ElectriciansAutoresponder
Autoresponders are a vital and often untapped source of sales that - when used to their full potential - can achieve amazing results.
This booklet will tell you everything you need to know about following up potential leads...
…and we’ve even created an autoresponder sequence for you to swipe and deploy.
People are much more likely to engage with a business that has maintained regular contact with them and your autoresponder campaigns are great for thisand converting those all-important prospects into more important sales.
We’ve been writing emails for a LONG time.
Take it from us, we know what works - we send them out every day.
We also know that the best time to start converting those prospects is when you’re still at the forefront of their mind, so the sooner you start engaging, the better.
You might have used these before, but if not, welcome to the world of autoresponders!
Understanding Autoresponders
First things first, autoresponders are email sequences automatically sent out to a list of prospective clients who’ve recently ‘handed over’ their details in exchange for something of value (free report, newsletter, more information, a purchase etc).
Take a look at your inbox. If you’re a keen online shopper, chances are you’ve received a whole bunch of different emails from a variety of different businesses.
They might say thank you for the purchase, offer a special deal or even congratulate you on reaching a recent milestone. They’re all examples of autoresponders and are often used to engage prospective clients.
There are SO many ways to use autoresponder emails, some of which you will certainly have come across before…
…Out of office messages
…Reminders (appointments, ending memberships, annual events)
…Paid for training courses
…Subscription follow-ups
…Purchase confirmations
But for our purposes, we will be focusing on engagement autoresponders used to follow up on the lead magnet that's also available to you in the Swipe File.
We can’t overstate the importance of your follow-up sequence as a marketing tool – these are no ordinary emails. Bearing in mind that your autoresponders will specifically target those who you already know are interested – you’d be mad not to exploit your new list.
What’s more, they really don’t take that much effort to set up and when it’s done, you can sit back and watch the process unfold.
Of course, this is by no means an alternative to other regular contact with your larger database. Autoresponders just ensure that all of those new prospects are taken care of immediately.
Creating Your Own Autoresponder Campaign
If you’re creating your own autoresponder campaign rather than using the done-for-you campaign later in the booklet, then there are some key pointers you should bear in mind. These emails shouldn't be pushing an offer straight away, they should focus on engagement.
Make sure you think about the following before you start typing up a storm:
Subject Line – This is the first thing your potential clients will see. Make sure it’s relevant, attractive and guarantees that they’ll open the email.
Content –Offer as much perceived value as possible (without repeating your lead magnet). Keep engagement to a maximum with fun and relevant stories, case studies and guidance without sounding too preachy and make sure that any advice you give is reasonable.
Tone – Keep the emails conversational and light to reveal some of your great personality. You’re building a relationship with your client, not going in for the hard sell; pressurizing language is more likely to steer them away from your business.
Call to Action! – So you’re well on your way to building a great relationship, you’ve highlighted your friendly nature and you’ve added value for your client; there’s absolutely no point wasting all of that effort without adding your contact details. Most emails should end with a clear and concise call to action – it doesn’t need to be pushy, just add your details should they feel compelled to contact you!
Order - It’s important that you build trust with your prospects, rather than bombard them with lots of offers straight away. You need to think about what you want to say and when you want to say it. If you’re struggling, we’ve included a couple of sequences you could use on the next page.
NB:Autoresponders should not be used as an alternative to your other email campaigns - they should be used in conjunction with them. However, make sure that you’re not bombarding them with emails - a level of care needs to be taken to ensure that they don’t receive so many emails that they unsubscribe.
Choosing an Autoresponder Sequence
When it comes to writing autoresponder emails, every business is different. The offers, length of emails and content will all differ but there's one thing they have in common - a similar structure.
Sequences begin familiarizing the client with your business through conversational content, introductions and case studies and then, when enough trust has been built, the emails become more sales-focused, ending with a special offer.
Along with the done-for-you autoresponders we’ve included at the end of this booklet, we’ve also added some example sequences below if you’d like to create your own campaign.
Example Sequence One
Email Step 1:Attach the document (if not already downloaded).
Email Step 2:Follow-up; did you receive our report?
Email Step 3: Explain the value of the report.
Email Step 4:Introduce a special offer.
Email Step 5: Reminder of the offer.
Email Step 6: Deadline looming.
Email Step 7:Offer deadline.
Example Sequence Two
Email Step 1:Attached document (if not already downloaded)
Email Step 2:Follow-up and brief intro to business.
Email Step 3:Check in with the prospect.
Email Step 4: Success story and testimonial.
