How Hard is Email Marketing as a Side Hustle?

Last Updated on April 20, 2024 by Eric Cantu

Email marketing is a popular approach for many people looking to make money online. But how hard is email marketing really? How does it work and how can you implement it into your affiliate marketing business?

How Hard is Email Marketing as a Side Hustle?

Email marketing is a great way to reach your audience when they don’t initially convert from your website. You’ll need to craft highly engaging content that begs your audience to click and open it, segment your audience for high conversions, and deliver on value.

Key Takeaways

• Getting started with email marketing involves choosing the right platform for your needs and building your list. With the right tools and resources, anyone can succeed.
• There are several solid platforms like AWeber, Mailchimp, and Convert Kit with free versions to start with to help build your email list.
• Incorporating sales funnels into email campaigns is a great way to monetize your email list.
• Challenges in email marketing, such as avoiding spam filters and keeping subscribers engaged, require creative solutions.

So just how good is email marketing as a side hustle? Let’s first learn the basics of building an email list, creating effective campaigns, and then move on to advanced features like segmentation and automation. We’ll take a look at the challenges you can face and how to overcome them. Let’s dive right in.

Understanding Email Marketing

The reason email marketing has such a unique approach to your online business is because of its focus on that part of your audience that doesn’t convert the first time they visit your website. This can give your online business all new life.

• What is Email Marketing?:
  • Email marketing involves creating a campaign of messages via email which can be promotional, informative, or educational.
• How Email Marketing Works:
  • It starts by building a subscriber list with permission to send emails.
  • Most websites will offer something of value to their audience in exchange for their email. This could be a pdf, ebook, or any other digital product.
  • Campaigns like newsletters, product updates, promotional offers, and sales funnels are created and sent to this list.
  • The aim is to create relationships with subscribers and keep them engaged with your brand.
• Email’s Role in Digital Marketing:
  • It allows for personalized messages and targeting specific groups, making it more effective than some other digital marketing methods, like social media.
  • Email marketing converts at a much higher rate (40 to 1) because of this.

Getting Started with Platforms & Building Your List

Now that we understand the opportunity, let’s talk about choosing a platform and building your email list.

• Choosing the Right Email Marketing Platform:
  • Consider the features and pricing plans of the email marketing platform to see which is the best fit.
  • Popular platforms include AWeber, Mailchimp, and ConvertKit, each with pros and cons.
  • Factors to consider include budget, email list size, and specific features needed.
  • Many platforms offer free plans for small lists, while others charge based on subscriber count.
• Building Your Email List:
  • Utilize a lead magnet or incentive (like a free ebook or course) to exchange for email sign-ups.
  • Use a solid the opt-in form that’s clearly displayed and communicates exactly what subscribers will receive. Be direct.
  • Always make it easy to unsubscribe from your list for legal compliance and maintaining a good reputation. The worst thing that can happen is having your emails be associated with annoying spam that never stops coming.

AWeber Pros & Cons

• Easy to use, especially for beginners.
• Has a free plan.
• Good customer support with options for email, live chat, and phone calls.
• Offers a variety of integrations, meaning it can seamlessly connect to many different applications and services.
• Limited trigger and segmentation opportunities
• Counts unsubscribers as billable contacts.
• Lower deliverability rate compared to some competitors
• Check my full AWeber review here.

Mailchimp Pros & Cons

• Drag-and-drop email builder is very user friendly.
• Offers a free plan.
• Extensive range of templates and customization options.
• The free plan has limited features and support options.
• Higher pricing tiers can be expensive compared to competitors.
• Some users report challenges with data management and segmentation in larger lists.

Convert Kit Pros & Cons

• Designed specifically for content creators and bloggers, with features tailored to their needs.
• Offers powerful automation capabilities with a focus on ease of use.
• Strong tagging and segmentation features for targeted campaigns.
• Limited design options for email templates, focusing more on text-based emails.
• Higher pricing compared to some other platforms, especially for larger subscriber lists.
• Some find the interface less intuitive compared to competitors, so there’s a bit of a learning curve.

