How to Plan Your Email Marketing Strategy in 7 Steps

Planning your email marketing strategy can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. 

Whether you're a seasoned consultant or just starting out, having a clear plan is essential if you want to consistently book more sales calls and grow your business. 

That’s exactly what we’re going to tackle today—how to create a strategy that not only resonates with your audience but also drives them to take action.

Ready to dive in? Let’s get started!

Why Planning is Important:

If you’ve ever sent out emails on a whim, hoping something sticks, you know that “winging it” rarely yields great results.

Planning your email marketing strategy ensures that every message you send has a purpose, aligns with your business goals, and moves your subscribers closer to booking a call with you.

Without a solid plan, it’s easy to lose focus, waste time, and miss out on opportunities to connect with your audience in meaningful ways. 

With the right strategy, though, your emails will consistently bring in new leads and help you build lasting relationships with potential clients.

7 Steps to Planning Your Email Marketing Strategy:

Now that we’ve covered why planning is crucial, let’s get into the actionable part.

Below are seven essential steps that will help you craft an effective email marketing strategy designed to consistently book more sales calls and grow your consulting business.

Step 1: Define the Goal of Your Newsletter

Before you write a single email, be clear about what you want your newsletter to achieve.

For most consultants, the primary goal is to get subscribers to book a consulting call. Everything in your strategy should drive toward this outcome - whether directly or indirectly.

Step 2: Name Your Newsletter

Your newsletter’s name sets the tone and expectations for your audience.

A good name should reflect what your content is about and who it’s for. For example, the “Email2Call Newsletter” immediately tells subscribers that the focus is on using email to generate sales calls.

Step 3: Define Your Target Audience

Who is your newsletter for?

Be specific.

Are you targeting consultants, coaches, small business owners, or another niche?

The more you understand your audience - their needs, challenges, and goals - the more effectively you can tailor your content to them.

Step 4: Identify the Problem Your Newsletter Solves

Why should someone subscribe to your newsletter?

The key is to address a specific problem your audience faces.

For instance, many consultants struggle to consistently book sales calls, so we’ve created our Email2Call newsletter to help solve this problem

Your newsletter should promise to deliver content that solves this problem, positioning you as the go-to expert.

Step 5: Create an Irresistible Lead Magnet and CTA

People love free stuff, especially when it’s valuable.

Create a lead magnet that’s hard to resist - like a detailed guide that shows your target audience how to solve their problem.

This serves as an extra incentive to join your newsletter and, if designed correctly, can help you start booking sales calls from the get-go.

Step 6: Create an Outreach Sequence

Once you’ve got your lead magnet and CTA, the next step is to create an outreach sequence that invites potential subscribers to join your newsletter.

We like to use a series of 3 emails when we reach out to potential subscribers - an initial invite, a follow-up email and a final breakup email.

Step 7: Create a Content Calendar

Consistency is key to building trust with your audience, and creating a content calendar for your newsletter can help you maintain that consistency.

So, clan out a content calendar that delivers value regularly while subtly “selling” your consulting calls.

For example, one week you might share tips on crafting compelling email subject lines, and the next, a case study showing how your solution has helped a client achieve a desirable result.

Wrap Up:

Planning your email marketing strategy is the first step toward turning your email list into a consistent source of qualified leads. 

By following these seven steps, you’ll be well on your way to creating a powerful email campaign that not only engages your audience but also encourages them to book consulting calls with you.

Task for the Week:

Take 30 minutes today to create a strategic plan for your newsletter. 

To make it easier, I’ve put together a handy worksheet that will help you define your goals, come up with a catchy name, identify your ideal clients, and more.

Download Your Worksheet Here

Don’t Have The Time To Do This Yourself?

If you’d rather skip the planning and leave it to the experts, we’ve got you covered.

Our done-for-you email marketing service is tailored specifically for busy consulting firms like yours. 

We’ll handle everything - from defining your strategy to executing your email campaigns - so you can focus on turning leads into clients and serving them.

And the best part?

You can try our service free for a week to see how we can simplify your email marketing and help you book more calls.