Get a thick, red permanent marker. Write this on your computer screen:
It’s all about conversions!
Stop email lunacy by being an email ninja. Convert your emails to the result you want.
In the mid 90’s electronic mail went mainstream. It’s been a regression in communication ever since. In a recent survey, email marketing response rates have fallen 57% since 2004. From long boring emails, to scattered diatribe, to confusing brevity – we all seem to be flailing away at how to write the best email. Here's how.
Subject Line
For starters, look again at the graffiti on your screen.
It’s all about conversions!
Due to an interesting Subject Line, compel your reader’s index finger to click-through.
Let’s say you want to reach out to a past client to strengthen your network. If you were an emailunatic you’d the subject would read: “Follow up” or “Checking in” or the single worst one “______________” (“NOTHING?” You couldn’t think of anything? Were you too busy, important, creatively bankrupt to come up with a few words?)
What if your subject line said: “Okay... enough popping into my brain.”
In six words you’ve converted your reader to wanting to know more.
Body
The sequence:
1. Grab ATTENTION
2. Get to the POINT
3. Call to (a Specific) ACTION
If you want a result from your email, even if your email is solely informative, make sure you model this sequence.
1. ATTENTION
Little Miss BornToBore would write, “How are you?”
Yes, start with their name. Then immediately inspire your reader to read the next line. Imagine if your reader saw this: “Honestly… this has to stop.”
2. POINT
You could blah, blah, blahhhhh all over your reader or you could get to the point. Mr. BoringLederhosen would write, “You’ve been on my mind and I wanted to reach out and say hi.”
Continue to get their attention with your point: “You keep popping into my noggin. So, “Wassup?”
If you absolutely must be more formal: “You keep coming to mind and I wanted to reach out.”
3. ACTION:
Those in the marketing world call it a CTA (Call to Action). Combine a CTA with specificity to skip the nauseatingly common, back-and-forth emails. Don’t just say, “Let’s connect.”
Instead, spell it out, “Let’s spend 15 minutes and catch up. How about I call your cell on Thursday at 10 am or would Friday at 9 am be better?”
Let’s recap (the thick, red permanent marker and these two examples):
Emailunatic
Subject: Follow up
Body: Robert
How are you?
You’ve been on my mind and I wanted to reach out and say hi.
Let’s connect.
Emailninja
Subject: Okay… enough popping into my brain.
Body: Robert
Honestly… this has to stop.
You keep popping into my noggin. So, “Wassup?
Let’s spend 15 minutes and catch up.
How about I call your cell on Thursday at 10 am or would Friday at 9 am be better?
Be the Emailninja you were meant to be.
