How Counselors can Build an Email Marketing Strategy

Email marking, like social media, is a great way to keep in contact with potential or existing clients. People are more likely to read an email than see a social post, so when you have really important or useful information this is the format to use!

First things first, how do you build an email marketing list?

How to Build an Email Marketing List

First, right off the bat, never buy an email marketing list. It’s a waste of money and unethical. On top of that, who knows how willing someone is to book a therapy session from some stranger who stole their email? 

Building an email list (the right way) is a great long term investment in growing your business. Growing an audience who loves you with easy direct access is an asset you shouldn’t undervalue. One of the best ways to build your email list is through a classic exchange. Create something of value and give it away for free! People will be willing to give their email address for something they want. This can come in many forms, but here are some good examples:

1. Ebook / Workbook - Create a downloadable workbook that lays out steps on dealing with stress.
2. Webinar - Host a webinar for people to sign up for where you will discuss some relevant  parenting techniques for “back to school online” with a Q&A Session at the end.
3. Video Content - Create a video series on your particular area of expertise that’s accessible behind a member site only for people who sign up for free. This brings in leads and makes you look like the expert worthy of a high rate!
4. Email Series - This technique is great for people to immediately like getting emails from you. Offer a week-long email series on how to get a handle on stress at work.
5. Free Consultation - You mostly likely already do this, but offer 15 minutes of your time to discuss how therapy can help them! All you need is an email (and most likely you’ll get a new client from it anyways.)

Email Marketing Strategy

Now that you have an email list, what do you do? How often do you email? What do you email?  

It all goes back to, what do you think they want to receive? If you were them, what would you like in your email inbox and wouldn’t drive you to unsubscribe?

There is no magic number of how many emails you should send. For some companies and strategies, it’s monthly, while some send emails daily! But one common factor is: Always be interesting. Make them want to receive the next email. Be careful of being too much of a salesman in your emails, instead, how can you provide resourceful and useful content that people look forward to receiving?

Pay attention to your unsubscribe rates in your emails, if some are higher than others it’s time to do some evaluating!