How Email Automation in ConvertKit Can Nurture Relationships and Grow Your Business -

Email automation is one of the easiest methods you can use to nurture relationships that bring about business growth. But getting this set-up can be overwhelming because there are a number of platforms to choose from, not to mention writing the content may not be your strong suit.

Some common questions you may have are: What is an email sequence? How many emails should it include? What should I include in the emails? How can I set up automation in ConvertKit to save time?

Well you’re going to get the answer to these questions and more in my chat with Bev Feldman!

Shannon Baker

Well thank you for joining us for this week’s podcast episode, I’m excited because we’re going to be talking about one of my favorite subjects, of course, automation. But specifically with your email marketing. Everyone who’s listened to the show for a while knows I am big on customer care and the nurturing process. And you have to have an email automation set up in order for that to happen. So I want to introduce you to today’s guest who this is her wheelhouse, her specialty. Her name is Beth Feldman. And she is, let me tell you, I love the name of your company because it fits your personal tech fairy. So when I saw the name of your business, let me tell you, I was like, oh, I have got to know exactly whatshe does. And come to find out we both absolutely love ConvertKit. So Beth, tell us a little bit about your background, you know how you got into specializing in email marketing automation? Because this I know is not where you started?

Bev Feldman

No, not at all. And it’s If you had told me I think even a couple years ago that I would be starting a business doing this, I would have been like, I don’t think so. So I have my background as a business owner is very different. I had a jewelry business for many years. So I was a jewelry designer and metalsmith and sold my handmade creations in person at shows and online. But I always knew like right from the beginning, I didn’t know very much about running a business. I knew nothing about marketing. But I did learn pretty quickly the importance of having an email list.

So even though I didn’t have any automation setup, I didn’t really know what I was doing. I didn’t have anything in particular that I was sending people. I knew it chose to just collect people’s email addresses. And I had an incentive. It was usually like, you know, sign up and you’ll get like a special discount. I’m gonna do a drawing for a special discount code that you’ll have access to. So I built up a pretty solid email list over the years from doing this. And it was pretty magical because I had people that I would meet at shows. And maybe they’d buy something from me then or maybe they didn’t. But later on down the line, I’d send an email and people would purchase from me.

So people I’d met in person, I was like, oh, I guess email marketing does work. So that was kind of like the beginning of how I started with email marketing. But like I said, I didn’t really know what I was doing. There was no automations in place. And then a few years ago, I decided I was done having this jewelry business. My heart wasn’t really in it. But I was getting a lot of traffic to my website thanks to Pinterest and some blog posts tutorials that I had put up a few years prior. So I was like, you know what, maybe I should just leverage this traffic I’m getting, you know, pivot this business into teaching people jewelry making. So I ended up creating a few digital products and courses and some ebooks on jewelry making. And then from there, I just got I kind of went down the rabbit hole. Down the rabbit hole of ConvertKit figuring out automations like, okay, well if someone purchases this digital product, what do I want to happen next? If they don’t buy it, what should happen? And I honestly spent so much time learning ConvertKit mostly because I just found the whole process to be so fascinating. I’m like, wow, look, look at these cool automations I can do.

And just the fact that someone who discovered me on Pinterest could be sent down, like I could like nurture this relationship with them. And it was, it wasn’t just the automations. Like I get people from all over the world coming to my website responding to my automated emails, and like telling me how I was inspiring them to make jewelry. I get people they’re like, “Hello, I’m in the United States.” And I get emails from like hello from Australia. Oh, I’m based in Malaysia. And I was just so blown away by this. But this original business, it never really grew into much. But I knew I had the skill. And last year in 2020, I was kind of figuring out what it is I wanted to do next. And just through a series of like, opportunities. I realized like oh, I really like helping other business owners with their, the tech side of their email marketing. And while I love setting it up and I love figuring it out, I know most business owners do not want. This is not how they want to spend their time. They have businesses that really light them up, and ConvertKit as a way to help them with that. But that’s not where they want to be spending their time or energy. And that’s kind of how I fell into helping with email marketing automation.

Shannon Baker

Well, you know, I wish I had found you years ago when I switched from MailChimp to ConvertKit. Because it, it took a lot of time for me to get a lot of things set up, it would have been helpful to have someone like you to do it for me. But I ended up having to DIY it myself and you know, go through, you know, starting from the thick of learning it, and I absolutely love it now. So let’s talk a little bit about email sequences. I know in our world of automation, we throw out a lot of terms that everyone may not understand. So give us a definition of what an email sequence is, and then talk a little bit about maybe how many emails you recommend be in a sequence.

