How I use Asana to manage my content creation
I’m terrible at remembering what I have to do. That’s why I love apps that can help keep me on track. Here’s how I use Asana – a project management app – to manage my content creation and delivery. I use Asana for client projects too, but...
How to set up your first newsletter in MailChimp
In this post, I’m going to walk you though my approach to setting up a new newsletter for someone in MailChimp.
5 things you can send your list – for creative women entrepreneurs
If you’re struggling to regularly create content for your subscribers, this is for you. In this post I outline what valuable content is and 5 different types of content you can send your list.
Can I just send out my blog post to my list? Is that bad?
If you don’t love talking to your list regularly, then you want to make it as easy on yourself as possible. Yes, of course you can just send out your blog post to your list. But is that the purpose of your list? Is that how you want to serve them?
Why I started a content library, and why you might like to start one too
A content library is a great way to centrally store all of your content instead of having it spread out all over the internet. Here’s how to quickly and easily start building a content library like mine.
How to start tracking your newsletter stats when you really don’t want to
But this very small and very simple tip can take your newsletter/email product to the next level. You’ll pay more attention, get your content seen, and serve your list to the best of your abilities, with minimal effort.
How to use MailChimp for your landing page
Many email service apps have customisable sign up pages. The built in customisable sign up pages are a great alternative to purchasing a separate app. For example, in MailChimp you can customise the sign up form to include text, images and formatting to create a landing page.
How to create newsletter consistency
Do you start almost every newsletter with “I’m sorry it’s been a while”? If you feel like your newsletter is a bit hit-and-miss at the best of times, here are a few tips to getting you on the path to regular, consistent newsletters that you love creating and that your audience love receiving.
10 things to call your newsletter that isn’t “newsletter”
Calling your regular emails to your subscribers a “newsletter” is boring and is unlikely to get your creative juices flowing or get you excited about the next beautiful thing you are going to send out to your list.
Think of those signing up to your list as signing up for an ongoing email product. Craft something special and beautiful for them. Moving away from the drab “newsletter” title will help.
Here’s a quick list of ideas to get you thinking:
Email “marketing” is so passe: building warm lists
I don’t want everyone who hits my website to sign up to my newsletter. Yup. You heard me. I don’t want a huge list stuffed with randoms. *cue shocked reaction gifs* The traditional form of list building – i.e. get everyone to sign up to your list so...
Sketching out your newsletter and creating something beautiful
If you’re only just starting out, but have no idea what your newsletter should look like or could do or if you’ve had your email list for a while, but have kinda let it lapse, then this post can help you sketch out an outline for your newsletter.
How to handle overwhelming days
If you’re running your own business, juggling clients, doing admin, creating content, responding to disasters etc., it can get super overwhelming. But here’s one simple technique I use to ditch the overwhelm and turn my days into one big game.
Why you should reply to other people’s newsletters
Do you wonder if people are actually reading your newsletters? Like sure, you can see the open rates and the click rates, but everything feels a little distant and disconnected. You’re not sure if people are really engaging. You become disillusioned with writing newsletters and slowly it slips to the bottom of your to-do list, a place you very rarely visit.
Alternatives to Mailchimp
Mailchimp is not everyone’s jam. And while I love it, I know there are things about it that just don’t float everyone’s boat.
I want to quickly introduce you to two great alternatives to Mailchimp.
Building respectful relationships with your email list
People have given you their email address because they want to hear from you. Some of them might want to buy from you. Some of them might just want to get to know who you are and what you do better. Some people might buy from you later on. But, they’ve been burned by poor email relationships in the past…
Them’s the rules! Introduce more play into your work
Here’s an idea – your frog (something in your business you don’t enjoy doing) is like a board game or card game whose rules and fun you haven’t quite gotten the hang of yet.
Ep 1: Batching content
Welcome to The Lilypad Show: Tips for Thoughtful Connecting Content. Each Wednesday at 10:30 am Melbourne time, I’m broadcasting LIVE over on Periscope my tips for content creation, scheduling, and more! You can follow me on Periscope @TheLilacFrog. Yesterday I...
