email marketing content

E-mail Marketing Content That Works

WHAT to say to

WHOM and

HOW …

… to ensure that your emails get read!

Three BIG Changes Coming

Copyright 2000-2010 Michael Katz. All rights reserved.

1. Lots of publishing tools


Offline

Online

2. The end-user holds all the cards.

3. The business/personal line is vanishing…


What DO you like?

What DON’T you like?


Why are we publishing

content anyway?


A Simple Content Equation

Our Expertise(What do we know?)

Our TargetClient/Customer(Whose attention

do we want?)

What do we knowthat they want/need

to know?

Our Voice/Personality


In what areaare youan

EXPERT?

(Hint: You know more than you realize.)

What questions are people already asking?

“How do I . . . ?”

“Should I . . .?”

“What do you think about . . .?”

“How do I know if . . . ?”

“Is it worth spending money on . . .?

“What would you recommend for . . .?”

“What will happen if . . .?”

“Why is it that . . .?”

“Could you recommend . . .?”


To whom areyou writing?

Legal Advice for Small

Business Owners

Legal Advice for Female SmallBusiness Owners

In Arizona

High Interest

Low Interest

Potential Audience Size

Legal Advice

Who’s yourAudience?

Who wants to share their answers?

WHAT are you sending to WHOM?

Balance Between “Useful” and “Promotional”

ContentBalance

80%: Useful, interesting, relevant information… things that

help your audience live their lives / do their jobs better

20%:Our companyOur productsOur missionOur valuesOur clients

People we’ve promotedCharities we sponsor


Become the“World’s Leading Expert”

• Narrow your focus• Don’t over-rely on statistics or other experts• Beware of qualifiers. (e.g., “I believe” … “I think” … “It seems to me”)

• Take a position (perspective, not just information)

Perspective is better than information (and there’s an endless supply)

• What do you disagree with?

• What are clients/customers having problems with?

• What’s funny?

• What’s interesting?

• What’s the real reason behind …. ? And what will be its impact?

• What does the press not seem to understand?

• Where do you break ranks with your peers/industry?

• What analogies/metaphors do you already use?

• What happened last week? What will happen next month?

• What are you scared about? What are you looking forward to?

• What’s good, bad, ill-conceived, poorly written, about time, irrelevant in your industry?

(What do you know that a recently graduated competitor doesn’t?)

http://www.thegardencentergroup.com

Newsletter, 11/9/09:

“My guess is that a garden center beginning the season with 20% or more off all Christmas items probably shouldn't be doing Christmas decor in the first place... “When a discount this high is the only hope a company has for getting stuff to sell, the real issue is company buying decisions, not the economy… “And don't try that ‘mark way up to mark way down so a big sale can be advertised to draw traffic during a down economy’ lump of coal…”

Become the World’s Leading Expert

Give information away.


Web Site

Thought Pieces Podcast

Books

CD Giveaway

Public Speaking

Repurpose your content!


Feedback / Interaction

• Ask for it: “Click reply to tell me what you think (I respond to every e-mail).”

• Link to photos and videos • Hold contests

• Showcase other readers’ comments

• Give things away • Point of view (say something worth responding to)


Do I know you, or are you SPAM?


Even if I know you, why should I open this?


Which one is best?

From: Subject:


Copyblogger: How to Write Magnetic Headlines

Source: http://www.copyblogger.com/magnetic-headlines/

Part 2:How to Write…..


Writing E-mail Content, Oversimplified:

1. Write in your real voice. 2. Write as if you already know the other person.

(I told you it was oversimplified.)


Find your voice

What’s already working?

What do your friends, colleagues,clients/customers like about you?


Sample Response:Easy, efficient, effective, empatheticInsightful, creative, reliableProfessional, informed, informative, easy-to-do-business-with, collaborativeCommitted, honorable, experienced, thoughtfulHas integrity, visual, coolFriendly, efficient, intelligentCongenial, professional, successfulResponsive, solution-oriented, professionalResponsive, empathetic, collaborativeProfessional, personable, flexible, funProfessional, pleasant, reassuring, has integrityTop-notch customer service, honest, forthright, down-to-earth, unpretentiousSmart, reliable, dependable, experienced, "gets it" creativelyProfessional, knowledgeable, creativeOrganized, knowledgeable, calmInnovative, energetic, cutting-edgeHappy, professional, best

I’m working on clarifying the "voice" and personality of my company, in order to improve the way we market and communicate.

Please help me by answering one simple question: What are the first three words that come to mind when you think of me and/or my company?

Send this e-mail to15 people whoknow you well


http://ittybiz.com/

“I don’t want to look unprofessional”


Write to someone you know well

• I’m very comfortable around her • I know what she needs to know • I know how much of an insider she is• I know how “all business” she is• I know what kinds of words to use

Nancy Latadywww.latadyphysicianstrategies.com


crisp autumn morning

woefully inadequate

ugly divorce from an ancient, once fruitful relationship

To my mind

What language is appropriate?


. . . . . .

