It’s the pop-up video. The marketing email. The credit card offer in your snail mail.
The stuff that makes you say, “I didn’t ask for this.”
That’s spam, people.
And while some people have a higher tolerance for it, it’s hardly ever your best strategy.
Instead, go for the opposite. Something like, “Wow, that’s even better than I was expecting.”
Emails everybody likes getting:
Friends send these types of emails.
You open them. And you hardly ever unsubscribe.
So why not think of your email list exactly the same way?
It’s how I think of mine.
What’s in the subject line of your email?
Detailed description? That doesn’t get it opened.
“Please read” after the detailed description? That doesn’t get it opened.
Capital letters and a threat like “PLEASE READ AND DO NOT DELETE?” That doesn’t get it opened.
What about building trust in your email recipients that your emails will be relevant, brief, and value-add? That can’t go in a subject line. But it’s something any administrator, consultant or marketer can do to get their emails opened and responded to.
Because if you’re using too much detail, begging, or making THREATS in your subject lines, you’ve already lost. Perhaps, then, start from the beginning. No subject.
Bad advertising:
Good advertising:
Yes, you can make a nice living selling advertisements or ad space. And you can take comfort in the proactivity of buying advertisements for your business.
But unless it’s good advertising, you’ll never really make an impact.
You’re asked to like facebook fan pages all the time. When you decline, or say “Do not like”, what is your message?
If you say no to McDonald’s, you’re saying no to their products. No to their impact on society. No, don’t market to me.
If you say no to Draftstreet, you’re saying no to their services. No, I don’t want to play. No, I don’t want to join the conversation.
If you say to lifeisnoyoke, you’re saying no to their content. I don’t like your ideas. I don’t want to change my views on food.
The exact message varies when you “Do not like”. But, it’s always clear. And always yours.
Own it.
Getting an update is always good. Even if the news isn’t.
When your contractor calls you to say he’s over budget, you’re glad you got the update. When the subway announces the train will be stopped for ten minutes, you’re glad you got the update. When your waiter says they’re out of the dover sole, you’re glad you got the update.
Good updates are obviously better. But the bad ones are better than nothing.
So if getting updates is so good, why not give more?
Why? Didn’t you start because you like to help people? Don’t you like being the expert? Don’t you like the excitement of a dynamic workplace?
I did, too. But still wanted to escape consulting. So what did I do? I figured out what I actually wanted to be an expert in.
Then I started to build an email list.
Before I knew it, I was able to escape. And the best part? I am still helping people. Still an expert. Still in a dynamic workplace. I’m just happier in this one.
Their toolbar just showed up on my browser without my permission. Why?
These days, Ask.com survives on strategic trickery. Their toolbar lands in places it’s likely to stick. Old folk’s desktops. Foreigners laptops. Or in the office of a small-business person who is simply too busy to deal with the annoyance.
Ask.com never would have done this ten years ago. People used to came to them to asking questions. Now, people come to them asking them to go away.