Am I bothering you?

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A few years ago, I signed up for daily emails from DailyWorth. These emails offer financial advice to women, and often cover money topics for female entrepreneurs. Right up my ally! The advice is consistently interesting and trustworthy. And it comes to my inbox every day!

The creators of DailyWorth specifically set out to create a program that delivered something worthwhile every single day. They didn't worry about bothering people, because only those who were really interested in their message would sign up, and when they got tired of it, or no longer found it valuable, they would unsubscribe. I've been on the list for years and while I don't read every email, I haven't unsubscribed and I never find them bothersome.

Other groups, on the other hand, have emailed me a few times a week and I've found them supremely annoying and I unsubscribed. There were two problems: it was just too much, and I didn't expect to hear from them so often.

When I work with clients in a Personal Consultation, I often hear them say, "I don't want to send my email too often because I don't want to bother people."

Have you said this yourself?

Our goal as health coaches -- as entrepreneurs -- is to bring value and joy to people's lives. As long as your emails are delivering good tips, recipes, beauty, and love, you are doing exactly what they need you to do. In fact, they signed up for your email list (I hope!), so they actually want to hear from you!

Other common questions...

How often should I send an email?

You'll want to email your list at least once a month, but honestly, as long as you are providing value, you can email people as much as once a week. You're not pitching sales all the time. You're giving them good stuff to enrich their lives.

The key is to be consistent! They will look to you as a reputable, stable source of information and goodness, and they'll just keep coming back for more of what you have to offer. If your email newsletter is random, you could be perceived as scattered and inconsistent, and not really into it.

At the end of Debra K's Personal Consultation with me, she hit the nail on the head,

[pullquote align=center]It's nice for my existing clients to be getting my newsletter. They feel more confident in me as a coach - it makes me look more credible. And now that we've added my logo and a brief bio, it looks more professional.[/pullquote]

Invest in your list by sending emails on a consistent basis. You choose the schedule, and then stick to it.

It might be nice to tell potential subscribers how often they can expect to hear from you. You could set up a Free Updates page, or tell them on the signup confirmation page or the final welcome email. Say something like, "I'll be sending you weekly tips and fresh recipes..." so they know they'll hear from you every week or so.

How often should I pitch something I'm selling?

Think of your sales offers as invitations to join your fabulous program. Honestly, we are in this field to help people, so our offers are meant to improve their well-being. As long as you're not offering anything sleezy or misleading (you're offering real, genuine content from your heart), go with your gut. Think about what feels right to you. For me, I like to provide at least three quality newsletters before I invite people to a program or offering.

Your emails set you up as an expert on a topic, so be sure you're providing value and THEN invite them to take the next step by joining a program.

Isn't email dead?

No! Social media is fantastic for making connections but it does not replace email. The rules for social media change all the time and you're not in control of those contacts. (You've seen what Facebook does!) The only real way you have to connect with your followers is through your email list. So, love them up! Give them lots of good stuff and don't worry about bothering them.

If people unsubscribe, just know that they are making space for people who really want to be on your list. When they're ready, they'll find you again.

Take action now! Take a look at your own email inbox and think about whether or not you're bothered by the emails you receive. Then, sign up for Mailchimp or Madmimi (or both) and explore the idea of sending a monthly newsletter with confidence! 

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Next up in my newsletter/blog series... Give your newsletters a "TAN"!

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