Don't let email fall by the wayside when you're creating your marketing plan. Email might be overshadowed by more exciting forms of inbound marketing, but if you put some effort into it, email can be a lead-building powerhouse and one of your most valuable inbound marketing tools. 

 

Here are a few reasons you should be using email to find and nurture new business:

 

Cost counts, and email fits into any budget. And investing in email marketing tends to pay off well, especially because the majority of consumers are so familiar with it. You can use dedicated email marketing tools for a fee, which can also offer analytics, scheduling and list building.

 

FOR YOU: Find out how your business can implement Inbound Marketing

 

When you're using email to attract leads, you shouldn't forget the main principles of quality inbound marketing. The goal is to create useful content that people want to opt into, and that is how you should build your email lists. Give visitors an option to receive emails from you, and you already know they're at least a little interested in your services or products. One way to entice visitors to opt in is to offer free products, like e-books and infographics, in exchange for their emails.

Once you've got an email list started, it's time to build those relationships. 

 

First, it's a good idea to break your list up into profiles. If some people signed up for your e-book and others signed up for your infographic, you have an idea of what they're each looking for. This will help you group your leads to provide them with better, more specific content. 

 

You can also draft and schedule emails ahead of time, allowing you to craft a message that is effective for each email list. Sending email keeps you relevant in your leads' minds (and their inboxes,) so keep the high-quality messages coming.

There is a right and wrong way to compose your emails, especially when you're sending them to your leads. Keep these in mind:

 

- Subject Line - Keep this short and to the point, and make sure it includes an action, like "Download our free video guide."

- Length - If an email is too long, you run the risk of losing your reader before your message even begins. Make it concise.

- Call to action - If you want your leads to become customers, you need to help educate them on what you have to offer. Give them a next step to keep them engaged. 

- Social sharing - Make it easy for your readers to share your message or follow you on social media. Include social media-integrated buttons in your email.

 

If you put together emails that will interest your leads and guide them to the next step, you will help nurture those relationships and hopefully gain some new customers.