- (Sees Big Foot, pulls out phone) "How do I take a picture with this?"
- "Hey Mom I left my charger at home! Could you mail it?" Kid receives 40 chargers in the mail with note: "is it one of these?!?!"
- Thinks left-clicking the mouse fixes any problem. If it doesn't work on one part of the screen try another.
- Facebook is scary, Twitter is terrifying, Instagram is a myth, SnapChat doesn't exist yet.
- Think an e-mail was funny? Respond by clenching your fists, pointer fingers out, thumbs on them as support, one on the H and the other on the A, eyes jacked open - HAHAHAHA. Proceed to throw your forehead against the SHIFT button and jam the exclamation point into the ground!!!!!!!!!!!!
- E-mail inbox has 600,000 e-mails (fix that here : https://unroll.me/ - you are welcome!)
These are the Mom and Pops, those we serve at Social Local. It's no secret to you all times are a changin'. Google to Facebook, Facebook to Twitter, Twitter to Instagram, Instagram to Snapchat..what happened to home phones?!
It's true - times are changing! But it's an exciting change, one that lets us share like never before. Messages that disappear after 5 seconds, image filters for pictures, and online communities built entirely around a passion for puppies! Today we're not talking about puppies. Today we're talking about emails..
ATTENTION: This post has been tested on a REAL Mom and Pop. My own Mom. See image below.
ATTENTION: This post has been tested on a REAL Mom and Pop. My own Mom. See image below.
 |
| "How do I scroll?" |
The Mom and Pop Guide To Really Simple E-mail Management!
- Why do I want to collect e-mails?
- How do I collect e-mails, and never actually look at them?
- What can I do with these e-mail lists?
- Is it really that easy?
- For this last point, we'll bring a REAL Mom online to test the guide!
Why do I want to collect e-mails?
Great question, local business owner!
The short answer, the kind we like: collecting e-mails let's you promote events, specials, or news to the only group of people on earth that you know for sure want to hear about them all. If somebody LOVES your offers, those offers are a real part of their lives. When their lives change (say, an offer goes on sale, or expands) they want to know about it! E-mail them and tell them so they can act on this change!
-
How do I collect e-mails, and never look at them again?!
E-mails are nasty little critters, full of @ signs and all sorts of domain names - like .co, or .info. Luckily we don't have to get our hands dirty. It's possible to sign up for an e-mail service, add the e-mail collection box to your Facebook page and never handles the individual names (unless you want to). That's right, we live on a planet where if you wish you can create professional looking e-mail campaigns just by clicking a couple times and typing in information you already have in your head!
We recommend a service called MailChimp. It may be the simplest site you ever use for such sorcery.
What we're going to do is set up your Facebook page with an e-mail collection box and show you how to send an e-mail to all those who sign up using Mailchimp over and over again!
Afterwards, your Facebook Page will have this on it!
Afterwards, your Facebook Page will have this on it!
Note: You'll be able to change the 'test' text to whatever you please.
For this process we'll be timing my Mom and leaving her with only this guide to help. A few notes:
- She's never used a Macbook. She really struggled with the scrolling. Or as she put it, "this computer..oh jeez..how do I page down?"
- She works with another e-mail collection service - Constant Contact.
- She doesn't know how to use Facebook.
- She reads everything out loud and very slowly.
Begin by opening:
Your e-mail
Your Facebook page
Step 1: Signing Up for Mailchimp
Time it took my Mom: 5 minutes 46 seconds
- Go to MailChimp.com
- Enter E-mail, Username and Password
- Verify e-mail
Some of her comments (Momments):
"How do I scroll down...oh my Gosh." - remarkably flustered at phase 1.
Step 2: Setting Up A List
Time it took my Mom: 1 minute 30 seconds
- choose 'Create a List' from Home Menu
- Enter Information
- Save
Momments
"The little thing keeps disappearing! Should have used my computer!"
Step 3: Adding Collection Box to Facebook
Time it took my Mom: 2 minutes 30 seconds
- Click your name at the top of the Left Hand Navigation Bar
- 'Account Settings'
- 'Extras'
- 'Integrations'
- 'Facebook'
- Connect to Facebook
- Choose your Page and List
- Save
Momments
"I wish I could preview!" "You can, click preview." "Oh I would've seen that if I had time.."
Step 4: Creating and Sending an E-mail
Note: The NEXT button is on the bottom right hand corner
Preview Button is at the top right hand corner
Time it took my Mom: 6 minutes 28 seconds
- Campaigns
- Create a Campaign (top right)
- Regular Ol' Campaign
- Choose List
- Keep Tracking Boxes Checked. Enter E-mail Subject and move on.
- Choose a Theme or Template
- Put your message together.
- Schedule and Send.
Momments
"It's not letting me change the text." "That's an image, see it says Image there? Try a text box." "Oh that's easy OK I can do this."
Total Time for a Real Mom and Pop to Complete: 16 Minutes 15 Seconds
Now:
All of her e-mails are being collected in one place!
She knows how to make an e-mail campaign anytime she wants!
She can export this e-mail list (pull it off of MailChimp) and save it on Excel!
MailChimp makes this all very easy and my guide may not be needed, it was used to show how simple it is for a real Mom and Pop to set it up, start collecting e-mails the easy way and creating professional looking campaigns.
With e-mails collected you'll be able to use Social Local's platform to create large scale, beautiful promotions (below) and collaborate with local partners! Your customers' inboxes are in for the good life!
Happy Collecting!
No comments:
Post a Comment