Pangea.app recently talked to Kayla Shawley CEO and Founder of Shawley Marketing LLC. Shawley graduated from the Art Institute of 2016 and majored in Fashion and Retail Management before finding her way into marketing. She started as a marketing assistant at a credit union before hopping over to an email marketing team for a casino. Once the pandemic hit and she was furloughed, she dove headfirst into freelancing.

What does email marketing consist of?

• Set up an email service provider for yourself
• Set up workflows, which is when you get an email nudge
• Segmenting out lists
• Copy Writing
• Analyzing open rates and other engagement

Where you might start…

Putting together a Newsletter as part of a client’s marketing strategy.  You’re going to want to talk to you clients to understand their:

• Marketing goals
• Sales goals
• New arrivals
• Spotlighted news

Tools used on the daily.

• Slack
  Communicating with clients and other freelance groups
• Google Workspace   
  Calendar to help communicate and set up meetings with clients
  Drive to help share elements and keep your files in order
• Canva   
  Not only great for building but great for inspiration.
• Email Service Providers
  Programs like MailChimp and SendGrid handle everything from contacts and scheduling to analytic data to send back to your client.
  Most email service providers will also help you turn your designs into bulletproof, responsive emails

Email service providers:

• Mailchimp
• Constant Contact
• Mailerlite
• Active Campaign

Tips when putting together an email:

• Build out an email template for each client
• Emails shouldn’t be too image heavy
• Try not to put text over an image
• Don’t make the content to wordy
• Add a call to action
• Test your email by sending it to multiple email clients on your computer and your phone
• Double check your numbers and links

Best practices:

• Work on a “wow” subject line
• Use alternate text and links on images

The plusses of being a freelancer

• You can set boundaries and your clients understand
• Other freelancers understand the space that you’re in
• Your network shares the latest industry updates
• Your network is always thinking about you for an opportunity  
• Helps other freelancers in the email space that have an overflow of work

The best advice from Kayla?

Do it scared.

That’s literally how I’m living my life. I don’t necessarily know how to do the things that people are asking me to do, but I’m doing it anyway and learning on the fly. I suggest that you just get started, whatever thing you’re interested in – just do it. If it’s something you’re passionate about or something you might be interested in, then try it - what’s the worst that happens?

Also, find mentors. Find people who are doing the thing that you’re doing and that are successful and ask them questions. More than likely, they’re going to want to help you.