. . . . . .

http://www.girlslife.com/


“We’ll eat free donuts.”

“Psst... I know what's bothering you (in addition to my photo up above).”

“…ground-breaking, earth-shattering, gut-igniting (or whatever) half-day workshop.”

“Considerably less than (I'm guessing) what one new client is worth to you.”

Hey Michael!

This is just a note to let you know that we've moved your email accounts to a new servers! We apologize for the lack of notice, but this move was necessary to insure stability and increase the performance of your mail service.

What does this mean to you? Hopefully nothing! PLEASE READ THIS FULL MESSAGE though, as it may help you fix any problems that come up as a result of the move.

[… techy detail on server settings removed from here …]

That's it really.. and again, we really apologize for the abrupt nature of this move!

Thanks!The Happy DreamHost Moving Team

Pop Quiz: What’s wrong with this e-mail?

(Sent from Dreamhost Support, 11/15/09)


Before: Andrea Novakowski is a Master Certified Coach who provides Business and Personal Coaching to Executives, Business Owners, Professionals and Managers. Andrea partners with people to set goals and create momentum to produce effective results in their business and/or personal lives.

Write the way you speak (lose the elevator speech).

(www.coachandrea.com)

After: I'm a Business Coach and I specialize in working with people who own their own businesses. Like you, I'm a business owner and have been for 25 years. During that time I've built two companies, one of which was sold to Blue Cross Blue Shield of MA in the mid-90's. So I know what it's like to juggle lots of moving parts in keeping things working day to day. My work with clients focuses on helping them sift through their conflicting priorities and demands, determining what's most important and taking action. I'm in your corner as a sounding board, strategic thinker and occasional whip-cracker.


Trouble Getting Started?

• Never look at a blank screen• Start an idea file• Record first, then transcribe• Write as fast as you can• Shut your monitor off


Tell stories!


“The home features a cabinet-packed kitchen, hardwood flooring, open floor plan, good sized bedrooms, master suite with bonus room and fireplace and finished lower level.”

“The cabinet-packed cherry eat-in kitchen has a bay window overlooking a level back yard with a large deck and screened porch nearby.”

“Upgraded woodwork & moldings, cherry kitchen w/granite counters, hardwood floors on all 1st floor.”


Why tell stories?

• You’re already good at it• Unique to you• Memorable• Very revealing


“I wandered through the local Blockbuster video store last Saturday afternoon, hoping to find a movie that would satisfy the necessary criteria: Not too violent for my wife Linda; not too mature (if you know what I mean) for my 14 year-old son Evan; not too scary for me…

“So I pressed on down the aisles. As I turned the corner, it hit me. Tucked in-between School for Scoundrels and Snakes on a Plane was Shut Up and Sing, a behind-the-scenes look at the Dixie Chicks and the controversy created in 2003, when lead singer Natalie Maines made a negative comment about George Bush, during a concert in London.”

Stories are First Person; Stories include Detail:

http://bluepenguindevelopment.com/newsletters/2007_03_23.html Copyright 2000-2010 Michael Katz.

All rights reserved.

Story + Bridge +“A-ha” = Info Segment

+

“I mention all this, because over the last 15 years or so, I’ve noticed the same thing happening with content. What I used to know to be true, no longer is. ”

+ Copyright 2000-2010 Michael Katz.


Story + Bridge +“A-ha” = Info Segment

NCAA basketball pool leads to lesson on tracking financial numbers.http://www.finman.com/bayou/2010_05_howes_bayou.html

Eating salad with a fork leads to lesson on giving salespeople the right tools.http://www.smsearch.com/newsletter/0410.html

Attending the “Lakers Fan Jam” leads to lesson on looking for what’s NOT there.http://www.darumanyc.com/newsletter/Daruma_2010_04.html

Superbowl TV coverage leads to a lesson in targeting info to the right audience.http://www.bluepenguindevelopment.com/newsletters/2010_02_05.html


More Content Suggestions:

• Simple

• Trim

• Short sentences

• “Too many” paragraph breaks

• Plenty of white space

• Boldface, bullets, numbered lists

• Another pair of eyesCopyright 2000-2010 Michael Katz.


Make it easy to scan…

Plenty of white space Short paragraphs

Large, easy to read typeface

Boldface to highlight

Numbered (or bulleted lists)

Black text on white background

http://www.wellspringfinancial.com/groundhog.phpCopyright 2000-2010 Michael Katz. All rights reserved.

Make this story better!

There was a problem in a retail store recently. The electric eye over the automatic door fell down and a few customers who wanted to leave didn’t know what to do. Until somebody came by and pushed the door open and they all realized that they could leave by doing the same thing.


Three Books

Made to StickChip & Dan Heath

8 ½ Steps to WritingFaster, Better

Daphne Gray-Grant

Spunk & BiteArthur Plotnik


[email protected]

Blue Penguin Development, Inc.One Ash Street

Hopkinton, MA 01748508-497-0900Copyright 2010, Blue Penguin Development, Inc.

One last thing…


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2010 michael

rights reserved

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