A presentation about the basics of email marketing for service providers like lawyers, accountants, marketing professionals and more. While focused on service providers, the email marketing guidance is applicable for anyone to create a e-newsletter for their business.

1. Email Marketing for
Service Providers
The Basics That Anyone Can Use
Liam Dempsey
@liamdempsey

2. Liam Dempsey
Director + Designer at LBDesign
Online marketing + design consultant
@liamdempsey
slideshare.net/liamdempsey
Quirky: chickenmonkeydog.com
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

3. NEW CLIENT PROJECT!
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

4. %$@+! It’s a newsletter?
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

5. NEWSLETTERS
Fun for about three months
Then, it’s only pain, pain and more pain
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

6. There MUST Be A Way!
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

7. I really wanted a newsletter that …
• Readers would find interesting and
engaging
• Would deliver value to readers
• Would deliver value to me and
my business
• Would be manageable from a
small business perspective
• Would be fun to produce!
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

8. KEY DECISIONS
To enable my newsletter to
work for my readers …
… and for me and my business
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

9. A Newsletter with Value for All
• Focus on the community: people,
businesses + organizations
• Keep the newsletter short
• Only choose people for the distribution list
who would be interested in the newsletter
• Ship the newsletter on a predictable
schedule
• Choose the right email tool
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

10. So, that was the plan.
Did it work?
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

11. SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

12. Let’s get into
The Wins
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

13. Counting the wins
Open rates: 35.3% - 51.3%
Compared to an industry-average open rate of
20.3%, according to Mailchimp.
NOTE: List average is 42.7%. November was
notably low (35.3%) as it shipped on Black Friday.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

14. Counting the wins
Click rates: 3.5% - 11.5%
Compared to an industry-average click rate of
2.9%, according to Mailchimp.
NOTE: List average is 6.7%. November was a bit
higher at 9.6%.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

15. Counting the wins
Growing brand awareness
Receive 1-3 complimentary replies to each and
every newsletter. Replies via email, Twitter and in-person
conversations.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

16. Counting the wins
Client-to-client contact
The chief executive of one of our non-profit
clients asked to be introduced to the same of the
non-profit organization featured in the newsletter.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

17. Counting the wins
A charitable donation
One of our clients – the managing partner of a
law firm – asked for donation information about a
client charity featured in an issue.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

18. Counting the wins
Discovered a new partner
One of our readers has become a valued business
partner, providing services that complements our
own offerings. We’ve already worked together on
a number of projects.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

19. Counting the wins
Picked up a new client
We were invited to deliver creative services to
the client of a contact. We’ve since converted that
contact’s client into one of our own – with the
support of our contact.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

20. Counting the wins
Strengthened partnership
After we featured a partner in our newsletter, we
were invited to be featured on that partner’s
website.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

21. Counting the wins
Recruitment tool
We received an application for a recent job
opening that came from someone who was
forwarded our newsletter.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

22. Counting the wins
Growing distribution list
Our list has grown by 27% in just 10 months.
We’re up to 138 people. We add 1-3 per month,
mostly by inviting clients, partners, vendors and
friends to subscribe – if it would be of interest and
value to them. We have a few unsolicited sign-ups.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

23. Counting the wins
Only 3 unsubscribes ever
One of which was because someone on the list
left the client company.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

24. SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

25. Counting the wins
More than $6,100 in work
We can draw a straight line from our newsletter
to more than 45 hours of paid work, charged at
our top hourly rate.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

26. Counting the wins
Pitching for a big project
We’ve been asked to pitch for a $20,000 web
project for a non-profit with an internationally
recognized brand.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

27. Counting the wins
Flipping bigger projects
We were asked by a client to consult on an on-going
basis – 1 to 3 hours per month. Since
featuring that client in our newsletter, we were
handed a much bigger project by that client.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

28. Ok, I see the value.
How much work
does it take?
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

29. WHAT’CHA SPENDING?
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

30. Let’s talk about
The Costs
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

31. Counting the costs
2 to 4 hours per month
From soup to nuts, it takes us two to four hours
per month to produce and ship the newsletter.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

32. Counting the costs
Mailchimp is free
For a distribution list of under 2,000 with a limit
of 12,000 emails per month.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use @liamdempsey

33. It’s all very interesting.
What are the key
takeaways?
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

34. Key Takeaways: 1
Focus on the community
No one wants to read about us every month.
They want something new and relevant.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

35. Key Takeaways: 2
Make every word count
People already have a lot of reading material. A
quick, detailed email where key messages are few
and tight can help encourage readership.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

36. Key Takeaways: 3
People; not numbers
As service providers, our businesses thrive on
relationships. Use the newsletter to build
relationships, not distribution lists.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

37. Key Takeaways: 4
Predictability in shipping
Send the newsletter on a regular schedule. Keep
to that schedule. Let readers come to depend on
its arrival.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

38. Key Takeaways: 5
The right email service
At LBDesign, we use MailChimp. There are
others. Find the one that works best for you.
Email Marketing for Service Providers: The Basics that Anyone Can Use
@liamdempsey

39. Thanks!
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@liamdempsey
@lbdesign
http://lbdesign.tv