Bev Feldman

Yeah, so a lot of times, people might hear of a welcome sequence or a nurture sequence. And it’s really just a series of emails that automatically go out to someone. Either when they subscribe, they subscribe to your newsletter, because they fill in that form that says, Yes, I want that this really cool thing that you’re giving away for free, or they purchase something. So it’s those emails that come afterwards. So for example, when someone signs up example, on my website, I have a guide that helps people with some tech tweaks they can make on their ConvertKit account when they set up their opt in. And so after that, you know, first of all, there’s the email that delivers that guide that they just signed up for. And then after that they’re sent into, I think I have four emails in my welcome sequence. So it’s just a series of emails where I’m introducing myself a little bit more explaining, like, why should you listen to me when it comes to email marketing? Because, you know,it could be anyone. It could be Joe Schmo. But this is why you should you know, why I know what I’m doing. But it’s less about me besides that initial introduction, and more about like, what value can I bring to you, as the business owner who has shared their information.

So I mean, that goes either way. Either if you’re a business helping other businesses or you’re business helping consumers those emails, especially at the beginning, I just, there’s, I wouldn’t say there’s a set number of emails that you should or shouldn’t include. But rather, you just want to make sure that you’re providing a lot of value and making it about the potential customer or client, not about you as the business owner. Because people really when they they read your emails, they’re not…no one ever says in the morning, “Well, I can’t wait to read my email today.” Like no one says that I think even those of us who are marketers, I think we still are like, ugh I gotta check my email now. You want to make it really exciting for the people who were who have opted in to your list. You want those initial emails, whatever that sequence looks like, to provide a lot of value.

And you know, even if you have a series of emails, if you have a sequence that goes out after someone buys something, you can still be providing value even if most of the value’s in the course or the digital product or whatever it is they purchase. It’s kind of a supplement encouraging them saying hey, you bought this thing. Here’s what you’re going to learn when you go in it. Because I think a lot of us sometimes are guilty of buying things, especially digital products and then forgetting about it. And if we don’t have someone reminding us, then it’s just kind of lost. It gets lost in our inboxes. It gets lost in the internet. And I think this email marketing automation to me is a really good way to stay in the forefront of people’s minds. Not in a way that you’re annoying people. Because I’ve also seen it go the other direction where people send too many emails all at once. But as a way that when people see your your name pop up in their inbox they say oh yeah, this person sent me such like a really helpful email a couple of days ago. I want to see what they’re going to tell me today.

Shannon Baker

And then the good thing with that, with using that sequence of emails I will say is that you can use them to start to form that relationship. Because we know all of everything digital marketing, we know the sequence – know, like, and trust. So you get the first exposure because like you said they they’ve trusted enough that, your expertise enough that they’ve given you access to their email inbox. So that’s your foot in the door to now start to nurture that relationship. They already kind of trust you. Now they want to get to know you and your expertise. So like, what are some types of things that can be in the emails to help nurture the relationship, not just educating them, but also helping them get to know who you are as the person of the business? Because most of us are, in my community, we are the face of the business. We are our brand. So how can we use those email sequences or, you know, that follow up sequence to really make the connection with them to continue to grow that relationship?

Bev Feldman

Yeah, I will. One thing I would say is, it can be this could be a really great opportunity to showcase success stories. So not like, Oh, look at me, and how I help this person. But like, really highlight someone that you have helped. You know, talk about some of their pain points, and then the way that you worked with them to help them out in this so that the people who are reading it or, you know, they can see themselves in this person. Like, Oh, I’m struggling with that right now. I would like to see, you know, when you were able to help this person, maybe you can help me too. So that’s one way, you know, case studies. I wouldn’t say like, every email should be a case study. But I definitely think bringing that in there to really highlight how you can help people is one way to nurture that relationship at the beginning.

And the other thing is, I think it’s less so on, like, here are the exact emails you should provide, you should include, but more in how we present that information. I think a lot of us, and myself included, get really hung up on the writing part. A lot of us tell ourselves, we’re not good writers. And we make this a lot harder than it has to be. And instead just focus on bringing you, your voice. Instead of feeling like, Oh, I have to sound a certain way. Just write the way you speak. And if it’s easier, you can even record yourself speaking. I know Google Docs you can, it’s a little glitchy, but you can record yourself and it’ll kind of transcribe what you’re saying. You probably have to go back and edit it afterwards. But just make it conversational. Like, make it they’ve heard this, I can’t take any credit for this. But pretend like you’re writing to one specific person. Instead of thinking I have to just everyone. Write your emails, the way you would be if you’re like, writing a friend or even a client that you’ve worked with. Just like imagine them and saying this is who I’m writing to, I’m not writing, to however many people on my list, I’m writing to this one specific person. And I think that way your personality starts to shine through. And that’s how you also build up that trust.

