I was having a chat with a friend about marketing and stuff. She asks…
“With email marketing or social media… can we say there are timeless principles there?”
I didn’t have much to say about social media at the time.
But thinking about it now I’d probably say…
“Nothing is certain with social media. As you’re at the mercy of the algorithms.”
A bit hard to pull out any “timeless principles” when things are so changeable.
Never mind the multiple platforms to get your head around. 😖
But email’s been around MUCH longer. And it grew rapidly for marketing with the internet boom of the 90s.
Despite the big players doing their best to control it… it’s built on open standards that no one person or company has dibs on.
So it’s possible to say things about email marketing with a LOT more certainty.
Here’s what I replied to my friend…
With email marketing there’s timeless principles. And they’re simple…
Have a way to opt in to your list. Email continually. Sell things that your audience wants to buy.
Yeah… there’s other bits, like getting people to your opt-in page. But this is the heart of it.
The timeless principles really are: build a list, email it, sell them stuff.
Of course focus on relationship-building. It’s not about hard-selling and other icky stuff that gives marketers a (sometimes deserved) bad rap.
It really IS simple.
I then threw this into the conversation, “There’s a lot of money to be made in making things complex.”
I’m sure you’ve heard the voices of the gurus too… offering marketing “wisdom” that urges us to make things complex.
From building intricate funnels… to producing content for every damn social media platform out there.
Might be OK if you’re a Gary Vee.
But your average small business owner… not so much.
Complexity just fosters overwhelm. And has a sly way of making you feel like you’re working on something worthwhile…
While the REALLY important aspects of your business are being neglected.
Yep… also makes a LOT of cashola for people who sell complex solutions.
Keeping things simple is one of the ways I keep email marketing low stress in my business.
That simplicity extends to the tools I choose to use in my business. And using ones that are as low-friction as possible.
Like the email platform I use. It doesn’t take me a million clicks to load an email.
3 clicks… and my email is scheduled.
It just helps to make things easier. And a bit more fun, too. 😄