7 tips to love your frog
Most of us have frogs – things we don’t like doing. Some of you may procrastinate on doing the thing. Or maybe you get up and do it as soon as possible to get it out of the way.
The last method is known as “eat that frog”.
But what if it’d didn’t have to be that way? What if you could find a way to love that frog?
Here are seven tips to loving that frog of yours:
When opt-ins really annoy me
To paraphrase Kant very liberally:
Always treat people as people, never as cash bags to shove into a sales funnel.*
Opt-ins are important. They are a way of exchanging something for someone’s email address and permission to contact them.
Finding your opt-in sweet spot
Finding the balance with an opt-in is important. You want something that’s valuable for your subscribers, establishes you and who you are, and gives them a bit of a taste for what you do. You’re building a rapport with them.
Treat dropping into someone’s inbox like having a cup of tea
Internet relationships are real. Connecting with someone over the internet is a connection.
When someone signs up to your list, you’ve been given permission to contact that person. It’s like being given that person’s address. How you treat and respect their space is important.
Merge Tags? What the…
When tech isn’t your thing, anything that looks like code can send you running a MILLION MILES. But, in the spirit of loving your frogs, let’s find out what makes code pretty much MAGIC. Code is magical – in that it does FREAKING AMAZING THINGS, but most people...
Being human in your newsletter: 3 tips to get people more engaged
“How can I get more people to open and read my newsletter?”
Well here’s a tip, and it’s not just from the heart, it’s from research:
Engage with your readers!
You might think this is common sense, however not a lot of folks are doing it! Capturing people’s attention and retaining them means engaging with them. It takes time, and it’s not something you can automate. Present a more human side of yourself and your people will be more likely to want to hear what you have to say and are more likely to share your content on social media.
How to add a poll to Mailchimp
Here’s how you can ask a poll directly to your subscribers!
Exciting, right?!
Maybe you’ve got a new design idea, but want to see how it goes over with your list before you put it into production? Well, you can do that very easily with MailChimp’s POLL function.
Ask one thing
Having an email list isn’t — I think — about selling to them, it’s first and foremost about building connection and providing value. Many newsletters incorporate a “call to action” — a request for the reader to do something....
Focus your newsletter like you’re taking a photo
Sometimes you have a lot to squeeze into a newsletter, but it’s great if you can have one main theme or overarching point that extends right the way through, rather than a mish-mash of random bits and pieces. Think of your newsletter like a photo or a painting...
9 non-ick email subject line suggestions
We’re told to “write a catchy email subject line”, but some days it can be like pulling teeth and you don’t want to sound like a sleazy salesperson.
Here’s a list of 9 email subject line suggestions that you can either modify to suit your topic and your voice or outright steal.
Don’t know what to send to your list? Do something different
Are you procrastinating on sending out your newsletter to your folks?
Yes.
I GET it.
Our reluctance to send updates to our email list is sometimes linked to the fact that we think we have nothing to say.
10 newsletter ideas for creatives
Totally stumped on newsletter ideas? Here are ten to jump start your brain! I’ve especially picked those that work well for people in creative industries, but really, anyone can use them.
Why some newsletters taste like orange juice and toothpaste
Ok, I teach Mailchimp as a system. But there’s an art to the newsletter that I have far far from mastered. I am resistant to writing newsletters. But the big question for me was why?
How to add Mailchimp sign up form in WordPress.COM website
Email marketing is a big part of many businesses. So if you’re wondering how you provide a place for people to sign up for your newsletter (for example) on Wordpress.COM, you’ve come to the right guide!
How to use one Mailchimp subscriber form for many groups
If you are going to have one master list with groups, then you will probably want your sign up form to reflect those options. In this post, I’ll show you how to do precisely that.
The most common Mailchimp oopsie?
Mailchimp is a commonly used program among solopreneurs because it’s free (initially – some great features are, however, paid) and it’s not too difficult to use.
But one of the most common oopsies people make in Mailchimp is creating multiple lists when they should create one list with groups.