The FWD: Thinking Show

What if you had the power to create affordable and incredible game-changing content for your business and email marketing campaigns? Would you use it?

As email marketers, we revel in the written word. However that means we often overlook one of the best ways to speak to our subscribers... which is literally speaking to our subscribers through video.

Thankfully, creating videos is easier than ever: Advances in laptop and cell phone tech, as well as the quality of affordable lighting and accessory gear, have removed the barriers to entry with video creation.

In the latest podcast episode, Margot Mazur, partnership coordinator of Wistia (an amazing video hosting platform), shares her expertise to help us non-video marketers get up and running with an outstanding video-in-email strategy.

In this episode, we discuss everything you need to know to step up your video game. Whether you're a seasoned veteran or new to video (like myself,) you'll find some action items worth noting in this episode. After you listen, head on over to AWeber.com/today to use our nifty "How To Record Your First Video" checklist to get started.

Today is your day to take action. Who knows? You may even find that you're a pro behind the camera!

Listen in as we discuss:

• How to engage your audience and develop trust with video
• Why video is way easier to create now than ever before
• Tips for creating the perfect video thumbnail for your emails
• How to write a strong subject line to boost video engagement
• How video analytics can inform your strategy
• How to use email to collect subscribers and grow your lists
• ... and much more!

Here are the links mentioned during the show:

• Margot on Twitter
• Wistia
• Culture Video Example: Wistia's Community Video
• Wistia's DIY Lighting Kit
• How Long Should Your Next Video Be?

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

What are your deepest and darkest fears?

For years, independent author J. Thorn has been exploring the question through his fear and fantasy fiction writing. He's sold over 150,000 copies of his work and topped the Amazon charts - once landing at #5 in Horror, next to his childhood favorites, Dean Koontz and Stephen King.

Through his work, Thorn has developed a strong, unique voice, both in his respected genres and in the independent writers community. And he's leveraged that connection to his fans through email marketing.

In this episode, we discuss valuable strategies that anyone - not just authors - can apply, to attract the right kind of subscribers, offer immediate value, engage their readers. We talk about the ways to maintain a consistently above-average open rate and find your ideal subscriber persona. We even break down J.'s unique lead magnet and welcome message, and what makes them so successful.

If you fantasize about having hundreds of loyal subscribers and fear ending up in the dark depths of the spam folder, you'll want to tune in, take notes, and take action!

Listen in, as we discuss:

• How J. took the leap and finished his first novel
• The platforms and options for independent authors
• Ways to structure your lead magnet and welcome series
• The importance of writing to a persona
• ... and much more!

Here are the links mentioned during the show:

• J. Thorn
• J. Thorn on Amazon
• The Intronaut Podcast
• Stephen King's 'On Writing'
• Amazon CreateSpace
• The Horror Writers Podcast
• The Dark Arts Theater Podcast

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Are you sending spam without even realizing it?

In this episode of the Ask Me About Email Marketing podcast, we talk with John Bonini, Growth Director at Litmus.

In a blog post written earlier this year, John explored the nuances of selling and spamming. Email marketing is evolving, and it's crucial for marketers to reinforce the value they're providing, while redefining traditional views on spam. John shares his take on how to be relevant, be human, and tactfully write to convert.

Check out the episode above, and you'll hear about:

• How email marketers define spam vs. how consumers are defining spam
• Different ways to consider personalization
• Why NOT selling your solution is selfish
• How to source great marketing copy
• The importance of manual outreach
• And much more...

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• John Bonini
• John's podcast, Louder Than Words
• To Sell Is Human by Daniel Pink
• Give And Take by Adam Grant
• Joanna Wiebe - Copy Hackers

We didn't get to cover it, but here is a fantastic series of articles Litmus put out regarding Single v. Double Opt-in:

• https://litmus.com/blog/single-opt-vs-double-opt-case-doi
• https://litmus.com/blog/single-opt-in-vs-double-opt-in-case-for-soi
• https://litmus.com/blog/single-vs-double-opt-in-public-opinion
• https://litmus.com/blog/single-opt-in-vs-double-opt-in-the-verdict-email-permission

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Are you using email marketing to generate an income? If not, do you want to?

