How often should you communicate with your list in order to maximize your open rate and connect with your people in a meaningful way?

There is a lot of talk out there from online marketing gurus about why it’s vital to be in communication with your list nearly every day. They also say that “no one reads email anymore,” and advise people to run Facebook ads targeted to their list because their list isn’t opening the emails they send! (If your audience is so disengaged that you have to pay extra to get their attention via Facebook ads, it’s time to accept that they’re just not that into you and scrub them off the list.)

And trust me, email is not dead. What do you do first thing when you fire up your computer? You catch up on email!

Even though most of my clients have small lists, their lists are very engaged. My clients’ open rates are often in the 35-60% range because they are sending engaging, interesting content 2-4 times a month that their lists want to read. They send emails based on what makes their resonance meter sing.

Tune into your own resonance meter by asking yourself: What kind of material do I want to send to my list? How often do I want to send it? What resonates with me? What am I excited to write?

And, taking it a step further, think about when you are on the receiving end of email marketing, and ask yourself:

• What do I like to receive?
• Which emails do I always open? Which do I ignore and delete?
• What do my followers actually care about?
• How can I demonstrate my value by being generous before they even hire me?

My clients have such an impressive open rate because they share generously and passionately. They make a difference through what they share, knowing it will draw in their ideal clients organically. They promote infrequently, and when they do, it works because they’ve earned the right to promote after sharing so much good content that the people on their list actually want to absorb.

Their audience trusts that every email they send will be valuable, thoughtful and heartfelt.

I hereby give you permission to conduct your email marketing the way you want to do it. Start with the questions I outlined above and remember that if you’re not excited about it, it’s likely no one else will be either. Check your resonance meter.

One final note: remember that your email marketing doesn’t have to always (or ever) be lengthy, in-depth articles. Your emails can be as simple as sending out an inspirational quote or a short weekly video with tips.

What would you want to receive? What is interesting to you? What resonates? Send content from that place and you’ll see your open rates begin to improve and your subscriber list grow.

With appreciation,

Tara Butler Floch