If you’re looking for a no-setup, low-cost way to get started with email marketing, consider AWeber. At least, that’s what I tell myself every time I use the program. Because at first glance, it’s not obvious how to use AWeber effectively.
You’ve got a basic email marketing tool that doesn’t require a lot of setup. On the good side, your existing email lists are automatically uploaded to the tool. You don’t have to worry about importing contacts or compiling a list of emails — the tool will do that for you.
On the other hand, you don’t have a lot of control over the appearance of your emails. So, if you’re looking for something more professional, you might want to look elsewhere for your email marketing needs.
Why Should You Try AWeber?
I’m sure there are plenty of other options out there for low-cost, no-setup email marketing. But as the old saying goes: “You get what you pay for.” And in some cases, you might not get what you paid for. With AWeber, you’re getting a proven tool with an excellent reputation that does exactly what it promises to do. And it does it well. So, if you need a simple yet effective tool to help you spread the word about your business, AWeber might be the answer you’re looking for.
Setting Up AWeber
Let’s get to the good stuff. Once you launch the tool, you’ll see a big yellow button that says “Paste AWeber Code.” Just click that button and you’ll be transported to a page that lets you choose from a variety of templates. I’m going to select the professional “Full-Feature” plan as my demo, because I think it gives you the best chance of seeing how everything works. (Note: This is not financial advice, and I am not affiliated with AWeber in any way. Just giving you the option to see what the tool has to offer.)
When you click the template you want to use, you’ll be transported to a page where you can edit the content as much or little as you need. There are several options here, from basic text and some icons, to a complete photo-slideshow. You can also add a signature at the bottom of your emails, and most templates come with a pre-built call-to-action (CTA) at the end. That’s what we’re going to focus on today.
The Power Of Call-To-Action
One of the most useful features of the Full-Feature plan is its call-to-action (CTA). Let’s say you want to promote a sale on your website, or an offer for a free trial of your product. In that case, you would want to use a call-to-action that encourages people to click through to your website or to sign up for your trial.
There are several pre-built calls to action that you can choose from, like “Learn More,” “Sign Up Now,” and “Visit Website.” Each one of these CTAs includes a link to your website or social media accounts, so people can learn more about your business, sign up for your newsletter, or visit your website.
Along with the link comes text that will hopefully compel people to click. In the previous example, the compelling text might be “Learn More About Our Travel Agency.” Or maybe “Get Our Free Travel Guide.” In this case, the CTA would read “Sign Up Now for Our Free Travel Guide.”
As you can imagine, the more compelling the text the more clicks it will get.
Why Can’t I Use The Sample Email?
Before we begin, I just want to point out that this article is going to teach you how to use the sample email that comes with AWeber. So, if you follow the instructions, you’ll have the opportunity to try out the tool with no risk attached.
But, if you’d rather not spend your time playing around with the sample email, you can always opt out and start from scratch.
Let’s begin by deleting all the text. On the subject line of the email, you can put a brief message explaining that the article below will teach you how to use AWeber effectively. Then, you can simply copy and paste the below tutorial into your email.
If you’d like, you can also add a few more lines of text below the copied and pasted code, to flesh out the tutorial even more. You can do this by using the “Edit” button below the copied and pasted code.
Why Do I Have to Paste The Whole Article To Make It Work?
This might be a common question among the newcomers to the arena. After all, you’re probably used to using email marketing tools where you just have to copy and paste a set of instructions to get things done. So, when you get to the part where you have to paste the entire article, you might think that you’re doing something wrong.
But you’re actually doing something right. Because when you paste the entire article, you’re giving the reader the clearest message possible about what the article is trying to teach them. By doing this, you’re decreasing the chance of the reader doing something wrong, or misunderstanding the instructions. So, in a way, you’re using the entire article as a kind of mini-manual for the setup process.
Additionally, if there’s some part of the article that you find confusing or difficult to understand, it’s probably because the writer included a mini-manual for that part. This way, even if someone isn’t familiar with the jargon used in the article, they’ll still be able to follow the instructions. And as we’ve established, clarity is key to keeping users engaged. So, by including these mini-manuals, the writer is basically saying: “This is a complicated process, so here’s a detailed step-by-step guide for you.”
On the other hand, if you think that something might be useful or helpful to the reader, you can add a link to the mini-manual in the article, or provide a short snippet of text with a hyperlink. This will help the reader find the information they need without having to hunt down the entire article.
Where Can I Go From Here?
Well, to answer your question: Nowhere. The only thing left for you to do is hit that “Save Draft” button and you’ll be brought back to your email, with a nicely formatted and composed message, ready to send. Hopefully, this was helpful.
But it’s not always easy to get started with email marketing. Believe it or not, this was actually quite a bit of work, and not something that’ll happen automatically. So, if you or your team is wanting to get started with email marketing, you’ve got plenty to learn. But you’re definitely on the right track.
To conclude, let’s review the advantages of AWeber.
First of all, it’s pretty affordable. The basic plan starts at $15 per month, with discounts available for larger quantities. So, if your budget allows, it’s a great option for bootstrapping your business. (Just make sure you’re signed up for the right plan, as this article explained, or you could incur big fees if you’re accidentally billed for the wrong one.)
Another advantage of AWeber is that it has a proven track record. The company has been around for quite some time and has managed to stay popular, despite the influx of new entrepreneurs coming into the field, simply because it provides a valuable service, with a good amount of functionality, at an affordable price.
And last but not least, AWeber provides a clear and simple way to get started with email marketing. While there are several other tools similar to AWeber, if you want to quickly and effectively get your campaign up and running, this might be the option for you.