Now it’s possible that people who come on your list might say, Oh, I don’t know, I don’t really like they might not jive with you. And that’s fine. That’s also I look at how email marketing automation is part of. I know, weeding out the people who aren’t your people. And I think we all have, you know, as business owners, we know that no matter what we do, we’re not for everyone. Like, there are other people out there I know who help other small businesses with email marketing, automation and ConvertKit. And maybe they’re a better fit, and that’s okay. Like, people should hopefully through our emails, be able to see tell if we’re a good fit for working together, at least get that initial flavor.

Shannon Baker

Exactly. And as you mentioned, with really just talking as if you’re having a conversation with one person really makes a difference. Because like, for instance, when someone grabs up any of my downloads, the first few emails are specifically focused on how that download can help you if you use it, and then they’re reminders of Have you used it yet? Have you grabbed a copy etc. But then I put a break in the sequence and then it moves them to another sequence which specifically is a get to know me as the person. So it’s not the you need to automate and create systems and processes. But it’s, you know, how did I get here on my journey? So that makes that personal connection, and then it kind of goes back into Okay, let’s get back down to business of why you signed up in the first place. And I do it that way. And I found as you mentioned, you will tell who are your people and who are not by who starts to unsubscribe as you send out those messages. And I know we’re all guilty of this getting offended when it’s like well, why did they unsubscribe. But now when I say it, I’m like woohoo, okay, well, that’s one person that I know was not going to convert because they don’t like the way I’m doing my business. So they’re not my people. Okay, no problem at all. So it makes a difference. But one thing I’ve learned with ConvertKit and I love is using the link triggers. Yeah, that moves them in into other sequences. So let’s have the fun part of this conversation and talk about some of your favorite Convert Kit features because the integration is really what won me over with ConvertKit. It’s being able to easily integrate it with some of the other apps that I use in my business, but also the automatic tagging features, and being able to use those link triggers to keep the nurturing process going. So what features what you’d like to share with us today that you find are invaluable in ConvertKit?

Bev Feldman

Yeah, well, it’s when you said lead trigger, like my eyes just lit up.

Shannon Baker

And they did. I’m looking at her! (laughing)

Bev Feldman

I feel like such, I feel so nerdy about it. But like, and I know other email platforms have this feature, they call it something else, depending on the platform. Bt like, the ability, like you said it to have your email provider, your email service platform tell itself like okay, well, if someone clicked on this link, then these next actions should happen. And that’s exactly what a link trigger is. I really like I’ve been playing around with, and I’ve helped with some clients with this and I actually haven’t gotten around to doing it yet with my jewelry making business. But how to setting up these abandoned cart sequences. So for example, like you said, ConvertKit integrates really well with a lot of platforms.

So for example, I have integrated with Thinkific, which is a platform that allows you to create courses. And I have a client who’s on teachable, so they’re kind of similar types of platforms in terms of what they do. So you can tell ConvertKit, it can automatically tag someone, if they create an account on either of these platforms. And then have a wait, I like to have a wait a little bit of time, because sometimes people create an account, and they’re still kind of figuring out like, Okay, what am I purchasing. But if they don’t purchase anything within a specific period of time, usually say like an hour, I have what’s called an abandoned cart sequence saying, Oh, it looks like, you know, you started to create an account. But you know, it looks like you didn’t finish your purchase, what were you trying to buy?

One of the downsides is you can’t necessarily tell which if you’ve multiple courses on one of these platforms, which one specifically, but you can at least remind people Oh, hey, like, you know, I think most of us have gotten those emails from before. Usually from the e-commerce businesses where you’re like, you forgot something. You were at checkout, and you’re always like, like how do they know. But you can do something similar, you know, it’s not gonna work with every platform you’re on. Like, for example, I’ve also sold things through Send Owl, which is you can send like digital products that way. And I don’t send out itself if you have a higher level function, well, I think gives you the ability to do abandoned cart sequences. So you might not necessarily at the lowest level, do that with ConvertKit. But there are ways with certain platforms to kind of as an automation have that go out, like, Oh, you started to make this purchase, but it looks like you forgot something. So that’s a really cool feature that I like to do.

Some of my other favorites on ConvertKit, I feel like they have been adding so many new features lately. It’s been really exciting to see that and that’s one of the reasons I really like this platform is I feel like they listen to their customers. And hear us when we say we’d like to see this feature. Like, they recently added the feature that you can if we’ve been talking about sequences to allow people to go through a sequence again. Now there’s times where, for example, if someone signs up, you know, we all have that, if we have multiple freebies, or sometimes people will sign up for the same freebie on our website over and over again. And you want to be able to redeliver that freebie, because otherwise if they forgot, then they’re going to think well I sign up for this thing and it never came. But you probably don’t want them going through your welcome sequence over and over and over again because that will get redundant.