How Do I Create An Effective Email Campaign?

The crucial part of email marketing is obviously getting your audience to open and engage with your emails. Sending an email that gets opened, read, and acted upon isn’t as easy as it seems. Let’s cover some tips on how to create effective email campaigns that will help you get better results.

• Design Matters: Make sure your email looks professional and attractive. If it looks sketchy, they’ll unsubscribe immediately. Use a clean, simple layout that highlights your message and offers easy actions by subscribers.
• Be Mobile Friendly: As most people check emails on mobile devices, design your email to be mobile-friendly. Employ a single-column layout with large fonts and clear, easily clickable call-to-action buttons.
• Attention Getting Subject Lines: The subject line is everything. Your audience won’t open your emails if the subject line is boring. Make it attention-grabbing, persuasive, and relevant. Keep it concise, use action words, and personalize it. Surprisingly, one of the most popular subject lines that almost always gets a click through is “Re:”.
• Segmenting Your Audience: Increase engagement by segmenting your email list. This means not every recipient in your list is receiving the same emails. Segment based on interests, behaviors, or demographics. Use your email marketing software for segmentation and tailor content to each group’s specific needs and interests.

Work Smarter, Not Harder: Automation and Advanced Features

Let’s talk automation. Any chance you have to maximize your time and resources, you should take it. Email marketing automation can be a game-changer. And let’s not forget advanced features like integration with social media and A/B testing.

With automation, you can set up workflows based on specific triggers and then send personalized, highly relevant content to that segmented list based on these unique triggers.

• Email Automation Workflows: Utilize triggered email series based on subscriber actions or behaviors. You can set up workflows for welcome emails and brand introductions to new subscribers, abandoned cart reminders, and re-engagement emails.
• A/B Testing: A/B testing lets you compare different email versions to identify which ones are working and which ones aren’t. Test elements such as subject lines, content, images, and CTAs. Analyze results to determine which versions yield better performance, like higher open rates. Make sure when you’re A/B testing to only change one element between your two versions so you can pinpoint your variable.
• Integrating with Other Digital Marketing Tools: Link your email platform with social media for broader reach and personalized campaigns. Use additional tools like landing page builders and lead magnets to strengthen your digital marketing strategy.

Getting Conversions! – Monetizing Your Email Marketing Efforts

This is the whole reason we do what we do, right? In this section, I’ll discuss some ways you can monetize your email marketing efforts and turn your email list into paying customers.

• Affiliate Marketing and Sponsored Content:
  • Promote relevant products or services to your list for a commission or fee.
  • Make sure the products or services you promote are relevant to your audience’s interests and your brand values.
  • Be transparent about affiliate relationships. You don’t necessarily have to tell them in the email that you receive commissions for sales, but on the website your email directs them to make sure you have an affiliate disclaimer.
  • Only promote products or services you would actually use yourself.
• Selling Digital Products and Services:
  • Offer eBooks, courses, coaching services, or other digital products.
  • Focus on providing value and actionable information.
  • Ensure high-quality content in your digital offerings.
• Creating a Profitable Email Sales Funnel:
  • Develop a series of emails guiding subscribers through a sales process.
  • As they progress through the series of emails, deliver more and more value. This could include free resources and personalized recommendations. By the end of the funnel, offer a product or service they can buy.
• Your List is Evergreen:
  • Don’t forget about timely email send outs to your list on occasions like Black Friday and other flash sale opportunities.

Growing Your Email List and Scaling

As your email marketing side hustle grows, you’ll need to expand your subscriber base to keep up with demand. Here are some tips for expanding your subscriber base:

Expanding Your Subscriber Base

• Content is king!: Always focus on creating consistent, high-quality content that resonates with your target audience. This will encourage them to sign up for your email list and share your content with others.
• Use Great Lead Magnets: Offer incentives for signing up, such as exclusive content, discounts, or freebies.
• Get Social: Use social media to promote your email list and encourage people to sign up.
• Partner Up: Collaborate with other businesses or influencers in your niche to reach a wider audience.

