Okay, draw this…
You go to a party with 15-20 people, there are drinks, light snacks and some decent music. In addition, you have a babysitter for the children. So you might as well make the most of it.
As the night goes on, there are 2 people you can talk to directly;
We’ll call them Person A and Person B.
Person A – He comes up to you and tells you his name, his job, what he likes to do on the weekend… All about his Australian Labradoodle. He doesn’t stop talking and then leaves.
Five minutes later he comes back and asks you to give him a drink. You politely say no. He comes back 10 minutes later and does it again. After he goes around for the third time, even though the music is good and the food is delicious, you leave.
Person B – He approaches you and asks what is your name. Then starts asking you what you do for a living and actually listens. He offers you a drink, then says he has to go. You stay a little longer before going home.
Who would you like to talk to at a Halloween party?
It is obvious that the person B. He asked you questions, listened and actually offered you something. It doesn’t seem reasonable.
This example sounds so disgusting in person, but this is exactly what happens when we send email. We act as Person A, but expect our email subscribers to feel like Person B and actually buy from us…
Just because we’re using a computer doesn’t mean we’re not talking human to human. This simple mindset shift can change your email marketing results forever.
Don’t make it complicated, talk
So how do we actually talk to our email list? And why do we want to?
Your email list can be your business’ most valuable asset, but it can also become worthless if you provide a bad experience. The best way to secure your email
To be clear, I’m not saying that sending promotional emails is bad. They account for the majority of email revenue. But what I am saying is that your email emails can be more effective and create more authentic relationships showing that you think a relationship with your subscribers.
One of the simplest ways to accomplish this is to ask your audience what product you should launch next. Here is an example.
Not only can this email be effective in engaging your customers. But you will get real feedback about what product your customers want. I can’t tell you how many times I make mistakes about what products to release.
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Similar to this example, there are tons of other ways to build genuine relationships with your email marketing. Here are some more ideas for your campaigns.
- Tell your founder’s story
- Do a Meet the Team to share other faces of your brand
- Share behind-the-scenes content (how your products are made/designed, etc.)
- Provide education around your product
- Collaborate with other brands
- Share your social media profiles
- Ask for photos with your products (this is also a great way to get UGC).
Get involved in email campaigns like this and your subscribers will have more confidence in your brand when it comes time to receive your promotional emails.
Show in inbox, not ad tab
Another huge benefit of asking questions in your email. when your subscribers respond, you’ll show Google that you’re relevant and more likely to move from the promotions tab to the inbox.
I have a beautifully designed email. big fan of emails, but sending a simple text message is a great way to cut through the noise and show where you want to be… the coveted inbox.
In conclusion:
Building genuine relationships through your email marketing is the best way to keep your subscriber base engaged (and profitable) over time. This means sending emails that aren’t just about selling your products or promoting sales. Take the time to show your email.