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Customers not responding to emails?

Marketing, social media, advertising

LiveEntrepreneur

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So I have just over 150 subscribers to my mailing list. I created an MVP landing page and added some pages about what's different about us, etc. I have though about 30 subscribers who are confirmed. I'm not sure if they are going to the spam box. I did send a message to over the 100 subscribers, I sent the same message but no response whatsoever.

I did put a direct benefit in the title of the email and my email I told them how they would benefit and I asked if they would have a few moments to have a chat. I need to talk to them to confirm my hypothesis, to confirm my assumptions. Am I possibly targeting the wrong audience?

A side question.

I am confused on the term "market segment". Is a market segment for example, if I am serving people in one particular area of the market? Like am I targeting certain countries instead of targeting all the countries where people would use my product? Thanks.
 
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I have though about 30 subscribers who are confirmed. I'm not sure if they are going to the spam box.
What is the open rate of your emails? Bounces? Do you have a link in your website that leads to some main sales page or buy button? From that link, can you measure the click rate?

I'm surprised you don't know. Do you have a control panel of sorts using some email infrastructure? Hopefully you aren't just using Gmail. Gmail is not exactly the best for business analytics.

How did you get their emails in the first place? From online content you put up? Or directly face-to-face?
If they gave it willingly to you, they would have taken you seriously enough. Did you exchange something of value with them for the email, i.e a lead magnet like a free report or discount or trial? (product trials might be useful if you intend to launch a new one)

I did put a direct benefit in the title of the email and my email I told them how they would benefit and I asked if they would have a few moments to have a chat.
Not all customers are created alike.

Do they KNOW what they are looking for already (and need the push)? Or do they not know at all?

Am I possibly targeting the wrong audience?
30 subs is too small to know, IMO, unless there are clear signs, i.e. they talked to you directly about it. 60-100 might tell me something.

Like am I targeting certain countries instead of targeting all the countries where people would use my product?
Did you send to only folks from country x? If you only sent to local people so far (statewise), then technically, yes, you targeted the country people only.

I'll take a few lines from Russell Brunson:

1. Look at which customers your competitors are selling to. You can do this by spying on their websites or subbing their email (hehe)

Might take a few weeks to get an idea of what's going on.

2. You might start out offering similar products at first, but start to test and add new stuff.

I am confused on the term "market segment". Is a market segment for example, if I am serving people in one particular area of the market?
Yeah. Similar characteristics they share.

However, the challenge is to find out which characteristic CORRELATES DIRECTLY to their decision to buy your stuff.

You might be surprised to find an old man buying new Nike shoes lol (violates norms of age segment).
 

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When did you send the emails? People can take a week or more to respond. Also what response rate were you looking for? They will typically be low unless you have built up a strong relationship with the subscriber by consistently providing high value actionable information (from the recipients point of view).

I get a huge number of emails in my inbox and the vast majority get ignored until I get time to cherry pick the ones I'm interested in, then I mass delete the rest every week or so. I might be an oddball however so don't take that as typical.

Maybe you need better email header and copy in order to generate a reaction? Maybe you are in a sector that gets lower than average response rates.

If you have just 30 confirmed subscribers then I would expect maybe 0-1 to respond (using a typical response rate of 2-3%) so you are actually in the ball park with zero responses if you look at it that way.
:(

This is the most up to date info I know of on subscriber benchmarks including specific markets.

https://www.getresponse.com

Talking of markets....

I am confused on the term "market segment". Is a market segment for example, if I am serving people in one particular area of the market? Like am I targeting certain countries instead of targeting all the countries where people would use my product? Thanks.

Market segment:

"Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market of potential customers into groups, or segments, based on different characteristics. The segments created are composed of consumers who will respond similarly to marketing strategies and who share traits such as similar interests, needs, or locations."
 

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When did you send the emails? People can take a week or more to respond. Also what response rate were you looking for? They will typically be low unless you have built up a strong relationship with subscriber by consistently providing high value actionable information (from the recipients point of view).

I get huge number of emails in my inbox and the vast majority get ignored until I get time cherry pick the ones I'm interested in then mass delete the rest every week or so. I might be an oddball however so don't take that as typical.

Maybe you need better email header and copy to order to generate a reaction? Maybe you are in a sector that gets lower than average response rates.

