Email marketing is still one of the most effective tools of digital marketing, if you do it right. It has some of the highest levels of engagement of any channel and people are literally giving you permission to their inbox and their attention- the latter being one of the most valuable resources any of us has right now.
If you’re relying on social media as your primary outbound channel, then you’re renting the land instead of owning it. We often forget how important it is to use Email Marketing every single day. With social media, algorithms are in control of who sees your messaging and you’ll be lucky if 5-10% of the people who follow you see anything you post. Social is a ‘pay-to-play’ space. When it comes to email, it’s not uncommon to reach nearly everyone you send to with 30-45% engaging in some way.
Today we are sharing an interview with Amy Mangueira of Email Growth Society where she tells how she got started, how other women can grow their business within the email marketing space and the other things Amy is doing to help small businesses grow during the pandemic.
How did you become passionate about email marketing? What made you choose this profession?
I started email by accident. Back in 2003 I was a teacher needing to subsidize my income. So I worked at the front desk of a Fitness facility. I was challenged with new ways to both bring in new leads but also bring back those that popped in for free classes. I got really into email as a channel. I taught myself Mailchimp, starting to leverage it, and saw it actu ally work. From there I started to learn a ton of different systems like Hubspot, Pardot, and Salesforce. I left teaching in 2015 and took a Marketing Operations role that quickly turned into a Director of Marketing role, where once again I leaned heavily on email marketing to drive success. In 2017 I started consulting and founded Email Growth Society, a company focused on helping both B2B and B2C start-ups grow their company through a perfectly architecture email channel.
What are the best tools and tactics to use to measure results from email marketing?
I am a big fan of understand the FULL picture and being realistic on what I can and cannot control. Firstly, it is important to measure email programs by their core audience. Lead emails and customer emails should never be compared, Customers have more loyalty and so when looking at the metrics they are always going to be higher. Next, it is really impor tant to understand you benchmarks and baselines. That will give you the foundation to begin a formal testing and optimization plan. Lastly, email marketers need to know their lane. Once a lead offers up their email address, an email marketers job begins. But that same job ends at the end of the email click. Email marketers need to understand the me trics and micro conversions so they can continue to optimize – deliverability, opens, and clicks. Once a user hits the landing page, the email marketers job ends. I think it is impor tant for the email and eComm/Web team to be really aligned so that they can ensure a seamless user experience.
As an email marketing expert, what are some of the challenges for you when it comes to lead generation?
Well an email program is only as good as the quality of leads coming into the database. And while we always want MORE LEADS, quality trumps all of it. It is so important that personas are created and clear perimeters are set so that the lead generation efforts are bringing in the right people. The email programs are the assist to help covert and then de light these users. Trying to balance the need for MORE leads and GOOD leads is a really big challenge.
What are some of the biggest mistakes you see email marketers making?
The biggest mistake I see is they are simply sending email to send it! They are pressured to get email out the door that it becomes like an assembly line. This creates an environ ment where to simply send out an email is the goal. When I work with clients we shift this perspective to putting the customer at the center of the experience. First, we need to un derstand what email is necessary for the customer journey This may be confirmation emails or anything that can keep a user moving to the conversion goal. Next, we look for all detours and add a program there. A great example is when an user abandons their cart. We need to get them back on track. The first two are trigger, event-based email and are very effective. Only once the two above are created do we look for value-add, stay top-of mind content that is extra to either encourage conversion or delight our customers. This can take shape in a newsletter or a tips & tricks piece. And with this type of email, it is al ways helpful to field a survey that gives your users the opportunity to tell you what kind of content then want and how often.
Please give us one thing anyone can do today to improve their email marketing perfor mance.
They can segment their database, at bare minimum separating leads and customers. This is a HUGE, quick win. Leads and customers are not the same to a business and should not be treated as such. I always like to explain it like this – when we are crafting an email strategy for leads, it is similar to dating. You need to take several opportunities to let these folks get to know you and you need to get to know them. It takes time, and they are not going to be interested in everything, but they will likely come around when they are ready and be ready to marry you. Now customers, they already have brand loyalty and relations hip – you’ve tied the knot. You want to communicate to them differently, offering them special perks and showing appreciation. This one change is usually a life changer for any email program.
What opportunities has the pandemic’s confinement created?
Out of nowhere I was inundated with companies needing to pivot to email after having o close their brick-and-mortar store. This past year has made our mission at Email Growth Society more than just email – it is about saving companies! We were challenged to part ner closely with other channel leaders and created seamless integrated experiences where the email channel was in a position to assist sales. It has been rewarding, that’s for sure!
Tell us more about your business, what are the services provided?
