Email blasts can be a very effective way to communicate with a large number of interested people. Unfortunately, many people get so caught up in the mechanics of sending the blast that they don’t put enough effort into the most important part – writing the actual message!
The first bit of advice I would offer to a budding email marketer is to look at your personal writing skills. Do you like to write? Can you write clear and compelling copy? If not, you might want to partner up with someone who enjoys writing… and is good at it. The best email plan in the world is doomed to failure if the message isn’t clear and well written. Don’t try to fake it. A couple of sloppy emails will quickly result in people leaving your list.
1. Start with a strong title. The title is the only information your recipients have to decide if they want to open your email blast or not. Make sure it clearly describes what the email is about. Remember, you can’t control how much of the title your subscriber’s email client will display so keep it short and to the point.
2. Tell them why the message is relevant to them. How will your message, product or service make their life easier? You need to define the need and provide a solution, but avoid any “too good to be true” language. It’s OK to show some enthusiasm, but keep the message simple.
3. Clearly describe your service or product – what are you selling. Be specific and to the point.
4. Have a clear call to action. You would be surprised by the number of marketing messages that never close the sale. You can write the most elegant email in the world but if you don’t tell them what to do next, your results will be poor. Tell them how to get your product and make it easy for them to give you money. Provide a link to order on-line, a telephone number, or a location where the product can be purchased. Google, Amazon and many other internet companies have easy and inexpensive options for setting up an on-line store. If your product is a physical item that can be shipped easily, I highly suggest you look into it.
5. Thank them for their time. They didn’t have to spend the last few minutes with your message. Let them know you appreciate their attention.
By following these simple guidelines, your e-mail marketing plan will have a much better chance for success.