Writing to sell without feeling "salesy" or "sleazy" is a challenge. When it comes to selling via email, the autoresponder has made it possible to send a sequence of automated emails over time to ensure you get the right message to the right person when they need it most.

Also known as "drip campaigns," marketers set up these automated emails to provide information about themselves, the problems they solve and the products they offer. You'll also find that many seasoned marketers teach their strategies and tactics for moving subscribers through the buyer "funnel" in a way that allows them to feel like they're "selling without selling." In fact, we've written a ton about mastering the autoresponder and creating sophisticated automated campaigns, too. (Not to mention, AWeber has been known for providing a great reliable email automation platform since 1998!)

While drip campaigns can be effective, however, that's not the only way to influence people to buy your product or service.

In this episode of the Ask Me About Email Marketing podcast, we talk with expert email copywriter, Ben Settle. Forget all the conventions of email marketing that you've clung to over the years and listen to this episode.

Ben sends one to two emails a day to his main list with very few spam complaints. Sure, he gets unsubscribes, but unlike a lot of email marketers, he welcomes them. His unique philosophies on daily emailing, unselfish selling and copywriting have helped email marketers find their niche, write with confidence and conquer their fears of selling.

Listen above, and you'll hear about:

• How Ben got his start in copywriting and email marketing
• The benefits of sending daily
• Why NOT selling your solution is selfish
• The importance of mixing promotion with teaching
• How email marketing is like talk radio
• The importance of mixing promotion with teaching
• The #1 1990s television show that all email marketers must watch
• ... and much more!

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• Ben Settle
• Ben's Blog

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Pop quiz: What's the best way to generate a ton of qualified leads, while also providing a fun an engaging interactive experience?

It's a pop quiz, of course!

In this podcast episode, we discuss exciting and effective lead generation and list-building techniques with Josh Haynam, co-founder of Interact.

The mantra at Interact is a simple one. They are a "lead generation platform for a content and social media driven world." With interactive personality quizzes, assessments, and giveaways, marketers are finding success in growing their email lists, but also learning about their subscribers interests, personalities, and needs.

Listen above, and you'll hear about:

• Josh's entrepreneurial path to Interact
• The impact of personality quizzes and assessments on list growth
• How to segment your leads based on their answers and tailor your emails based on context
• Josh's least favorite type of subject lines
• ... and much more!

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• Interact
• AWeber Blog: Create Fun Quizzes and Grow Your Email List with Interact + AWeber
• Our "What's Your Marketing Super Power" Quiz (sorry, the giveaway is closed)
• Book: Solution Selling (Josh's recommendation)

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

In this episode of the Ask Me About Email Marketing podcast, I tackle three big listener questions.

• Do I need to use LeadPages to use AWeber?
• How do I create a compelling lead magnet?
• What's more effective for marketing, a short email or a long email?

Learn how to grow your list and supercharge your account, the acronym I use whenever developing a new lead magnet, and the secret behind email length (spoiler: you may not like the answer.)

Listen above and share your opinions in the comments.

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• LeadPages
• SumoMe (list-building app)
• Privy (list-building app)
• HelloBar (list-building app)
• AddThis (list-building app)
• No Website? No Problem! How to Create a Sign Up Form + Build Your Subscriber List Without a Website
• [VIDEO] How To Market Online - Tony Robbins and Frank Kern

Have your own question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Ready to be a smarter marketer?

With blogs, podcasts, videos, snaps, chats, and tweets coming at us from all directions, it's getting harder and harder to find the content that will truly level up your chops. One way to ensure your getting the proper marketing nutrition is to have a well-balanced content diet, including not only digital content, but also great marketing books.

In this episode of the Ask Me About Email Marketing podcast, I had the pleasure of interviewing Douglas Burdett, expert marketer and host of the Marketing Book Podcast. Douglas shares with us his experience reading the best marketing books, and interviewing their authors. Books provide us with an opportunity to fully immerse ourselves into a topic, and as Douglas puts it "rewire your marketing brain."

In this episode, you'll learn about:

• Douglas' personal book recommendations and journey into marketing and podcasting
• The benefits of a well-balanced content diet
• Ways to evaluate if a book's worth your time
• Books to read to level up your email marketing
• Some great marketing tips for email marketers of all levels
• ... and much more!

