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IN THIS ISSUE 🌱
Good Morning {{first_name}}!
It’s Fri(yay) - and that means it’s time for your Retention Play - where we talk about how to retain the business you’ve worked so hard to get.
This week, we’ve been covering the lifecycle stage and how only 37% of email campaigns leverage this field. We’re going to change that this week!
Let’s dive in.
MIRROR YOUR EMAIL STRATEGY TO DATING ✨
THE SITUATION
They either know very little - or quite a bit
Imagine you’re on a date. A blind date is like someone who just signed up on your form. They may only know what they have been told.
Compare that to someone who has followed you online for two years, has read every email - heck, may be in a mutual friend group. You may quickly realize that they don’t need your life story.
Two MQLs may be labelled as MQLs in your CRM but may be two completely different candidates for progression.
EMAIL STRATEGY NEEDS SEGMENTATION 🌊
THE GAP
Mass list blasts will lose impact
When putting together your email strategy, don’t just focus on subject lines and offers. Think in deep segmentation.
Without segmentation, your email strategy may collapse. Lifecycle stages are just one level of segmentation.
MQLs who are brand new should not get the same messaging as an MQL who has opened and engaged with marketing emails for over a year. Use behavioural segmentation for opens and clicks to get more narrow in your segmentation.
Meet them where they are at - not ignore segmentation to make your work easier. If you don’t show them effort during marketing and sales, how will they feel about buying?
DEVELOP BUCKETS FOR LIFECYCLE⚡
THE FIX
MQL could have multiple, for example
Lifecycle stages are linear but not very descriptive. It’s a bucket. Singular bucket per label.
The fix is to create sub-buckets. These buckets must match your marketing and sales process, and they must be identified by your team internally.
For example, MQL can have three buckets:
Any net new MQL/lead that has come in from the form and is no longer than a month
Any MQL older than one month but less than 6 months (could be longer depending on your buying cycle)
Any MQL that’s older than 6 months
These three types of MQLs need different messaging.
RETENTION STRATEGY PLAY ⚡
ONE RETENTION EMAIL IDEA
Retaining leads is also a strategy
You already paid to acquire these leads in either funds for paid acquisition, organic search or pure time.
Capitalizing on leads that have not yet converted is also a retention strategy. You are retaining leads you’ve already acquired.
Let’s continue on our example above:
Any net new MQL/lead that has come in from the form and is no longer than a month: purely educational, value proposition.
Any MQL older than one month but less than 6 months (could be longer depending on your buying cycle): case studies of companies who have bought, results-driven, invitation for an audit/exploration/chat.
Any MQL that’s older than 6 months: these people may still be in the education phase, but may also not understand the cost of not implementing. Outline the costs of not moving ahead.
FINAL THOUGHTS 💡
CLOSING THE LOOP
TL;DR
The best email strategies understand where leads and prospects are at in their buying cycle, and sadly, lifecycle stages only give you some insights into that.
The cost of ignoring a good email strategy? The best customers get treated like strangers, and leads no longer feel you understand their needs.
Have questions? Email me at [email protected] and let’s talk!
How was this issue!?
P.S.
Do you have a bucket lifecycle strategy for email? Hit reply and tell me, and if the answer is no, I'll share a few tips.
Until next time!
Ships three times a week.