When offering a group class, online course, or VIP coaching program, a big portion of your sales are likely to come from your email list.
If you’ve done your due diligence building a list of subscribers who know, like, and trust you, filling group program slots or selling a new product is as easy as sending an email.
Right?
Er, probably not. Even if you’ve built a list of superfans, you still need to move subscribers through a dedicated sales funnel to encourage them to buy. Higher-priced courses may even need a phone sales session in order to convince prospects that you’re offering an insane amount of value for the price.
So if sending a single email about your course or product isn’t enough, what should you do to ensure more sign-ups and sales?
Simple. Create and automate a strategic 5-part email campaign that uses tried and true marketing principles to increase conversions and sales.
Luckily we’ve done the heavy lifting for you. Below is the email campaign that has worked the best for us whenever we launch a new course or product.
Simply fill in the details about your offering, schedule the email campaign in your email client, and voila! An instant (and instantly effective) sales funnel.
Email #1: The Set-Up
The first email in your campaign isn’t a sales email. It’s a setup email letting people know that you’re going to be launching a new product (or opening registration to a course, or…).
The purpose of this email is to get people excited and curious about what you’re going to be offering, and to encourage them to open your next email.
- Let the reader know you’re super excited about a very special offer that’s coming soon
- Indicate the massive value you’re planning to offer without telling them exactly what this “special offer” is going to be
- Tell them when they can expect to hear from you next
Now for the most important element in Email #1 – the VIP option!
People love being the first to know. Include an option for readers to sign up to be notified the second your special offer becomes available.
These “VIPs” should be placed on a special Early Bird list and considered your strongest leads. They will get notified before everyone else when your program, product launch, sale, or discount goes live.
Marketing psychology: Our curiosity is peaked when information is held back. Because you’re not telling people exactly what to expect, they are much more likely to open your second email to find out. Also, people love being the first to know and the first to have insider access. Offering a VIP option plays upon these desires.
Email #2: For VIPs Only
The second email you send should only go to those people who signed up to be “VIPs” and get notified of your offering before anyone else.
Just like the first email, this is another “coming soon” email that explains what the prospect can expect.
- Let your VIPs know that they will have early bird access to your program or product before the rest of your email list.
- Tell them precisely what day and time your offer will become available to them only, and tell them when the offer will go live for everyone else.
- Offer a benefit for buying early, such as a discount or other value-add.
- Reveal details about your program or product, being sure to focus on the benefits.
Marketing psychology: Exclusivity is powerful, but clarity is more powerful still. Clearly tell VIPs exactly what to expect, when they’ll hear from you next, and what the purchasing process will entail. Again, you are training them to open your next email by telling them when it’s coming and what it will contain. You’re also building excitement and anticipation for your product/course.
Email #3: Pre-sale
Email #3 will go out to VIPs and your regular list in two different versions.
For VIPs, your sale or launch will “go live,” giving them the chance to purchase your product, sign up for your class, register for your program, etc. Be sure to remind VIPs that spaces are limited, and that while your regular list does not yet have access to your offering, other VIPs could steal their slot!
Everyone else will get an email describing your offering in more detail, sharing benefits, and letting them know when they’ll be able to buy.
Email campaign tip: Your copy for VIP Email #2 can be similar to your pre-sale email to the rest of your list.
Marketing psychology: VIPs will be excited to buy because a) they’re gaining access before the rest of your list, and b) they have to compete for limited space/availability. The email sent to your regular list builds anticipation and trains them to open the next email you’ll be sending.
Email #4: Launch Your Sale
The fourth message in your email campaign is a quintessential sales email that offers tons of value and highlights the benefits of working with you. It can be sent to both VIPs and regular subscribers. (Although VIPs have already received a sales email at this point in the campaign, this email reminds them that your offer is now available to everyone, and that they should buy now to secure their spot.)
- Begin with a problem or pain point, i.e. the need to lose weight
- Present your course or product as the solution to that problem
- List specific benefits of making a purchase today, i.e. increased energy and self-esteem
- List the features of your offering, i.e. one-on-one coaching calls or access to a private Facebook group
- Use scarcity tactics including limited class space, a limited time to buy, etc.
Marketing psychology: Do you see how much pre-selling needs to be done in order to get to this point? By prepping your list with the three previous emails, you’ll greatly increase their readiness to buy by the time your sales email is sent.
Email #5: Last Chance to Buy
The fifth and final message in your email campaign should be sent to both VIPs and regular subscribers reminding them that it’s their last chance to take advantage of your special offer.
Be sure to re-state the benefits of working with you and give new, compelling reasons why now is the time to buy.
Marketing psychology: A single sales email is rarely enough to convince people to make a purchase. “Last chance” emails play upon the psychology of scarcity and missing out. Reminding people what they will lose if they don’t take advantage of your offer is an effective way to get them to take action.
Optional: The Extension
Depending on the success of your email campaign thus far, you may want to send an additional email extending your offer.
Be sure to acknowledge the fact that you said “last chance” in your previous email and that you’ve changed your mind. In order to maintain trust, give a compelling reason for extending your offer at the last minute.
Marketing psychology: Extending your offer one last time makes people feel like they’ve lucked out, and will encourage them to take the plunge and sign up/make a purchase.
While a single sales email is rarely effective, a strategic email campaign is one of the best ways to boost course signups and product sales.
Be sure to include all five of the following emails in your next email campaign:
- The set-up email
- VIPs only email
- Pre-sale email
- Sales email
- Last chance email
- Optional extension email
For more insider marketing tips to grow your fitness business fast, download your FREE Entrepreneur Jump Start Kit by clicking here now: https://johnspencerellis.com.