If you have just 30 confirmed subscribers then I would expect maybe 0-1 to respond (using a typical response rate of 2-3%) so you are actually in the ball park with zero responses if you look at it that way.
:(

This is the most up to day info I know of on subscriber benchmarks including specific markets.

https://www.getresponse.com

Talking of markets....



Market segment:

"Market segmentation is the process of dividing a market of potential customers into groups, or segments, based on different characteristics. The segments created are composed of consumers who will respond similarly to marketing strategies and who share traits such as similar interests, needs, or locations."
Thanks for that
 
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LiveEntrepreneur

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What is the open rate of your emails? Bounces? Do you have a link in your website that leads to some main sales page or buy button? From that link, can you measure the click rate?

I'm surprised you don't know. Do you have a control panel of sorts using some email infrastructure? Hopefully you aren't just using Gmail. Gmail is not exactly the best for business analytics.

How did you get their emails in the first place? From online content you put up? Or directly face-to-face?
If they gave it willingly to you, they would have taken you seriously enough. Did you exchange something of value with them for the email, i.e a lead magnet like a free report or discount or trial? (product trials might be useful if you intend to launch a new one)


Not all customers are created alike.

Do they KNOW what they are looking for already (and need the push)? Or do they not know at all?


30 subs is too small to know, IMO, unless there are clear signs, i.e. they talked to you directly about it. 60-100 might tell me something.


Did you send to only folks from country x? If you only sent to local people so far (statewise), then technically, yes, you targeted the country people only.

I'll take a few lines from Russell Brunson:

1. Look at which customers your competitors are selling to. You can do this by spying on their websites or subbing their email (hehe)

Might take a few weeks to get an idea of what's going on.

2. You might start out offering similar products at first, but start to test and add new stuff.


Yeah. Similar characteristics they share.

However, the challenge is to find out which characteristic CORRELATES DIRECTLY to their decision to buy your stuff.

You might be surprised to find an old man buying new Nike shoes lol (violates norms of age segment).
What do you mean I don't know? I know the bounce rate of my emails, I never said I didn't.

Yes I ran a small google ads campaign. And they went to the link of my site, and signed up through that. Actually recently I just got 3 responses.
 

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When did you send the emails? People can take a week or more to respond. Also what response rate were you looking for?
This^^^^

GOALS before emails.

Now its going to be Christmas in a few days. Might expect less folks to respond as quickly unless they are participating in the Christmas products drive.

Is your product a B2C for consumers, OP?
 

ZF Lee

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What do you mean I don't know? I know the bounce rate of my emails, I never said I didn't.

Yes I ran a small google ads campaign. And they went to the link of my site, and signed up through that. Actually recently I just got 3 responses.
Alright, I thought you didn't know because you didn't mention.

So it might boil down to the headlines then, if you are using AdWords...

Can I take a look? PM, if you'd like.

Have you spotted any similar headlines (competitors) so far? How did they do?
 
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LiveEntrepreneur

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This^^^^

GOALS before emails.

Now its going to be Christmas in a few days. Might expect less folks to respond as quickly unless they are participating in the Christmas products drive.

Is your product a B2C for consumers, OP?
I heard you should send emails in the morning because that's when they most likely check their inbox, but I sent it at around maybe 7pm here?
 

LiveEntrepreneur

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Alright, I thought you didn't know because you didn't mention.

So it might boil down to the headlines then, if you are using AdWords...

Can I take a look? PM, if you'd like.

Have you spotted any similar headlines (competitors) so far? How did they do?
That I haven't done. I get a good click through rate on the ads it's about 8% for some keywords. The ads them self aren't a problem, it's just responses to emails.

Yeah my business is B2C
 

ZF Lee

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I heard you should send emails in the morning because that's when they most likely check their inbox, but I sent it at around maybe 7pm here?
Test it. Look to do an A/B test between morning and evening. Think its a better characteristic to test than country alone haha.

I am actually an exception. I read my general emails around 12-2 pm, around lunchtime, and 7pm for educational emails. Around morning, I'm too busy at sports or working. Your folks might be different though.

When you send your first welcome email, you could specify at which time/time zone you will send it. Set expectations that they can trust in you, when beginning the relationship.

Another thing I am wondering is whether the folks will respond better at 8AM or 10AM. That's for later...
 
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Test it. Look to do an A/B test between morning and evening. Think its a better characteristic to test than country alone haha.

