There’s sometimes a strange irony in the crossover between professional coaching and professional marketing. Coaching is a career built on your ability to communicate, sharing your ideas and insights to provide value for your clients – so why do so many coaches become mute when it comes to their email marketing?
It’s obviously not a lack of having something to say!
The truth is, without a well-developed strategy in place, it’s just too easy to slip and lose sight of the marketing. You begin with good intentions, a bright and shiny website and a promise of regular content… and then stuff happens – you get busy. Maybe that’s because you’re pulling in so much work that you can’t even begin to look at your email marketing. Plenty of work is great, but even when that is the case, you need to keep your eye on the ball.
Let me help you raise awareness of the three biggest mistakes coaches make with their email newsletter – and together, we’ll fix them.
1. Not Emailing Consistently
Regular readers of my blog will know that I talk about consistency a lot – and there are two reasons for that:
- Because consistency really is one of the most important things when it comes to email marketing, building and retaining a loyal client base.
- Because I’m consistent!
I really cannot emphasise this point enough – the months of silence that follow a splurge of great content wipes out its value.
Consider how it affects your subscribers. They join your email list somewhat tentatively, probably just agreeing for the hell of it, or by default, because why not? Then, over the next few weeks, they realise you really have something to give, something unique that makes them believe you are definitely the right person for them. And, just before the insight that would have sent them running to sign up, you disappear. When you come back, ten weeks later, all that momentum is lost. No interest, and definitely no sign-up.
Plus, that’s only one part of it. What about the unconscious bias that develops when your emails arrive sporadically, thinking to themselves, ‘this person can’t even organise themselves to send emails in a regular fashion, how are they going to improve my life?’
Email consistency shows that you are:
- Professional
- Organised
- Respectful
- Trustworthy
- Reliable
It takes you from being a scrappy YouTuber with a few videos made in your spare time, to a professional brand with effective marketing and a highly professional approach.
And all it takes is a little proactive scheduling:
- Determine a routine that you can truly meet.
- Build up a bank of content to ensure regular newsletters, even if you’re swamped in other areas.
- Use software to help you keep on track.
2. Being Too Generic
Nothing kills your long-term engagement more than not standing out from the crowd. There’s another word people use for generic content: boring.
Who wants to read boring newsletters, watch boring videos, or listen to boring webinars? Absolutely no one.
You are unique. You have a voice that is you. Don’t hide it behind a shield of fear to the extent that it becomes generic.
One of the greatest problems content creators make is that they try to make something that’ll please everyone, avoiding saying something too far in one direction in case they alienate those on the other side. Well, trying to be in the middle like that will result in generic content.
The best marketers know that it’s better to excite and really connect to a few people at the risk of discouraging others, rather than to try to gain approval from everyone. The people who get what you’re doing are your audience – target them. Those others are simply not – what you do is not for them, and that’s fine.
Don’t be boring – be genuine and unique, even if that means a few unsubscribes. This means:
- Sharing your stories - both successes and mistakes.
- Writing so your personality shines through.
- Taking a stance - say what you actually think and don’t pump out generic advice.
3. Not Branding Your Newsletter Consistently
Your newsletter is a way to remind your subscribers of your existence and to develop their subconscious connections. You want to be top of mind – so they think of you whenever they face a challenge your expertise is perfectly placed to solve. You want to be recognised.
This means your newsletter should represent your brand in every way – another aspect of consistency.
- Make sure your logo is front-and-centre (it doesn’t have to actually be centred on the page, though!).
- Maintain a consistent look with colour, font, and layout.
- Have your company name clear and unambiguous.
- Send from a company email address to improve branding and trust.
- Write your content in a consistent way that follows your brand guidelines, so it always sounds like you.
- Link back to your website and existing content.
Creating Top-Quality Coaching Email Newsletters with Nathan Littleton
As a coach, you definitely have something to say – but you might need a little help structuring and working on it to turn your ideas into a top-quality email newsletter. Thankfully, you have another ace up your sleeve – me! I’m Nathan Littleton, and I am passionate about email marketing. Working together, we can develop ongoing email campaigns that will keep your existing subscribers engaged and enthused, and bring a whole load more on board.
For a free consultation and to get to know each other, head over here and fill in the form – it’s a few seconds of your day that will take your marketing to the next level. I look forward to speaking with you.
