This lesson is all about putting your marketing automation platform knowledge into action! You'll learn how to build, design, and schedule simple email campaigns, focusing on creating lists, segmenting your audience, and crafting engaging email content.
First things first: Log into the free trial of your chosen marketing automation platform (e.g., Mailchimp, HubSpot, Sendinblue). Once logged in, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the interface. Look for sections labeled 'Contacts,' 'Lists,' 'Campaigns,' and 'Automations.' These are your key areas for this lesson. Don't be afraid to click around and explore!
Now, let's create an email list. Most platforms will allow you to either manually add contacts or import a CSV file. For this exercise, start by creating a list named 'Beginner Marketing Enthusiasts.'
Next, let's segment. Segmentation allows you to send targeted emails. For example, you could segment your list based on where a lead came from like a signup form vs a contest.
Example: Let's say you have a signup form question: 'What are your primary marketing interests: (a) Email Marketing, (b) Social Media Marketing, (c) Content Marketing'. You could create segments like 'Email Marketing Enthusiasts' based on their responses. How to segment will vary slightly depending on the platform, so refer to the platform's documentation or search for tutorials on 'segmenting contacts'.
Navigate to the 'Campaigns' section and select 'Create Campaign'. Choose an 'Email' campaign. Most platforms offer pre-designed templates. Choose a simple, visually appealing template for your welcome email. Aim for a clear message: introduce yourself, welcome the subscriber, and provide a small value (e.g., a free resource, a special offer, or a link to a helpful blog post).
Example Welcome Email:
Subject: Welcome to the [Your Brand] Community!
Hi [First Name],
Welcome! We're thrilled to have you join our community. We're dedicated to providing helpful tips, resources, and insights for [topic relevant to your audience]. As a welcome gift, here is a free guide on '5 Email Marketing Mistakes and How to Avoid Them': [Link to Guide].
Happy marketing!
[Your Name/Brand]
Make sure to personalize the email using merge tags (e.g., [First Name]).
Now, let's automate! Navigate to the 'Automations' section. You'll be creating a simple automation to send your welcome email. The setup varies, but the logic remains the same: Trigger: When someone joins your list. Action: Send your welcome email.
Follow the platform's instructions to set up this automation. Most platforms will allow you to preview and test your automation before activating it. This is crucial to ensure everything works as expected.
Remember to test your automation by signing up for your list yourself (if possible) to verify the welcome email is sent and looks good on your end!
Explore advanced insights, examples, and bonus exercises to deepen understanding.
Welcome back! You've successfully built your first email list, segmented your audience, designed a welcome email, and scheduled it to send. Now, let's dive deeper and explore more advanced email marketing techniques to amplify your impact. This extension builds on your previous work by exploring more complex segmentation, dynamic content, and A/B testing – essential skills for any marketing automation specialist.
Beyond basic segmentation, understanding your audience's behavior and personalizing the email content can significantly boost engagement. Here's a breakdown of more advanced strategies:
Let's put your knowledge to the test with these practice activities:
In the real world, these techniques are essential for:
Ready for an extra challenge? Try these:
Expand your knowledge with these resources:
Keep learning and experimenting! The world of marketing automation is constantly evolving.
Create a new email list named 'My Test List' within your chosen platform. Import a small set of contacts (even if you manually enter them). Then, based on a made-up question (e.g., 'What's your favorite color? (a) Blue (b) Green (c) Red'), segment your list into at least two different segments. Document the steps you took to segment your list, including screenshots if possible.
Design a welcome email using the platform's template editor. Customize the email with your brand's colors, logo, and a personalized greeting. Include a clear call to action (e.g., 'Download our free guide,' 'Visit our website'). Make sure to preview the email on different devices (desktop and mobile).
Write out, step-by-step, how to create the automation of your welcome email. Start by outlining the exact trigger, and then how you will set the follow-up email. Finally make sure to test before activating.
What challenges did you encounter during this exercise? What are some things you would like to have added? What features did you find most useful? Were there any features you didn't understand? Write your thoughts in the form of bullet points.
Imagine you are starting an online store selling handcrafted jewelry. Design a welcome email sequence (welcome email and one follow-up email) using your marketing automation platform to engage new subscribers and drive initial sales. Include a special discount for new subscribers in your follow-up email.
Review your email marketing results. What was the open and click-through rates? What can you improve about the copy or graphics? Make sure you have a good grasp on your chosen platform. In the next lesson, we will cover how to design more sophisticated email campaigns, create landing pages, and use forms to capture leads.
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