While it’s important to grow your subscriber base, it’s equally important to balance quality and growth. Here are some tips for finding the right balance:

Balancing Quality and Growth

• Trim the Fat: Regularly review your subscriber list to remove inactive or unengaged subscribers.
• Be Dynamic: Test different strategies to see what works best for your business, rather than just blindly following trends.

Challenges and Solutions in Email Marketing

Email marketing isn’t without its challenges. Let’s discuss some of the common challenges you might face in email marketing and how to overcome them.

• Don’t Land in the Spam!: To prevent emails from landing in the junk folder, maintain a clean, up-to-date email list and craft content and subject lines that don’t trigger spam filters.
• Improving Deliverability: Ensure your emails are well-formatted and contain relevant content, sent at optimal times. If you’re delivering your emails at 4 am, guess what, it’s gonna come off as spammy.
• Trending with Hyper-relevancy: Keep on top of email marketing trends like personalization, which improves open and click-through rates, and segment your list accordingly. Personalized emails have a much higher open rate than generic ones.
• Mobile Optimization: With the increase in mobile email access, use responsive design and concise content for better mobile optimization.
• Enhancing Engagement and Conversion: Focus on creating engaging emails with valuable content that drives your recipients to take action. Compelling subject lines, and clear calls-to-action will encourage subscriber action.
• Testing and Optimizing Emails: Experiment with different subject lines, content, and calls-to-action, and use analytics tools to track performance and make informed adjustments. A/B testing is can be the difference between success and complete failure.

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Final Thoughts

Does email marketing take work? Yes. Is it worth it? Yes! Take your affiliate marketing business next level by incorporating a solid email marketing aspect to it. Build your list, deliver on value, get those conversions, and overcome challenges like a boss!

What do you think? Have you incorporated email marketing into your online business yet? What challenges have had? Let me know in the comments section below! I look forward to hearing from you and I always respond.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the initial steps to begin with email marketing as a side business?

First determine your niche. Identify your target audience and the products or services they might be interested in. Start building your email list by offering lead magnets in exchange for emails that will deliver value to your recipients. Promote products and services that are hyper relevant to them, and deliver value along the way.

What strategies can enhance the effectiveness of a part-time email marketing endeavor?

One of the best strategies to enhance the effectiveness of your part-time email marketing endeavor is to segment your email list. This involves dividing your list into smaller groups based on specific criteria like demographics, interests, or behavior. This allows you to send targeted and personalized messages to each group, which can significantly improve your open and click-through rates.

How does email marketing compare to social media marketing in terms of difficulty and profitability for side hustles?

Email marketing is 40 times more effective than social media outreach. Additionally, email marketing has a much higher conversion rate than social media, making it a more profitable option for side hustles.

What are the potential earnings from a part-time email marketing gig?

The potential earnings from a part-time email marketing gig depend on various factors like the size of your email list, the type of services you offer, and your pricing strategy. However, on average, email marketers can earn anywhere from $20 to $50 per hour for their services.

How significant is the role of SEO in the success of an email marketing side hustle?

SEO plays an indirect yet crucial role in the success of an email marketing side hustle. It helps to increase website traffic and grow your email subscriber base, but SEO doesn’t directly impact email content, it’s essential for attracting and expanding your audience, which is key to email marketing effectiveness.

Can operating an email marketing agency be a viable and profitable side hustle?

Yes, by offering email marketing services to businesses, you can earn a significant income while working on your own terms. However, it’s important to have the necessary skills and experience to provide high-quality services to your clients. Additionally, you need to be able to effectively manage your time and resources to ensure the success of your agency.

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