Email Step 5: Introduce a special offer.
Email Step 6: Offer deadline
Setting up an Autoresponder Campaign
Autoresponder sequences are fairly easy to set up with email marketing programmes like Infusionsoft and MailChimp. Not only can you send an effective campaign, you can also keep track of open and click-through rates, so that you know if your Autoresponder emails are being read and how effective they are at converting your reader into a customer.
CRM systems may differ but in general, there are 3 key stages to creating an autoresponder sequence. The first is to choose the correct contact list. These will be the prospects you’ve collected from your squeeze page. The second stage is to set up your emails, which involves deciding on the content formatting and style. The third and final thing to decide is what schedule you’re going to send out your emails.
We’ve used MailChimp as a quick set-up example below…
Step 1
Head to the ‘Autoresponders’ page
Step 2
Click ‘Create Autoresponder’ (top-right)
Step 3
When you get to ‘Recipients’, select your new list of prospects
(gained from the lead magnet), then advance to the next step.
Step 4
Next you’ll arrive at the ‘Autoresponder’ step where you’ll do 3 things...
A. Firstly under ‘what will trigger this autoresponder?’ select an event option from the drop-down menu. The event you choose acts as the autoresponder’s activation trigger.
So in your case, when prospects sign up for the lead magnet.
B. Under ‘when should the autoresponder be sent?’ choose when you’d like the email to be sent to those who’ve met the ‘trigger criteria’.
So in your case, every couple of days (excluding weekends if necessary).
C. Finally, pick the times and days when your follow-up autoresponders will be sent.
Step 5
Click ‘next’ and you’ll move on to ‘Setup’. At this stage you’ll add your campaign information and select the tracking options.
Step6
Get creative! You’ll now be asked to choose a template for your autoresponder sequence. You can use layouts from previous campaigns, reusable templates that you’ve created or you could paste in your own code from a zip file or URL.
Step 7
Finally, add your content and when your emails are looking ship-shape and ready to be sent, head to the ‘Confirm’ step.
Step 8
Look over your pre-delivery checklist, clicking ‘Resolve’ to go back and change any errors. The ‘Edit’ button will allow you to alter the final emails.
Step 9
When you’ve completed the above steps, click ‘Start Autoresponder’ (at the bottom of the Confirm Step). Don’t worry – once your autoresponder starts sending, you can still edit the content and scheduling. If you’re considering using Mailchimp as your CRM.
(Please note that there will be an additional fee for Autoresponders if you’re using the free account).
Keep on top of the results!
The beauty of sending out autoresponder emails is that you can test them. Keep an eye on your open and conversion rates. If you aren’t getting a good open rate for instance, play around with the subject line. It may be that some of your content isn’t strong enough, so by editing your emails over time, you can see what’s working and what’s not.
Here’s One We Made Earlier…
It wouldn’t be 'done-for-you' if we didn’t give you a helping hand, so we’ve actually written an autoresponder sequence, along with a suggested schedule and brief guidelines for you to swipe and deploy!
The sequence will work regardless of whether you used our Lead Magnet last month as we’ve created separate ‘Step-3 emails’.
Of course, each email will need some light tweaking to personalize the message. You’ll need to add your own contact details, testimonials, case studies and pictures wherever relevant and there are certain highlighted areas that you will need to make sure you change.
Don’t leave the emails reading “Hi First Name”, as it certainly won’t go down very well.
Suggested Schedule
We suggest sending your autoresponders in the schedule below - there is more contact in the first few days and then it tails off. You don’t want to create a schedule that’s too predictable, so make sure there is some variation.
Week 1:Week 2:
Email 1: Day 0Email 4: Day 5
Email 2: Day 1Email 5: Day 7
Email 3:Day 3Email 6: Day 9
NB: Try to keep your emails scheduled within your business’s working hours so that if someone gets in touch, you can reply or pick up the phone ASAP.
Your Autoresponder Guidelines
Email 1: Lead Magnet
This email will be very short and will contain the Lead Magnet and a brief thank you for the reader’s interest. This should be scheduled to send as soon as possible after the prospect has handed over their details!
Email 2A: If you’ve used the ‘done for you’ Lead Magnet
If you used the Lead Magnet we created for you, pop this email over to those for downloaded. It checks in with your prospect and provides them with a bit more information about you and you electrician business. Remember to change the highlighted sections.
Email 2B: If you’ve used your own Lead Magnet
If you chose to create your own Lead Magnet, send this email to recipients first. It introduces your business and shares some advice and guidance on using electrical appliances in a safe way around the home. Engagement is the key here, as well as driving more interest around your company.
