently, while providing valuable content.

Increase Website Traffic (that can also drive revenue) – If you’re running a specific campaign, let’s say you just released a book on Minnesota’s 11,842 Lakes, convert your email list to your campaigns designated landing page!

Even better, if you’re able to do this utilizing segmentation, send different segments of your email list to landing pages that they’re most interested in.

As a communication pipeline, you can also highlight specific sales or events. For example, you might promote a new product or 24-hour flash sale that is happening on your website.

Build Credibility and Trust – Using segmentation, you will always be able to send valuable information and content that your email list demands.

Think of email as a phone call, not a billboard.

Other forms of digital marketing are great but you aren’t always reaching your intended and already engaged audience.

With email marketing, you are reaching your intended and already engaged audience.

Since your email list has voluntarily opted in to receiving information from you, it’s obvious they want to hear from you.

They want to know what’s happening with your business, when it’s happening, and how they can take part.

3 of the most important types of email sequences

1. Welcome Email Sequence – When you go out to dinner, you’re usually welcomed by a hostess or server.

A welcome email series works the same way.

According to Campaign Monitor, “open rates for welcome emails are, on average, 50%. This means that, compared to standard newsletters, they are 86% more effective.”

Your welcome email sequence will set the tone for your relationship with your email list.

Always provide an offer and let them know how often you plan on reaching out.

Or, you can even ask them how often they prefer to receive email communication from you.

With the information they provide, you can begin segmenting your email list.

2. On-boarding Email Sequence – Now that you’ve welcomed your email list subscribers, you can begin to onboard them.

The goal is to ultimately get them to become a customer or client.

This means you would be promoting and incentivizing a lead magnet, checking in to see if they would like to book an appointment, jump on a consultation call, and the list goes on.

3. Re-engagement Email Sequence – Did you know that turning an inactive subscriber into a customer cost 5 times cheaper than acquiring a brand-new customer?

With a re-engagement email sequence deliverability and value should be your main focus.

Inactive subscribers may have moved your emails to their spam folder so you’ll want to make sure you do everything you can to re-engage them.

You will want to limit the use of risky words like free, buy, promo, etc. Spam filters have been known to analyze your content. These words are triggers.

Only send 2-3 re-engagement emails asking inactive subscribers to whitelist you.

This segment does not need the whole welcome email sequence again, and they don’t require in depth information about you and your business. They already know who you are.

This segment does need a few reminders on why they should be more active with the valuable emails you provide.

Summary:

Email marketing isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

When it comes to email sequences there are so many you can include in your digital marketing strategy.

At a minimum, you should at least have the following:
Welcome email series
On-boarding email series
Re-engagement email series

Want more tips on email sequences or need help building out your email sequences? Shoot me an email – I respond within 24 hours. 🙂