Got this great email marketing question over the weekend:<\/p>\n
QUESTION:<\/strong> I notice you send full emails to your list instead of sending out a short announcement that you have a new blog post like most people do. <\/p>\n Why do you do that when everyone else just does the short blurb?<\/p>\n BEN:<\/strong> That’s a VERY good question.<\/p>\n And besides Earl Nightingale’s advice of doing the opposite<\/em> of everyone else… here are more reasons: <\/p>\n 1. More Visible<\/strong><\/p>\n Think about all the competition we have: <\/p>\n Ringing phones, instant messages, social media apps, cell phones, text messages, etc. <\/p>\n Every “step” (and a click IS a step) someone has to take to read YOUR message significantly<\/em> decreases the chances of them seeing it.<\/p>\n And yes… I realize longer emails get flagged as spam sometimes.<\/p>\n But so can really short ones, too. <\/p>\n So I simply do what’s most likely to get read.<\/p>\n 2. More Personal<\/strong><\/p>\n In copywriting, the first “sale” is to bond and establish trust. <\/p>\n In other words, to be a FRIEND<\/strong>, first.<\/p>\n I like to think of y’all as my friends and even family in a “cyber” sorta way.<\/p>\n When emailing your friends and family, do you send them to a friggin’ blog<\/em>? <\/p>\n Do you ask mom to click a link to read what you have to say?<\/p>\n Or do you write an email — warts and all — and push “send”? <\/p>\n Which looks more personal?<\/p>\n ’nuff said.<\/p>\n 3. More Convenient<\/strong><\/p>\n Email delivery is like pizza delivery:<\/p>\n You can offer “take out” and\/or personal delivery.<\/p>\n I do delivery<\/em> (with the option of take out — i.e. my blog).<\/p>\n Reason why is because the chances of you reading are FAR greater if I deliver the “food” to you… than if I force you to come pick it up.<\/p>\n Plus, this makes my food hot, fresh and EASY<\/strong> to consume<\/em>. <\/p>\n If you pick the food up, it could be cold and stale, easier to toss<\/em>.<\/p>\n So I’m not anti-blogging (obviously). <\/p>\n I just believe in bringing food to<\/em> you… instead of making you pick it up.<\/p>\n Anyway, that’s my take on it.<\/p>\n You can learn more about making moolah with your emails (including how Terry Dean<\/strong> — the “godfather of email”<\/em> — does it) at:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n