Email marketing: write like a pro

Before getting into the digital space, I spent a good part of my life as a radio broadcaster and I’ve always been fascinated by the similarities between radio and effective communication online. There are a few which really stand out for me.

Be one-to-one
Just like radio, the web provides a sense of intimacy that most other mediums don’t. Whether this is real intimacy or a false sense of it, is debatable. Certainly we’ve all seen examples of people getting themselves in trouble by getting too comfortable with what they share online.

Think about how people read email though. People don’t read their email aloud in a chorus. People almost always read it to themselves as individuals and communicating with people as individuals in your email marketing leverages that connection. In my opinion, writing to an audience and not an individual weakens the connection and dilutes the power of your message.

Be a good story teller
When you share a good story with people, I think it demonstrates that you feel their attention is important enough to put some real work into earning it.

And don’t tell me you don’t have any good stories to tell! I’ve never met anyone in my entire life that didn’t have at least a few good stories or a couple someone shared with them.

Be accessible
I always thought one of the cool things about radio was that you could pick up a phone and call the announcer who was actually on the air. Do you remember the first time you called in for a request and found yourself talking to the actual DJ? I don’t know about you, but that was big thrill for me when I was a kid.

My experience has been that just being accessible and quick to respond to people via whatever channel online, goes miles to win them over.

There’s nothing people hate more than someone who talks constantly and never listens. So, you have to be listening via social channels more than you talk.

I realise this takes effort, but I’ve found the rewards to be worth it. I have absolutely nothing against good automation and triggered email marketing. In fact, I think triggered email marketing is going to be used more and more to improve both communications and the user experience. However, I do believe strongly that when your customer or prospect wants to talk to a human, it should be easy.

Be courageous and share
I think this may be the hardest for many people online. It’s a little easier for me because coming from radio, I have years of experience sharing glimpses of my life on air and that has carried over rather easily to the virtual world. I’m probably a little too open at times.

Share experiences which people have in common and can relate to. Get to know your email subscribers as much as possible then share those common experiences that we all have when they help you deliver your message. Stay away from tangents – just use your experiences to make a common connection with others. The difference between a good story and a sermon is brutally honest editing.

Be the reader
One of the hardest things to do in radio is to listen to your own show and I mean really listen. I think it might also be the same for writers. We are so focused on being the author that we forget to be the reader too. Being the reader makes us a better writer.

Jim Ducharme, Community Manager, GetResponse, @hugeheadca

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