How many times have you seen it? You open your inbox just to see another long, seemingly endless list of emails. You cautiously open each one, giving “some” of them 10-20 seconds of a quick scan. If something captures your interest, you read on. If not, it’s a quick click (delete key) and you move on. If this is your pattern, you are not alone. This scenario is repeated by thousands, if not millions of internet users each and every day.
Knowing this pattern makes the job of internet marketers even more difficult. Our ability to cultivate and retain any significant numbers in a downline is directly determined by our ability to maximize these precious few seconds of reading time. Have you got what it takes to write an email and get the replies flying in? Most of us send out emails almost every day. We do it all too often without carefully thinking about it. As a result, these emails are often written and sent out less than perfect and fail to produce the desired result.
The purpose of sending out mass email is usually intended to attract visitors to view a website rather than make a sale, therefore it is important to take your time and define your aim precisely before writing the email. Here are a few hints to help you along the way:
- Keep it simple and brief
- Avoid using long or technical words as some people may not understand them.
- Do not use three words where one will suffice.
- If the email is long and full of waffle boredom will set in and without a doubt, it is likely to be deleted before reaching the end of it.
- The opening paragraph is vital.
- If it does not click with the reader right away you have wasted your time sending it.
- It’s true that even the best writers spend time editing and rewriting their articles and emails.
- Start with an eye-catching headline. It might be a question or statement. You must grab their attention right away.
- Make sure to look at it from your readers’ point of view, is it forceful enough or exciting to make you want to read on and discover the end result?
- Headlines hook prospects and lead them to the next line. There you start to build their interest to ensure they read the next sentence… and each subsequent one.
- You might even find it is worth offering a free gift or a monthly newsletter that would help their business.
- If the intention of your email is to make a sale then offer a guarantee or a full refund. This should dispel any fears they may have.
A cheeky way to test out your email is to send it to a couple of friends who are interested in business, add a message at the end of it and ask them to email you. If you don’t receive a reply, take it as a sign that perhaps your email was discarded before they made it far enough down the message, to get your message. When this happens it is a good idea to edit your email and remove any unneeded text before sending back out to your master list.
The exact techniques and methods you use will vary depending on personal preferences, product differences, market circumstances, etc. However, the basic approach is to make sure you give it some advance preparation and work, before sending them out. You will be pleasantly amazed at the difference it makes.
photo credit: Joe The Goat Farmer Email Marketing Pitfalls You Can and Must Avoid via photopin (license)
