When it comes to email marketing, you’ll find plenty of online resources for strategy and tips on what to include in your messaging. But what you may not find is how to overcome mental obstacles so you can create an email marketing plan that delivers lead generation.

When I was talking about an email campaign with a business development manager, he was a bit hesitant. “I’m afraid if we send out too many emails, people will be turned off and will unsubscribe from our list. Won’t we be seen as a ‘pest?’”

Get over your fears of being seen as a spammer

If there is one issue that concerns me with email marketing, it’s this one. In fact, I had to break through this fear myself, which made me realize how often it holds people back and the consequences of giving in to this fear.

No one wants to be seen as a spammer, but let’s look at the definition of a spam:

spam – noun :unsolicited usually commercial e-mail sent to a large number of addresses

Another fun tidbit: the word originated from a skit on the British television series Monty Python’s Flying Circus in which chanting of the word Spam overrides the other dialogue (First Known Use: 1994)

If you’ve been involved with marketing, you know the perils of buying lists and then blasting emails to them. (Which can get you into mucho trouble with email service providers.) That’s not the way to go about building a list. You want people who show an interest in your business and sign up to receive emails from you.

In which case, those emails are not unsolicited. People gave you permission to send them.

As far as “commercial” goes, there is a difference between sending a hypey email about watches and an email that actually delivers value to the recipient.

Remember that word… value. We’ll get to that in a minute.

You need to remember that you’re in business to help your target customers find a solution to their problem.

A story to illustrate this is the man who was fast asleep at night. Suddenly, he was awoken by a loud banging on his door. He tried to fall back asleep, but the banging continued. Finally, he got up to see who was at the door. It turned out it to be a neighbor who was letting him know his house was on fire.

Instantly, that neighbor went from being an annoyance to a life-saver!

So it is with your business. If you truly believe that your service or product will help your customer, then you need to let them know. Email marketing is a great way to do this but you have to get over the mindset that you’re somehow a “pest” when you let them know about your solution.

Will everyone see you as a solution? No. But you can’t let the “not for me’s” keep you from reaching the “yes for me’s!”

Don’t allow your fear to keep you in the negative space. Realize there are plenty of people who need your help and the only way they’ll learn about your solution is if you bring it to them.

Top of mind awareness means repetitive messaging

There’s a marketing term called “top of mind awareness” (TOMA). This means that when your prospect is in the market to buy the type of service you offer, they’ll think of your brand first.

And why would they think of you first?

Is it because you send them a quarterly newsletter and then you’re silent for the other eight months? (Hint: sending a message once every three months is not the answer.)

Is it because you send one email newsletter a month? (Again… no.)

Or is it because you send at least one email message a week, and if you’re really breaking through your fear, more than one.

I have a copywriting guru I follow who sends me a promotional email every Tuesday and Friday. He sent me seven emails in November. Do I consider it spam?  Of course not. I’ve bought one of his very helpful eBooks and most likely will buy more in the future. And the reason I do this (and enjoy his emails) is because he is bringing me solutions. He’s a credible expert who delivers quality information I can use.

I didn’t buy an eBook from him because of one email. There were several I received before finally seeing one that addressed a need. That’s what “top of mind awareness” can do.

My copywriting guru understands he is bringing value into my life. That’s what you need to think about when you send your emails. Make them full of your expertise while focusing the message on your prospect’s need.

You’ve got bread. Find the hungry.

Craft your message in such a way that calls out to those who are hungry for your solution. Hammer on their pain and then highlight your solution. Find ways to help them with their problem. If you’re a realtor, for instance, send emails that address all the different frustrations with home-buying. Everything from getting the skinny on house inspections to getting a loan and everything in between.

Be helpful. I cannot stress that enough. Too many businesses send emails that tout their services but really don’t offer any helpful advice. Any knowledge you can share that can be implemented immediately will catapult you to TOMA status.

So wrap your mind around what you can offer to those who need you most and go after your list with a passion!

Do not be afraid of being a pest. Do not be afraid of unsubscribes.  (There is a time and place and you aren’t inhabiting either one for them. It happens. Move forward to find those who will find your messages helpful and relevant.)

Be bold. Be helpful. And keep sending your solution-centric emails to those who gave you permission to do so.

Want to learn more? Join me for a free conference call this Thursday, December 13 at 7 PM for [themecolor]”Power Hour: Top 2013 Email Trends For Business (And How To Leverage Them For Your Success)”[/themecolor] It will be an info-packed 1 hour call, with tips on the newest trends and also copywriting tips for writing emails that get opened. I’d love to see you there, so sign up today! And if you have any questions, let me know. I’ll be addressing them afterward on the call.

See you then!