Here is a list of all the books we mentioned on this episode:

• Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small by Nick Westergaard
• Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy
• Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints and Keep Your Customers by Jay Baer
• Audience: Marketing in the Age of Subscribers, Fans and Followers by Jeffrey K. Rohrs
• The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott
• The Challenger Customer: Selling to the Hidden Influencer Who Can Multiply Your Results by Brent Adamson, Matthew Dixon, Pat Spenner, Nick Toman

Here are a few other links that were mentioned on the show:

• Douglas Burdett
• The Marketing Book Podcast
• "How to Avoid the 19 Year-Old Dude Move" by Douglas Burdett
• Hubspot Academy's Email Marketing Course (Douglas' recommendation)
• "Why Marketing With Purchased Email Lists Is Like Unprotected Sex" by Douglas Burdett
• Study from McKinsey stating email marketing is 40 times more affective for customer acquisition than Twitter and Facebook.

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Thinking about starting a podcast? Today is your day! Starting a podcast is an exciting venture, and can lead to all sorts of fruitful happenings for you and your business. My fellow podcasters can attest to this.

That's not to say picking up the mic is easy! Podcasting can be a challenge if your not equipped for success. Luckily, heroic individuals like Jerod Morris are out there serving as a digital mentor for newbies and pros alike. With Jonny Nastor, Jerod cohosts The Showrunner, a podcast about podcasting. Over the course of a few episodes, Jerod and Jonny discussed the importance and value of building an engaged email list. To discuss and reiterate some of those points, I've recruited Jerod to join the show.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How to develop a hypothesis for your show's concept
• How a strong email strategy can be your podcast differentiator
• The importance of crafting a strong lead magnet
• The impact of email marketing on your show
• Jerod's advice for forming strong relationships with listeners and subscribers
• ... and much more!

Ready to rock the mic? Already a podcaster? Check out our Email Marketing for Podcaster's Guide to get start building your community today.

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• Jerod Morris
• The Assembly Call
• The Showrunner
• The War of Art (Jerod's recommendation)

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

It might seem odd to hear an email marketing podcast focus on Twitter, but rest assured there's tremendous opportunity to reach a wide audience with the little blue bird that could. Not only can you use Twitter to build your list, but you can also engage with your current subscribers by connecting on the social platform.

Twitter can be a bit intimidating for most (it certainly was for me!), and it's easy to see why. You get a limited character count to post content, and there's just an endless flow of tweets to consume and keep up with.

So what's a time-strapped, tweet-driven digital marketer to do? Call on the experts, of course!

For this week's podcast, we teamed up with top ranked social media power influencer Madalyn Sklar to bring you all the latest tactics to tap into the power of Twitter. You'll be growing your list, and seeing boosts in engagement in no time.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The current state of Twitter marketing in 2016 and how to best use it
• How to leverage Twitter lists to attract attention
• Tips to engage your subscribers to follow you on Twitter
• What are Twitter Chats, and how can they help you grow your following
• How to 'pin' your lead magnet
• How Twitter Cards can help you get more leads – and at no cost! (Check out the example below)
• ... and much more!

It's a jam-packed episode, and if you want to get started with Twitter or improve your strategy, you don't want to miss it.

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• Madalyn Sklar
• Madalyn on Twitter
• #TwitterSmarter Twitter Chat
• Social Media Examiner's Social Media Marketing Podcast (Madalyn's recommendation)

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.

Forming personal connections is one of the welcome benefits of email marketing. But so frequently, we end up sending emails to subscribers with little to no interaction back. We revert to pushing out content that may yield high open rates, but maybe not much else. What if there was a way to get to know our subscribers better, a way to form a true unified community?

Well, there is. In this episode, we go beyond the inbox. Olivia Dello Buono, AWeber's Social Media Specialist and Community Manager, joins the show to explore how to find, build, and nurture your own communities.

Here are a few topics we discussed:

• How and where to find 'your people'
• The value of building a public or private community
• The platforms available for marketers to build a community
• The role of a great community manager
• How to deal with trolls and trouble-makers
• ... and much more!

Here are a few links that were mentioned on the show:

• Olivia on Twitter
• A recent #EmailChat recap
• Kissmetrics Blog (Olivia's recommendation)
• Adweek (Olivia's recommendation)

Have a question about email marketing? Leave us a message at aweber.com/podcast.