Trust is at an all time low. Many service business owners are concerned as there is a general skepticism. I’ve seen it myself. I’ve actually been asked how can you be passionate about spamming people.
To say I was annoyed was an understatement. Email marketing is not spam.
We can’t control what others do but we can adapt to the market and show how we are a safe choice.
I’m outlining a few ways you can build trust. It’s one of the many benefits of email marketing. Because, spam aside, it’s a permission-based marketing method. Permission based marketing basically means they’ve given you their email address. There’s more too it than that but I’ve gone into what that is further down. Because I know you’re here for the trust building strategies.
Why trust is low and how your email marketing can combat that
Now that we’ve addressed the problem you’re facing. There is something you can do and email marketing is a good option to help you.
Strategic welcome sequences and consistent, valuable, email marketing are essential for building trust with your audience.
A strong welcome sequence builds a good first impression
Before I geek out on welcome sequences let’s address the big question. A welcome sequence is a series of emails automatically sent by your email marketing platform (based on what you’ve set up). They are sent to new subscribers to help you build a connection and for them to get to know, like, and trust you.
There are many different types of welcome email sequences. The ones I create are custom, strategically aligned with your goals, and designed to build trust and authority for your service business.
Typically my welcome sequences deliver a lead magnet which some would make them a lead nurture sequence. However, my approach is slightly different. You can get an example by experiencing my welcome sequence here.
Welcome sequences build trust by:
It's like laying out the red carpet for them and letting them know they're safe and you care about their experience and gaining their trust.
Audit your welcome sequence
No welcome email sequence should be the same (I’m not a fan of templates). While templates can get you started. Your welcome sequence should be as unique as you are.
Keep this in mind when you're creating or auditing your welcome sequence:
Examples of good welcome sequences for service providers
Many welcome sequences and email marketing examples available online are for e-commerce and product-based businesses. They’ve fully embraced the power of email marketing. Service businesses especially in New Zealand are catching on.
My mission is to have significantly more service-based businesses having a welcome sequence or welcome email. Whether I do it or someone else. I know how powerful this could be for your service business.
It leads to a much better experience for your leads, prospects, and clients.
Coach welcome email examples:
Lead Magnet download email example
>https://reallygoodemails.com/emails/download-your-content-fuel-framework-cheat-sheet
Email copywriter welcome sequence example
Alex Cattoni, an amazing email copywriter, I'm a big fan of her work.
Alexs' AIM (Acknowledge, Introduce, Mobilize) framework is:
Her video on The Perfect Automated Email Welcome Sequence is definitely worth a watch.
>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFHPt7rrxg
Trust-building strategies for email marketing (beyond the welcome sequence)
But it doesn’t stop there. The typical conversion rate for most marketing channels is around 2%. It’s similar to email marketing for service businesses (2.14% - 2.18%). However, it really varies depending on your industry and business.
Welcome sequences are some of the top performing email automations because:
Optimize your welcome emails by keeping these welcome sequence best practices in mind:
A good welcome sequence for B2B or service businesses should take someone through the typical journey of getting to "know, like and trust" you. I'm not a fan of that description, it's a little cliche for my liking. But it's accurate.
Creating your trust-building email strategy
So you see your welcome sequence sets the stage, makes a strong first impression, and encourages new subscribers to reach out.
Your newsletters or ongoing emails nurture your subscribers who need more time and trust-building emails.
You need both your newsletters and your email automations to be aligned with your goal of building trust as well as conversions. That starts with having your foundations sorted. By that I mean a good email marketing strategy.
By that I mean a good email marketing strategy that includes:
If that sounds like a lot of work. That's why email marketing specialists exist. Email experts make it look easy.
That doesn't mean it needs to be hard and isn't worth it. It just means there's more to it that meets the eye (yes that's a Transformers reference).
If you’ve combined the email techniques I’ve shared in this article with you. And you’ve stuck to the permission-based approach (see below). Then you’re well on your way to building trust with your ideal client.
First, let’s go into a little more detail then I’ve got something for you below. Scroll down if you already know about permission-based marketing.
Permission-based marketing
Permission-based marketing is a marketing approach where you only send marketing materials to people who have given you their explicit consent to do so. This means they've actively chosen to receive your emails, newsletters, or other communications.
Think of it like this: you wouldn't walk up to a stranger on the street and start pitching them your product, right? That would be intrusive and unwelcome. Permission-based marketing is the opposite – it's like having someone invite you to share your information with them.
Between the strict terms and conditions of email marketing platforms like Mailchimp and Mailerlite and local legislation and recommendations, the message is pretty care. Be a good person and only email when you have consent.
Some countries are less strict (CAN-SPAM) and some are more strict (GDPR). Check your local rules.
Heads up, I’m a stickler for the rules. So if you’re a rebel we’re probably not a match. I don’t email anyone that hasn’t given consent. Ideally, explicit consent ( e.g. they’ve confirmed they want your marketing emails).
How to build trust with email automation and email marketing
Trust is declining, impacting service businesses. Strategic email marketing, especially welcome sequences, offers a clear solution.
Welcome sequences build trust by creating positive first impressions and setting expectations. You can build trust by including personalization, a clear value proposition, and a call to action.
Beyond this, consistent, valuable email marketing is essential, focusing on useful content, transparency, and avoiding spam.
A successful strategy involves understanding your audience, setting goals, and respecting consent through permission-based practices.
Mind-blown by all this?
This is like a Masterclass for Permission-based marketing and what goes into a great welcome sequence with examples to boot.
Are you a learner that is soaking this up?
Or do you just want someone to take care of the email automations for you? So you can get back to coaching clients and growing that purpose-led business of yours?
Either way my email list is THE place to get to know me (I keep it to the point there - no novels - pinky promise). Besides, what better way to see if an email marketer is good at what she does than by checking out her own emails? See you there.