I am actually an exception. I read my general emails around 12-2 pm, around lunchtime, and 7pm for educational emails. Around morning, I'm too busy at sports or working. Your folks might be different though.

When you send your first welcome email, you could specify at which time/time zone you will send it. Set expectations that they can trust in you, when beginning the relationship.

Another thing I am wondering is whether the folks will respond better at 8AM or 10AM. That's for later...
A/B test on the email? So you're saying send the message I normally sent about asking the customer if I could talk to them? But just send them in the morning according to their countries time? When you said A/B test is that something I do through google ads or just simply send an email at night and morning?
 

ZF Lee

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A/B test on the email? So you're saying send the message I normally sent about asking the customer if I could talk to them? But just send them in the morning according to their countries time? When you said A/B test is that something I do through google ads or just simply send an email at night and morning?
Email.

Google ads? I'm not into that for now, but I think you can time your ads to show at certain times to test the waters.

Don't think I would test the timing of both Ads and Email together. Both are different mediums altogether. One at a time. Look at the ads first if that is how you are pulling in their emails that way.

Look into the headlines for now like @RazorCut suggested. Might be due to the present Christmas seasonal trend and awareness of customer (do they know they need help, or are they already looking for it).

Since you are using Google Ads, they are more likely to pop up when folks are already looking for your product. What kind of benefit did you put? Can you try another? Or reword it?

If you are local, then make it more clear to them. I get more Google Ads myself for searches that have local businesses catering for it.

A stop-by at Andy Black's threads might be needed now. You got this. :)
 

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Email.

Google ads? I'm not into that for now, but I think you can time your ads to show at certain times to test the waters.

Don't think I would test the timing of both Ads and Email together. Both are different mediums altogether. One at a time. Look at the ads first if that is how you are pulling in their emails that way.

Look into the headlines for now like @RazorCut suggested. Might be due to the present Christmas seasonal trend and awareness of customer (do they know they need help, or are they already looking for it).

Since you are using Google Ads, they are more likely to pop up when folks are already looking for your product. What kind of benefit did you put? Can you try another? Or reword it?

If you are local, then make it more clear to them. I get more Google Ads myself for searches that have local businesses catering for it.

A stop-by at Andy Black's threads might be needed now. You got this. :)
The benefit I put was saving lots of money. I also got a potential customer who is willing to talk, going to be asking him/her relating to my hypothesis.
 
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Email.

Google ads? I'm not into that for now, but I think you can time your ads to show at certain times to test the waters.

Don't think I would test the timing of both Ads and Email together. Both are different mediums altogether. One at a time. Look at the ads first if that is how you are pulling in their emails that way.

Look into the headlines for now like @RazorCut suggested. Might be due to the present Christmas seasonal trend and awareness of customer (do they know they need help, or are they already looking for it).

Since you are using Google Ads, they are more likely to pop up when folks are already looking for your product. What kind of benefit did you put? Can you try another? Or reword it?

If you are local, then make it more clear to them. I get more Google Ads myself for searches that have local businesses catering for it.

A stop-by at Andy Black's threads might be needed now. You got this. :)
Question Lee, while I am interviewer customers to confirm my assumptions. Should I be getting their age, location, education. Stuff like that?
 

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When you say “customers”, do you mean they’ve bought from you already?
 

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You only have 150 people on the list. Let's say 20% open the email. That's 30 people.

Then they see that it's a survey of some type. How many people typically fill out a survey maybe 10%. So you should expect 3 responses from your list.

Now it sounds like you are asking them to chat, does that mean call you? I'd imagine that rate is even way more lower than 10% of opens.

So you are saying that the customers have opened the emails but are not replying? What is your open rate?
 
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You only have 150 people on the list. Let's say 20% open the email. That's 30 people.

Then they see that it's a survey of some type. How many people typically fill out a survey maybe 10%. So you should expect 3 responses from your list.

Now it sounds like you are asking them to chat, does that mean call you? I'd imagine that rate is even way more lower than 10% of opens.

So you are saying that the customers have opened the emails but are not replying? What is your open rate?
Well only 3 people have opened them. They responded at first but when I asked for a Skype interview they didn't respond but they did read that email. I had a interview with one person but it was a waste of time. There was a misunderstanding.
 

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Well only 3 people have opened them. They responded at first but when I asked for a Skype interview they didn't respond but they did read that email. I had a interview with one person but it was a waste of time. There was a misunderstanding.

You had 3 opens out of 150?
 
