Consider using drip content and automatic responses (autoresponders) to help manage the ongoing communication for your business. Email lists are a must to help build a following of clients that want to know more about your products and services, but autoresponders and drip content are the key to keeping your followers engaged in your business.
What is Drip Content?
Drip content is a marketing philosophy. It works much like a constant drip from a faucet. It’s consistent and timely. The idea is that by constantly giving your clients and prospects helpful information you will be top of mind when they have a need and think of your solution.
What is an Autoresponder?
An autoresponder is what it implies, it is an automated response to an action. For instance, if I sign up for email updates on your website, I might receive an automatic email back to me with a “thank you for signing up note” and maybe a link to confirm my action. This automatic email is an autoresponder set up in a program or service. It automates the process of thanking my clients and confirming their wishes to receive my email updates in the future. Autoresponders can be used to respond to most any type of action a user might initiate on your website.
Drip Content is the idea behind using a tool like an Autoresponder.
One of the first rules of marketing is that it takes more than one contact with a potential client to make a sale. The more costly the good or service, the more often a potential customer will need interaction from you. It can take three to four times, before people begin to recognize your product or service as a valid resource.
Drip marketing can be as simple as sending a thank you postcard or making a reminder phone call. Autoresponders by email or text have streamlined this process and made it affordable for most anyone.
Writing a series about your product or service and programming it to be sent to your prospects over a certain period of days or weeks is a great way to leverage your time. Whenever you have a new idea, just add it to the end of your automatic drip content list and you will slowly build a long line of communication to your clients. New subscribers may not know (or care) when the content was written, as long as it is valid. Just think of the time you will save by not writing individual content and the relationships you will build by constantly contacting your followers!
Automatic drip content allows you time to think about what you want to communicate and when. It is consistent content delivered to the first subscriber and the 1000th subscriber. Plus, it gives you time to work on other things that are important to your business.
An added benefit of autoresponders is that they work even when you don’t! They never take a vacation or need a day off! If you set your emails to go out every week for 5 weeks, then that’s when they go out.
Autoresponders may seem impersonal at first, but a well-designed layout and valuable content will help your contact believe you care about them and their specific needs. Email is the best content provider. Although, texting is a quick easy way for your clients and potential clients to receive small amounts of information, too.
Below are a few ideas of popular email marketing companies. Each one offers offers email newsletters, sign up forms, manage subscribers, autoresponder follow ups, HTML email templates, integration with many popular eCommerce tools and social media like Facebook or Instagram.
Aweber – free for up to 500 subscribers
MailChimp – free for up to 1500 subscribers
SendInBlue – free for up to 2000 subscribers
Constant Contact – fee based – 30 day trial
Be sure to include more physical touches in your drip marketing plan. Phone calls, post cards, and special events are all effective ways to keep in touch in a more personal manner.
Drip marketing and autoresponders can help immensely in keeping people engaged in your business. It takes time to think it through and make a plan, but well worth the investment!