We are email only – period! We give 100% of our attention to email programs which is out superpower. We specialize in B2B and B2C Start-ups, specifically those companies that are growing. We offer end-to-end email services for companies that may not have email in place at all to those that need to jumpstart the channel. The perk: getting things started
can take a really long time, but we can get any company up and running in 7 days or less! We pride ourselves on being educators first. We put out a lot of content that is created to help businesses make small gains with their email programs. We also appreciate our part nerships. We are proud partners with Klaviyo as well as Shopify For Start-ups.
What should every aspiring entrepreneur know about founding a business? What do you wish you had known earlier in your career?
Be the Go-Giver! I think the reason anyone starts a business is to make money and be able to follow a dream. I sort of moved into being an entrepreneur organically and is large ly came from being an educator first. I am the first to share and offer insights to help others. That naturally lead to working more closely with companies and before I knew it, I had created a network. I think that anyone that wants to go into business should read the book “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and John David Mann. It really puts a different spin on what success looks like.
Tell me about what you’re working on now.
We are working to launch a podcast for small business and start-ups that will offer weekly tips for their email channels. On the show we will have a variety of guests that will offer different perspectives and offer actionable takeaways for the listeners. We are hoping to launch this show “Conversations with an Email Guru” by later April so stay tuned.
Share two advice for female entrepreneurs.
Never forget to ask for help! This has been something I have had to work really hard on. By learning to ask for help, female entrepreneurs can reveal their strengths, not their weaknesses. By not asking for help, especially in business, we are utilizing time and efforts that could have bee focused on a better effort.
Keep showing up! Women, especially, often don’t become entrepreneurs because they fear failure. Fear is natural, but overcoming fear is powerful. Don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from it. And keep showing up.
![From Music to Perfume: How did your background as a music teacher influence your transition into perfumery, and how do you incorporate your musical sensibilities into creating fragrances? I’ve always thought in terms of metaphors, and music has many that can be related to perfumery! Beyond just thinking in terms of top, middle and base notes [soprano/alto/tenor in choir], I approach each fragrant idea as a composition. When documenting my ideas, song structures often come to mind. As the scent brief is visited, I meditate on what the fragrance should convey - do I want to create an accord or a “chord” of fragrance note combinations? Do I want an a capella soloist (a particular ingredient to stand out more than others?) Many of my thoughts regarding song composition transfers to my scent formulation process, with me treating each note as an intentional soliloquy at some point.
Brand Origin: What inspired you to start Pink MahogHany in 2005, and how has your vision for the brand evolved since its inception?
An avid lover of all things pleasantly scented (with slight modesty), looking back in retrospect, it’s no huge surprise that I’ve created an indie perfume house with just an idea to provide unique options for those who may be sensitive to unnecessary pungency. Initially, I just wanted to evaluate various blends to note their aroma profiles when “played” together…it wasn’t until I had friends and family asking if I knew of brands that catered to those who may be on the more olfactory sensitive side, that I really began to take my research more seriously. In the almost 20 years that Pink MahogHany has been in existence, our micro visions for the brand have evolved to larger territory. Where Pink MahogHany used to only be a personal brand, we are now also a bespoke formulation service provider to other indie brands seeking unique fragrance offerings for their products. These products range from (but are not limited to) perfumes, candles, body butters and lip balms. Ingredient Transparency: You emphasize transparency and the use of desirable ingredients in your products. How do you select your ingredients, and what challenges have you faced in maintaining this standard?
Being an indie brand often comes with a set of assumptions and misconceptions - one of them being more negative than positive as it relates to ingredients used. There is a lot of “fluff” in the industry with labeling falsification. Because fragrance formulas are a trade secret, not every molecular breakdown of a material has to be noted on the ingredient label (it would be incredibly long), but we at Pink MahogHany™️ adhere strongly to the IFRA [International Fragrance Regulatory Association] regulations that state for common and potential allergens to be listed on our ingredient label. We’ve taken this a step further to also include these ingredients listed on our website to promote further transparency, all while protecting our intellectual property. Unfortunately, we’ve had companies to unethically sell lesser expensive “dupes” of our artisan perfumes, so as a way to create a better authenticity stamp, we make it our duty to be honest about our claims. If our perfume says “Rose Bulgaria”, it is in fact just that and not a component of rose being passed off as the source material. Collaborations and Custom Scents: Can you share more about your work with private label clients? What excites you most about creating custom scent solutions for other indie brands? I could easily sum this up in one word and say “Funding.” True, there is money out there, but I’m always thinking outside the box. Having a program that has an “Each One Fund One” mentality doesn’t exist (that I’ve been made aware of). Bootstrapping can be quite the challenge, even when you’ve reached the 6-figure mark annually. Competition to be seen and set apart is extremely high, so having quality packaging and branding is a must. There are lots of factors to consider, though when desiring to make upgrades. If there were a unique, tier-geared funding operation available, it would help perfume brands offset packaging and bulk material costs in the beginning stages.