Email 3: Checking in
Regardless of which Lead Magnet you used, this email goes out to everyone. It checks back in with your prospects and adds a bit more value around your business. It also serves as a reminder to check out the Lead Magnet if they’ve not yet had chance. This should go out a few days after they’ve downloaded the Lead Magnet.
Email 4: Success Story
The sound of you blowing your own trumpet will only go so far, which is why you’re going to share a success story testimonial from a client who recently used your services. We’ve included an example so you can see what we’re looking for but make sure to include your own genuine stories. Remember the end offer is a home safety audit so any stories linked to this would work best here.
Email 5: Introduction of offer
Now’s the time to hit them with your offer: a free home safety audit. This is a great way to get people to choose you for the first time as everyone loves to get something for nothing.
Email 6: Focus on the offer
Your final autoresponder creates a sense of urgency, telling recipients that time is running out to schedule their free home safety audit. By putting a deadline on the offer, it encourages prospects to book sooner rather than later.
Tweak the emails and get sending! Good Luck!
Email 1: Lead Magnet
Subject: Here you go…
Hi {CustomerName}
As promised here’s a copy of {LeadMagnetTitle}.
I really hope you find it useful. If there’s anything else I can do to help you out, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling me on {BusinessNumber}.
Speak soon
{YourName}
EMAIL 2A: If you’ve used the ‘done for you’ Lead Magnet
Subject: Shocked? Too easy…
Hi {CustomerName}
Thanks for downloading “5 SHOCKING Truths About the Electricity in your Home”.
Were you as shocked (excuse the pun!) as us to learn that it’s your kettle that uses the most electricity? That’ll make you think next time you need a caffeine fix! But it’s not just about knowing where you’re using too much electricity and where you can make a quick saving – though it all helps.
The biggest takeaway is knowing how you can keep your electrics safe to help protect your home and family.
My name’s {YourName} and I work for {BusinessName}.
{Insert a short blurb about your business; maybe a little about your history, what you do for customers etc. Keep it short and chatty!}
We know electrics isn’t the sexiest of subjects, but it’s something we rely on every day.
From making your toast in the morning to checking out the travel news before you hit the road; in this day and age, it’s hard to imagine a life without electricity.
So don’t wait until it’s too late to get your electrics checked out and maintained.
We’re a friendly bunch over at {BusinessName} and we’re always on the other end of the phone if you have any questions about your electrics – from saving money to keeping everything in great condition – and if you have any concerns at all don’t hesitate to call.
You can catch us on {BusinessNumber} or email any questions and non-urgent queries to {BusinessEmail}.
Have a great day!
{YourName}
EMAIL 2B: If you’ve created your own Lead Magnet
Subject: Shocked? Too easy.
Hi {CustomerName}
Thanks for downloading “{LeadMagnetTitle}”; we hope you found it useful!
It’s hard to imagine a world where we don’t use electricity - think about how many electrical items you’ve used already this morning! But like anything, you need to keep the electrics in your home in perfect condition to avoid any nasty shocks (excuse the pun!).
At {BusinessName}, we’ve seen it all when it comes to electrics and we’ve dealt with a few problems that would make your hair stand on end. To help you avoid making the same mistake, here are four shocking truths about the electricity in your home:
- Socket Shocks – We all know how annoying it is when you have more plugs than sockets, especially in the bedroom or by the television. Multi-way adaptors may seem like the ideal solution but make sure you only plug-in appliances that are collectively less than 3,000 watts. Devices over this can potentially overheat and pose a fire risk.
- Extension Exasperation – Another common bugbear is electrical appliances with short cables. Extension leads are a great solution but you need to make sure yours are always in great condition. Improper storage, bending, and treading on the cables can result in exposed wires which is always a danger. NEVER repair yours with sticky tape; protective rubber strips can prevent damage but once there is too much damage you need to replace the cable.
- Remember RCDs – A Residual Current Device automatically terminates the electric flow through an appliance should a live wire be touched. RCDs can prevent lethal electric shocks, but staggeringly over half of UK households don’t have one installed. By getting a RCD fixed to the fuse-box, you really can protect your family from harm.
- Wowed by Watts – Which device do you think uses the most electricity in your home? The PC? Television? Iron? It’s none of these. It’s actually your kettle! Your kettle uses a staggering 3,000 watts of electricity when in use compared to a just 120 watts used by your TV.
We hope these facts have given you some food for thought when it comes to keeping your electrics in check.