As an experiment, I signed up for several different email newsletters and blogs, to see how various marketing experts treat me. How often do they send me relationship building stuff or opportunities to learn for free — versus how quickly do they get into selling mode. Overall, most get a B minus. It was mixed bag. Some started pushing their paid courses and other digital products at rapid pace while a few were slower and deliberate. In my little study, I learn seven important lessons that reminded me about best practices when selling to humans.
Seven Lessons for Using Email Marketing for Human Beings
- It is just too soon. Just because you have my email address, you haven’t earned the right to sell me. Yet. Slow down, tell me stuff that will make me ask the question, how I can learn more.
- Tone matters. I noticed that many of the emails were aggressive and pushy right out of the gate. In building a connection in person, you would never be that forthright. Slow it down AND tone it down.
- Frequency matters, even more. You would never call on a prospect four times in one day. Why do you think it is okay to do this with email? I know your class is closing at 5pm today, but do I need to get four emails?
- Relevance is the key. You have my attention but lead me into the discussion by helping me understand how you can solve my problem. If your pitch is that you can help me grow my email list then illustrate that through your communication. Give me a few free tips that demonstrate that you know what you are talking about. Find my pain point, and share with me a few of your pain killers
- Paragraphs are overwhelming. Give me snack size information to understand and entice me to order your entrees. With attention being the real challenge, you will overwhelm me with two-thousand-word emails. Send me a few tidbits to entice my interest but please, don’t flood me on so many topics.
- Pictures, images and metaphors help. If your subject matter is complex, break it down. Maybe an image or a metaphor will help me understand your value proposition. If you offer one-hundred different marketing services, help frame things with a Swiss-army knife metaphor that shows me you are a one-stop shop. If you are a narrow and focused, maybe show me a highly sophisticated tool designed for a singular purpose. Visuals enhance storytelling.
- Too many CTA. (Call to action). In one email, the sender had three different actions they offered me. Too much. Too confusing. Too many choices. Make it as simple as ordering at Chipotle. Don’t overwhelm with complexity.
I’m hooked on email marketing and love the ability to communicate directly with my customers or prospects. But treat each engagement like you would if you were having coffee at Starbucks with them. Be respectful of their time. Don’t overwhelm them with too much stuff. Learn about their needs. Give the relationship time to breathe, grow and deepen. Show how you can be valuable to them without being pushing. Plant seeds but don’t forget to regularly water and fertilize too.
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Email me if you would like to talk about a marketing project, need or opportunity. Connect with me at jeffreylynnslater@gmail.com