Industry Challenges: What are some of the biggest challenges you've faced as an independent fragrance house, and how have you overcome them to grow your brand? As the brand continues on the path of organic growth, I would like to expand our reach into schools, offering perfumery as an arts elective for middle and high school. I’d love to partner with botanists, farmers and horticulturists directly to grow and source raw materials for the students to work with in the creation of tinctures. My passion is getting back to nature as best as possible, as nature was my first “scent experience” as a child. We would also love to witness our fragrance creations being used to scent model homes, our focus diffuser blends being used in automobile dealerships as well as partner with Air Bnb and boutique hotels that specialize in highlighting minority, indie brands. Personal Journey: How has your personal experience, particularly as a divorced mother and someone who has experienced the loss of a child, shaped your approach to life and your work in perfumery?
Because I homeschool my twin sons, we are together a lot more than most, so one thing we all do is have moments of sharing where a neutral “floor” is laid to converse about anything. Though they are quite communicative by nature, I realize that sometimes I can be in work mode so much that it spills over into what should be our quality time. My sons see the authentic me and learn how to communicate through seeing authenticity. I’ve learned not to feel as if I have to be the epitome of perfection but allow them to see my imperfections vulnerably but with discernment. Having had two traumatic experiences pretty close together has taught me how to truly slow down and enjoy the simplicities of life - igniting a spiritual aspect that I’ve always carried but never fully explored…until Kenji’s sudden passing (2018.) Grief has a way of catapulting us into a quest for more meaningfulness in both life and business. After Kenji’s passing and my processing through the initial stages of grief, I was able to incorporate our spiritual bond into Pink MahogHany by way of essential oil diffuser blends for both focus and sleep and most recently aromatic perfume elixirs. It’s been quite the process channeling the void of his physical presence, but I also have peace knowing he can be honored in a great way through scent. I noticed once I began to be more open and receptive to spiritual signs, synchs and “winks”, more ideas began to flow. It’s been this way since his transition. Emotional Expression: Fragrance is often tied to memories and emotions. How does your personal life influence the fragrances you create, and do you have a particular scent that holds special meaning to you? My creative process is much more alchemic now, and I include Kenji by talking out loud to him, believe it or not. I’m a firm believer that when our loved ones transition from the physical plane, they are still present - just in another form. I choose to keep his memory alive by not pretending he never existed (even if for a brief period of time). I am working (slowly) on a book and accompanying fragrance, but I know it will require me to revisit some memories I’m not quite ready for, so until then, his big brothers will launch their debut fragrance, The Peaceful Tiger (they chose the name.) I’ve learned that even in what we consider “small things”, our transitioned loved ones want to be recognized and acknowledged. When the twins and I designed their fragrance label (with a designer out of the country that didn’t know anything about me personally), we had issues with the graphic - so much so that the designer asked if they could rework the design. When they sent the proof for approval, the Tiger was not only younger but sleeping, with an uncanny, angelic resemblance to baby Kenji! Becoming more aware and being more sensitive to my intention for launching a fragrance has definitely made room for more divine situations like these to occur. Healing Through Scent: In what ways has creating fragrances been a form of healing or expression for you, especially after the loss of your son, Kenji Mwamba? I know my sons may not necessarily want to be perfumers, but they definitely have an entrepreneurial heart. My desire is that whatever they decide to pursue (acting, script-writing, music or architecture), they know that anything is possible with the right amount of determination, grit, belief and immersion. One reason I chose to homeschool is so they could enjoy learning without restraint and have ample time to devote to their own separate passions and it still be fun. They know Pink MahogHany is theirs if they want it (many, many years from now - lol), and we are already discussing business structures for whatever they choose their role to be once I retire. Work-Life Balance: How do you find balance between your professional responsibilities and personal well-being, and what self-care practices do you prioritize? I’m not just a perfumer; I’m also a consumer, and self-care is huge for me. I often take salt baths to reset my energy and clear my mind after being around large groups of people or free a long day. I’m a habitual perfume sampler, and I have so many to choose from to wear as my “nightcap.” Even if just for 10-15 minutes, I cherish each moment I’m able to have some “me-time.” When time and co-parenting schedules permit, I’m definitely on a flight somewhere to indulge in some delicious food and mouth-watering mocktails!](https://www.womenontopp.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/IMG_3812-1200x720.jpeg)
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