Marketing

Summary: Learn why you should give your mailing list readers a reason why you are contacting them.

Are you on a mailing list where the list owner emails you about the next big thing you “need to buy” but doesn’t give you a reason why they contacted you. I know I am on a few of those lists. I stay on them because I want to be constantly reminded that people don’t care about what you want. They care about what they want. Remember that next time you’re thinking about what to say to someone in a marketing email.

To give you an example, let’s say I have a widget I want to sell to you. I can easily create a quick email and just blurt out what I want, “Buy my widget”. Or, I can consider what you want, which typically is a faster, cheaper, better way to do business. If I do this I might say, “Bob, I know you want to make more money with your business. I have been reviewing a new xyz product and this is how xyz product can help you do that”.

Notice how I shifted the focus from me to you. I’m still involved, but we are opening up a conversation about what you want, not what I want. Ultimately, if I fill your need, I get what I want. But, I can’t just lead in with the end result and expect you to get excited.

The sample sentence I just gave you is only an example of what you might say. There are certainly more and better ways to work the dialog, but I think you get the idea. You see, I don’t get what I want until I focus on what you want. It’s that simple.

Just remember, you have every reason to tell someone why you’re contacting them, and no reason not too. The reason doesn’t have to be long or intense. It doesn’t have to be clinical or dry, but it should be included.

When you give a reason why you’re contacting someone you’re acknowledging their sense of order and sensibility. You’re saying, “I understand that your time is important and I would only interrupt you if the information is important”. This adds credibility to your position and puts the reader in a state of reception. Subconsciously they feel that they must pay attention because there is a reason you contacted them.

One final point to consider when stating your reason for making contact is, it should be valid. By valid, I mean it should be focused somehow on the reader and it should be relevant to the reader. The fact that you just thought you’d say “hey” is not generally an acceptable reason. If you have a list with that tone or culture to it, then go right ahead, but if you don’t then consider using something with a little more value to the reader.

So again remember, focus on the reader, add value for them, keep it relevant, and always give a reason. If you do that one thing, you’ll see a marked improvement in your open rates and your response rates over time.

Till next time,

Charles McKeever
OpenSourceMarketer.com