THE "GO TO" PLACE FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN SPECIALTY FOOD MARKETING.
Energizing Your Email Marketing
Sometimes I wish I had a clearcut, easy-peasy formula for writing emails to a list.
A surefire method that I could wisely impart to others.
No dice.
Depending on product or market–what works for one business could fall flat for another.
For example, right now I’m creating a 7-part email series to sell an author’s cookbook.
That’s right…it takes roughly 7 emails to warm up an interested prospect enough to click the order button.
Keep in mind, I’m not doing a hard sell in these emails. I’m offering valuable tips and insights that I know will interest this particular audience.
I’m building a relationship with people who are not yet customers.
Now…if a specialty food seller were to try this tack on a house list of existing customers…it might come across as weird.
Or maybe not. Unless someone’s tested it in real time, it’s hard to say.
You never know what increases your sales or not unless you step outside the norm and experiment.
That said…here are some pointers that work in any kind of e-marketing–from a single buy-it-now offer to a 7-series daily email campaign.
1. Grab attention in the subject field of the email. This could mean using curiosity, asking a question, or making a bold promise (i.e., Free olive oil on your birthday for life?)
2. Let your personality come through. Hey–if you’re sending emails to your list time after time…shouldn’t there be some kind of human connection? The bottom line is that people buy from people they know and like.
3. If you’re going to have a personal touch–don’t abandon professionalism. Unless you brand yourself (and make lots of money) as a politically incorrect jerk–be careful with sarcasm, over-familiarity or referring to people, places & events etc that may fly over the reader’s head.
In other words, know your audience.
4. If you use graphics in your email…consider having a caption underneath. The eye is naturally drawn to visuals, but pictures alone don’t sell. Say something relevant without looking like your’re reaching for their wallet.
5. Consider sending out emails from time-to-time that are not offers. Maybe a cooking tip–or recipe. One that doesn’t necessarily require your product as an ingredient. Or perhaps some current news that relates to what you sell (and will be of interest to the audience).
I guess what I’m trying to say here is that yes, your e-marketing is a powerful way to sell and make money. But part of the way you do that is by adding value and building relationships.
That’s it for today. If you have any thoughts to share on this, please do!
Suzanne Ryan
The Gourmet Copywriter
A surefire method that I could wisely impart to others.
No dice.
Depending on product or market–what works for one business could fall flat for another.
For example, right now I’m creating a 7-part email series to sell an author’s cookbook.
That’s right…it takes roughly 7 emails to warm up an interested prospect enough to click the order button.
Keep in mind, I’m not doing a hard sell in these emails. I’m offering valuable tips and insights that I know will interest this particular audience.
I’m building a relationship with people who are not yet customers.
Now…if a specialty food seller were to try this tack on a house list of existing customers…it might come across as weird.
Or maybe not. Unless someone’s tested it in real time, it’s hard to say.
You never know what increases your sales or not unless you step outside the norm and experiment.
That said…here are some pointers that work in any kind of e-marketing–from a single buy-it-now offer to a 7-series daily email campaign.
1. Grab attention in the subject field of the email. This could mean using curiosity, asking a question, or making a bold promise (i.e., Free olive oil on your birthday for life?)
2. Let your personality come through. Hey–if you’re sending emails to your list time after time…shouldn’t there be some kind of human connection? The bottom line is that people buy from people they know and like.
3. If you’re going to have a personal touch–don’t abandon professionalism. Unless you brand yourself (and make lots of money) as a politically incorrect jerk–be careful with sarcasm, over-familiarity or referring to people, places & events etc that may fly over the reader’s head.
In other words, know your audience.
4. If you use graphics in your email…consider having a caption underneath. The eye is naturally drawn to visuals, but pictures alone don’t sell. Say something relevant without looking like your’re reaching for their wallet.
5. Consider sending out emails from time-to-time that are not offers. Maybe a cooking tip–or recipe. One that doesn’t necessarily require your product as an ingredient. Or perhaps some current news that relates to what you sell (and will be of interest to the audience).
I guess what I’m trying to say here is that yes, your e-marketing is a powerful way to sell and make money. But part of the way you do that is by adding value and building relationships.
That’s it for today. If you have any thoughts to share on this, please do!
Suzanne Ryan
The Gourmet Copywriter
© 2009 Created by IMKENOBI on Ning. Create Your Own Social Network
