Tag Archives: email sequence

Later is never

Posted by on December 29, 2011 No comments

Prospects are a tricky bunch. They never do what you’d like them to.

It’s infuriating – and it’s not great for profits either.

Here’s what it all boils down to:

“People buy when it suits them – not when it suits you”

But it’s because of this auto-responders work so well. When it finally suits a prospect to buy, if one of your mails has just tapped them on the shoulder, you’re in with a great chance.

But sometimes, you don’t even need to be in the right place (their inbox) at the right time (as often as possible).

There’s another way to cajole them in to doing what you’d like, whether they are ready to buy or still mulling stuff over.

It’s not new or ground breaking. And like everything else on this blog it really is old hat. But it works. Here it is:

Add urgency to your mails in any way you can

Adding urgency works for two reasons.

Firstly, there are always prospects who want to enquire or buy – but are too busy. They decide to do it later. But the truth is, later is never. Never forget that.

Urgency gives them the nudge they need to find the time.

The second reason is just plain greed. All these examples appeal to greed – and all of them work well:

“This offer has to end at …”

“10% discount if you order by …”

“Voucher valid until…”

Yes, they are old and clichéd. But you keep seeing them because they work. So don’t be afraid of using them or variations for your business. It makes a real difference.

My favourite example of ‘creative urgency’ came from a local car dealership just before Christmas. They sent out a brazenly honest email, with oodles of urgency.

Basically, the mail said, “This is always a terrible time of year for us – we sell next to nothing. So have a look at the discount on these. You won’t get anywhere near these prices in the New Year.”

It just goes to show whatever you do or sell, there are always ways to add urgency.

How to get your emails opened

Posted by on December 29, 2011 No comments

It’s all very well building a list of prospects – but it’s a pointless activity unless two things happen:

  • Your emails get scanned or read
  • Your prospects click through

It’s here where you really can trounce the competition, because most businesses send out the same dull info, in the same dull format, hoping to bore or bludgeon their list in to submission.

Don’t forget, unless EVERY mail has something of real value for prospects, you’re wasting your money and their time.

But there’s a really easy way to stand out from the dull corporate crowd and get your mails opened, read and clicked. Just tell a story.

It works like a charm – but so few do it.

A story brings your emails to life – wrap them around news, curiosity, self interest or an ‘easy way’ and you’ll always have folk opening, reading and clicking.

It’s the clicks that count – they are the life blood of your business. If click throughs don’t happen, nothing else does. No sales. No enquiries. Nothing. You may as well not have mailed.

So here are two great ‘story’ examples. One is an old classic that demonstrates how much a story can grab you, and the other an email sent from Michael Senoff, of hardtofindseminars.com

Michael’s subject headers, short sentences and paragraphs always get me reading. And because he always tells a story, it’s impossible to stop (it’s worth signing up to his list just to see how he does it).

This old Zippo ad plays on curiosity. Once you’ve been suckered in by the headline, it’s no effort at all to read the body copy.

Below is one of Michael Senoff’s emails:

 Subject header: Happy Birthday to Ace The Leopard Gecko. .

 Alastair,

 Ace, our leopard gecko is now two years old.

 I can remember how he came into our life.

 After watching “Wild Recon”, a new reptile show on the learning channel, my 10 year old son decided he wanted a gecko.

 So I agreed that is was time for him to take on more responsibility.

 I told him I would buy the gecko and pay for the glass habitat, heated rock, sand and the first round of food.

 He agreed to sign a gecko care agreement and to clean the poop, change the water, feed it crickets and worms every 3 days.

 So at 10:00 Sunday morning we were at the pet store looking into the class case of 20 baby geckos.

 How would he choose the right one, I thought?

 What gecko would stand apart from the rest?

 They all looked the same.

 The pet store attendant opened the case and all the geckos were in sight.

 And then something happened . .

  One of the geckos crawled away from the pack.

 He nestled himself next to the corner closest to us.

 And that’s the gecko my son took home and called Ace.

 And if you want to stand out from the crowd, you too have to separate yourself from the rest.

 And here’s some great audio interviews on how to do that.

 Go to

 http://www.hardtofindseminars.com/Stand_Apart.htm

 PS. 19 other geckos had the same chance to stand apart.