So it is handy that you can pick and choose which sequences that you want people to be able to go through more than once. So I liked that they just added that feature. And I think it’s good in some cases to be able to allow people to do that. And it’s good that you have the ability to choose which sequences you don’t want that to happen on. And then yeah, but honestly link triggers. It’s my favorite like, I like that. For example you can use a link trigger if you have a launch, and you know that you’re going to be sending a lot of emails out. Or you’re in my case, I’ve used it for affiliate programs that I’ve been a part of. So I’ll put like, just, you know, I have this, I’m an affiliate for this thing. If you want to stay my list, but you don’t want to hear about it anymore, just click here. And that gives people the ability to say, I really like you Bev. And I like learning about jewelry making. But I don’t want to learn about this other thing that’s kind of related. So I will just click here and I know that I won’t get these emails about this specific thing from you anymore, but I will get the other emails.

Shannon Baker

And that is good, and that’s more of segmenting for those who don’t know. It helps you identify the things that your email subscribers are interested in. So then you can send this very specific emails to them, based on what they’ve told you, they do and do not like. So then if they as you mentioned, they like you, but they don’t want some of the other things you know that you may be sending emails about then it let’s you know, Hey, Shannon, hey, Beth, I like your information on jewelry making. But all this other stuff you’re doing to make money, don’t bother me with it. Definitely good to use those features. Because I know sometimes I’m subscribed to a person’s email list for one thing, and then I start getting emails from them about something else. And then I’m like confused as to what they do. So that also causes brand confusion for people that then they’re not sure of what service they can go to you for. So we won’t geek out too much more about ConvertKit. We’ll do that offline. But tell us a little bit about what your download will help everyone do if they grab a copy of it and they’re ConvertKit users or they’re on the fence, I’m thinking about moving over to ConvertKit.

Bev Feldman

Yeah, so this guide is set up for people who it doesn’t teach you how to make an opt in because I do think ConvertKit has some really great help articles on that. But more on some very specific settings that I recommend people do. So that you can use that from that moment people first hit subscribe to nurture that relationship. So there’s a couple default settings on ConvertKit that I recommend people changing. And I show you how to do that, and the exact tech steps to take. Because I think there’s a lot when you’re first starting out. And I think for a lot of people, it can feel really overwhelming figuring out all the tech pieces on top, of course writing all the emails. That’s a whole separate thing. But I want people to feel like they know, they feel empowered to make some simple changes on their own that will allow them to build up that brand recognition and nurture relationships with people from the moment they hit subscribe.

Shannon Baker

Okay, so for everyone who wants that I’m gonna put a link to that in the show notes. But before I ask the last question, I have a surprise bonus question for you. So outside of email automation, what would you say is one system either in your personal life or your business life that you can’t live without?

Bev Feldman

Can’t live without, that’s a good question. Well, I was still in the process of switching over. But I switched recently from Trello. to ClickUp, I still really like Trello. But there’s some cool things within ClickUp that I like. But I started a while ago, I kind of come up with these daily routines for myself, just to kind of there are things that I have to repeat every week in my personal life that I want to remember, but I didn’t have a good system for keeping them in my head. So I just put them in this form. So the thing little things like remembering to give my older daughter her allowance, or, like, in the mornings, like I don’t, I have to admit I don’t do it every day. But I tried to do a little bit of exercise in the morning. And instead of thinking, Okay, well what form of exercise am I going to do today because I like to vary it up. I have like, my set day of the week, like, Oh, it’s Wednesday, we’re gonna do some yoga today. It sounds silly. But like any opportunity to have to make fewer decisions at the beginning of the day. Just I’m all about it. So I have like my set, like set routines for the day. They’re only like two or three things per day and nothing big but I just then check it off on my ClickUp board and then it repeats itself for the next week.

Shannon Baker

Now and that is great. And you’re absolutely right, because the less things you leave to chance, the more inclined you are to get the task completed. So that definitely is a great system. And it’s obviously motivating you and keeping you on track. So that’s a really, really good!

Bev Feldman

Yeah, and I love that I still get to check it off. And then I’m like like oh, now it’s set for next week. There’s so much satisfaction in checking things off.

Shannon Baker

Yes, absolutely. It’s a party every time. So as we wrap up our conversation today because you have shared some great information with us, how can everyone connect with you online?

Bev Feldman

Yeah, so you can find me on my website, which is yourpersonaltechfairy.com and I’m also fairly active on Instagram and that’s @yourpersonaltechfairy. Feel free to message me there, I’m often checking my DMs.

Shannon Baker

And she’s very responsive and I’m going to put a link to those as well as the link for you to grab that download or that guide in the show notes and make sure you connect with Bev online. She is very responsive as I mentioned, and always bubbly and good to chat with so Beth thank you for sharing this information with us today. I really can’t wait to even get you know some cleanup done on my ConvertKit account with your guide.

Bev Feldman

Thanks Shannon.

To hear my chat with Linda listen to episode 86 of the podcast. Click below and tune in on your favorite platform.

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