045: Passive Income Mini Series #1 – How To Create An Automated System That Makes You Sales In Your Sleep with Erika Auckland

Want to make sales while you sleep? I have four words for you: Grow An Email List!   In this episode, Erika is breaking down the WHY and HOW to build an email list to create the automated system of your dreams.  

Email Is Direct-to-Consumer

I’ve been passionate about business owners growing an email list (before you even TRY to sell!) because social media is rented space. We all know how much noise there is on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and more… but email is a DIRECT line to your consumer, making it an easy way for you to build trust (and make sales).   Did you know that 77% of marketers have seen an increase in email engagement over the last 12 months? And that smartphone users also prefer to receive brand communications via email?   These numbers show that email marketing is still thriving and shouldn’t be overlooked!  

You Can Segment Your List

Segmentation is another key aspect of email list building that I discussed in this episode. With segmentation, you can send specific communications to specific people based on their interests or preferences.   This allows you to tailor your messages and offers to different segments of your audience, providing a more personalized experience.   Social media algorithms don’t show every follower every piece of content, so email provides a more direct and reliable way to nurture your audience, based on their interests. Touch points are crucial in the customer journey, and email allows you to have multiple touch points with your subscribers, increasing the chances of conversion.  

How to Build Your Email List

Now, let’s get into the practical steps I shared for building your email list! 
  1. Start with a free offer, also known as a lead magnet or freebie. This is something valuable that you offer for free to entice people to join your email list. It could be a guide, checklist, or any resource that aligns with your niche and provides value to your audience.
  2. Create a landing page where people can enter their email and name to receive your free offer. There are various platforms you can use for this, such as StanStore, which I personally recommend. It’s affordable and offers great features for creating landing pages. To help with content creation, I suggested using ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool that can assist with outlining and even writing your free offer. It’s like having a content assistant in your pocket, helping you overcome writer’s block and create engaging content.
  3. Once you have your free offer and landing page ready, it’s time to promote it on social media. Use your posts and stories to share your freebie with your audience. Encourage them to comment or DM you to receive the free offer, and use tools like ManyChat to automate the process and send the resource directly to their inbox.
  4. Have a preloaded email sequence in your CRM (customer relationship management) software, such as ActiveCampaign or MailChimp. This sequence will nurture your subscribers and provide them with more value around the free offer they received. Eventually, you can introduce your paid offer and guide them through the customer journey.
  Remember, the first free offer you create may not be the best, so don’t be afraid to iterate and create new ones based on feedback and audience preferences. Building an email list takes time and effort, but it’s a powerful tool for growing your business and establishing a direct connection with your audience.   There you have it: how to create an automated system that makes sales in your sleep. And this is just the beginning, friend!   If you are an aspiring digital marketer who wants to make money with little effort beyond the initial set-up, subscribe to the Trust Issues Podcast on your favorite podcast platform so you don’t miss the rest of this Passive Income Mini Series.

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