Okay, this one is a very sensitive topic because many people who start online believe this will be their core marketing strategy!

Forget it!!!

Here is the truth:

• Your visitors are already saturated with loads of email they don't have time to read. 95% of what they get is junk! Now, they really think carefully before giving their email to anyone.
• If you just have a page without forced opt in (forced opt in = you don't give any info before they give you their email), the conversion rates are 1-20%. To get 20% conversion rate you must either be super good with your landing page copy or have a product everyone needs!
• Forced opt in? Is this an option? Well, it is an option if you have a great follow up system that will give your visitors real value. If you don't, you'll simply upset them and look like everyone else who is trying to bombard them with marketing messages they don't need!
• Real delivery rates! You heard about email bouncing right? It happens when your email simply does not get to your subscriber's email. After 3 to 5 bounce backs (depending on your auto response provider), your email's prospect is simply taken off your list. Result around 50% of your list will bounce back within a year. If you have a list of 5000 subscribers you have now 2'500 subscribers left.
• Opening rates. From those emails who make it to your prospect's inbox or junk mail folder, the opening rates are 5%-20% depending on the topic you cover, the trust they have in you and the need they have to what you offer. A first email might be opened at 50%-80% rate, while the 5th email of a series could get only a 5%-20% opening rate. This means that out of 100 persons only 5 to 20 people will open that last email.
• Junk mail folder! This is a huge challenge: hotmail, yahoo, gmail all tend to deliver this type of mailing to your prospects junk mail folder. It is rare for someone to ad you to a white list or friends list. Your prospects simply don't take the time to do it.
• Conversion into visitors to your site: 5%-20% of those who opened your email might click on a link and visit your site.

Okay, a little recap here :)

If you have 100'000 visitors to your site, here is what you can expect:

5'000 email addresses

2'500 emails delivered (not bounced)

250 emails opened

50 visitors to your site!

That's the final number you can keep in mind!!!

Is this exaggerated? I fully doubt it. I know that dozens of people are getting that type of results!

No one talks about it? Why?

Because those who market auto responder or promotion tools would lose all credibility if these facts were known! They simply don't want these facts to get out!

It simply does not look good!

Imagine: you end up turning 100'000 original visitors into 50 returning visitors and you still have not sold a thing!

Sure, in the process, emails will be read and some extra publicity and exposure will result from these specific marketing efforts. But the results are often insignificant!

Another underestimated fact: 100'000 visitors with let's say google adwords at $ 0.10/click makes: $ 10'000!

A new email subscriber can easily cost $1 each!

If you try to buy subscribers, you'll often end up paying even more than that.

So, conclusion, your subscriber's list of 5'000 will easily cost you $5'000 to $10'000.

This is what happens when you are just average marketers which is what 80% of those who are online are.

Now the conclusions:

If you want to get higher numbers you will need:

• An incredible product!
• A powerful sales page!
• A flow of targeted visitors!

Now, does getting a visitor's email address have any real value?

Let's look at the same scenario but instead of getting an email address you head up directly for a sale.

With the same type of marketing efforts as those invested in your email marketing campaign you can get a 1% conversion rate on your targeted visitors.

1% out of 100'000 visitors?

That's 1000 sales, right?

Got it?

Conclusion?

Aim for a sale rather than an email address!

All this would not be true if the numbers where not what I describe. But believe me, they are usually pretty close to what I told you.

People try getting website visitor's emails believing that conversion rates will be 50% and email opening rate 50%. If this was the case, 100'000 visitors would turn into 25'000 emails opened.

Yes! An email list can start being profitable if you have 25'000 targeted prospects minimum.

Yes! These numbers will be different if you are a high profile figure already well known (it would work for Dr. Phil).

Yes! They could be different if your product is incredible and at least a target audience really needs it.

If you are not sure, invest $100-$1000 and test these facts. You will be surprised of what you find.

To be successful with email marketing your need to:

• Get prospects to opt in
• Get your email delivered in the inbox
• Get prospects to open that email
• Get them to click on the link and visit the page
• Get them to buy your product

Many steps and you lose prospects with every single step! It is simply not worth it!

Even if you are a master at it, it is probably easier to be a master at directly selling to your visitors.

Remember:

Aim for a sale not an email address!

vitalcoach

Labels: all posts, articles, email marketing