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Most people are using Gmail for their emails nowadays,
and Gmail sorts the emails into boxes like Inbox, Social and Promotions.

All newsletters go into the Promotions box where they almost never get seen, much less open.
Maybe this explains why?

I wonder if there's any fastlaner here who are still using email newsletters and getting high open rates / sales from this marketing method. Or is email marketing overhyped (and dead) nowadays?
 

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Most people are using Gmail for their emails nowadays,
and Gmail sorts the emails into boxes like Inbox, Social and Promotions.

All newsletters go into the Promotions box where they almost never get seen, much less open.
Maybe this explains why?

I wonder if there's any fastlaner here who are still using email newsletters and getting high open rates / sales from this marketing method. Or is email marketing overhyped (and dead) nowadays?
I doubt it’s dead, just inplemented badly most of the time. Check out that podcast I linked to earlier.
 

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I see. My mistake bad wording. I should of said potential customers.
My salesman keeps saying he’s been speaking to some new clients this week.

I’m having to hammer it into him that they’re NOT a client till they’ve been invoiced - and until they’ve paid.

Even now, three months later he keeps slipping up and calling people he’s speaking to clients instead of prospects.


Their not “users” either. What are they using of yours?

“Signups” is a bit better, because they signed up to your email list (I presume). It’s not great though.

You’d be better thinking of them as people. “I have 150 people on my email list.” See how that automatically makes you think of them better?

Imagine 150 people at a train station. See how that makes you realise they’re probably all very different from each other? The fact that you ask what a “segment” is shows that you’ve likely got a random mix of 120 people.




Even better would be to give a label that better describes the people on your list and what they want. e.g. plumbers looking for van insurance, parents of autistic children, cyclists looking for a winter training schedule.


So...

1) Who are you helping?

2) What are you helping them with?


I suspect your targeting is poor and that’s a major factor in why your open rate is so low. (There’s other major factors in open rate such as deliverability and poor subject line.)


Have you listened to the “300 surveys” call in my signature?
 
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ZF Lee

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Most people are using Gmail for their emails nowadays,
and Gmail sorts the emails into boxes like Inbox, Social and Promotions.

All newsletters go into the Promotions box where they almost never get seen, much less open.
Maybe this explains why?

I wonder if there's any fastlaner here who are still using email newsletters and getting high open rates / sales from this marketing method. Or is email marketing overhyped (and dead) nowadays?
Check out the book Email Marketing Demystified by Matthew Paulson. Studying it up now for my VA tasks.

You maybe surprised that it is the 'dirtier' channel besides social media.

When I looked back at which emails I subbed to, as well as opened links (to read exclusive articles, buy, download, book), I noticed something.

You are hardly going to get broke teenagers and mediocre middle-class folks to click on that link, let alone sub or open.

You are catering towards a group that is very invested in your field, who are willing to read your content. Even if they might not read your content on Day 16, they might like Day 18's email enough to open it.

Now on the email going to the promo box....

These days when I sub to a new email newsletter, they will inform me on the website that 'OK, we'll be sending you a welcome email in a few seconds. Please check the spam and promo boxes just in case.'

Usually they won't, as the email launch systems will usually have vetted the emails for any spam-risk shit.

That first email will come with a 'Please click this link to verify your email.' And from then on, the email should have no problem coming to you thru the correct box.

The folks who are really interested will go thru the steps.

Of course though, expect emails responses to drop with addresses getting defunct on a regular basis. So new email addresses need to be acquired, possibly upgrading the lead magnet at the same time.
 

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You’d be better thinking of them as people. Even better would be to give a label that better describes them and what they want. e.g. plumbers looking for van insurance, parents of autistic children.
I recently subbed to Brennan's set of emails for freelancing.

What he does to segment the folks, to send them more personalised emails, is to ask them what stage of freelancing they were in via a survey.

E.g
What are you looking for as a freelancer?
- To get my first gig?
- To double my rates?
- To raise my proposal success rates?

A click of either one would send me to a series of emails that taught me how to reach that particular goal directly.
 

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Question Lee, while I am interviewer customers to confirm my assumptions. Should I be getting their age, location, education. Stuff like that?
Don’t interview them? Try and help them?
 
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Don’t interview them? Try and help them?
I will be in the future. But in order to help them I have to interview them. I need to know what they want. Otherwise I'll just make the same mistakes that most other people make.
 

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