First, consider the following list of common reasons why people usually opt-in. Then, take the time to think about what inspires you. Think of your social media marketing strategy. What are you most passionate about? Take time now to consider how your passions can be conveyed in a unique way, and you will undoubtedly create email content subscribers will look forward to reading.

Why people subscribe:

As you brainstorm, remember to look to other brands and professionals for additional inspiration. Below are a few examples of successful health and wellness industry email campaigns that utilise a combination of the values listed above.

Take a moment to visit the websites above, and notice how they promote their newsletter as a way for visitors to remain informed, inspired, or entertained. Subscribe to a few that interest you, and evaluate the emails as you receive them. Are they delivering on the promise that got you to subscribe? If not, how could they be improved? Make notes, and generate ideas to implement in your own email marketing strategy.

A comprehensive email marketing strategy can be broken down into 3 key stages: Opt-in, nurturing, and selling. Taking a tactical approach to these stages will not only build your subscriber base, but also increase your ability to gain new sales, students, and in some cases, form long term friendships!

Encourage people to opt-in. In the noisy world of the Internet, a new subscriber opt-in is one of the most valuable things you can hope to achieve. The most effective opt-in strategies share many common elements, which may include the following:

Nurture relationships with content. Next, use original content to become a dependable source of information, inspiration, or entertainment to your subscriber base. Remember that your relationship with subscribers is a two-way street.

Nurture your relationships by being thoughtful, engaging, and communicative. In addition to delivering dependable content, always include ways for subscribers to start a conversation or offer feedback. One way to accomplish this task is to always feature your social media accounts within the email. Then, create hashtags that subscribers can use to tag any posts they make about the content. Create a sense of community!

Finally, always remain mindful of the original intent of your email campaign. If you ask subscribers to opt-in for a weekly email, resist the urge to send more than 1 email per week unless it is absolutely necessary. By the same token, always draft, upload, and schedule your campaigns in advance to avoid missing days or falling behind (more on that in Step 4).

Knowing when to sell. Yoga is a deeply intimate practice, which is why it might seem difficult to “sell” yourself, your studio, or your products. However, yogis are people, and they need products and services. Remind yourself that your subscriber base is comprised of individuals who have voluntarily opted to receive regular emails because they like what you stand for. Honor that relationship, and promote your products and services accordingly.

In general, follow the 90-10 rule: Allocate 90% of your email content to delivering on the promise you made to get opt-ins, but feel free to use the remaining 10% for secondary content. If your email campaign promises weekly class updates, use the headline, body, and main image of the email to do just that, and save the bottom 10% for a sales coupon. On the other hand, if your online yoga store offers an email newsletter to keep up with the latest sales events, use the major elements of the email to promote the sales and encourage website visits, and use the bottom 10% to feature your newest Instagram photos. Look for ways to be creative, but honor your relationship with your readers by staying true to the original intent of your email newsletter.

A well-crafted email message can accomplish a variety of important goals. When drafting your message, follow the tips below to develop an engaging headline, body, and supporting elements.

Avoiding your subscriber’s Spam folder is a major challenge. For more tips and tricks, visit this article by KISSMetrics.

Using email marketing software to schedule your campaigns is important for at least 3 reasons. First, it helps you log and manage important subscriber information, like name, email, and preferences. Additionally, email software provides a dashboard that can be used to schedule messages in advance, making it easier to nurture relationships without ever forgetting to deliver content. Perhaps most importantly, it provides a platform through which campaigns can be tracked (see Step 5 below). Below is a brief list of popular email marketing software that can be considered for nearly any campaign:

Analytics are only available through email marketing software, like the options listed in the section above. Although specific metrics might vary from service to service (and package to package), there are 3 vital metrics that can significantly shape the success of your campaign. If the service you are using does not offer these insights, you should consider investing in one that does.

Unsubscribes:
This metric tells you how many people opt-out of your newsletter. A sudden spike in this metric might indicate that content is no longer in alignment with the way the new