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Improve your email marketing by getting the basics right

By Jim Connolly | January 23, 2017

marketing email, content marketing, digital marketing

Here’s a quick tip, to help you increase the effectiveness of your email marketing or mail shots.

I was prompted to write this for you, after an email I received last week. It was a poorly targeted marketing email, from someone I hardly know.

Here’s how the email started:

“Hey guys, sorry for the email blast, but I want to reach a lot of people and this is the easiest way for me to do it”.

When someone starts a marketing communication with an apology for what they’re doing, it tells us that they believe they’re doing something wrong. Yet, they’re still going to do it anyway! That’s a toxic message, which creates a damaging, negative picture. That negativity then drowns out whatever their marketing message is. It turns a potentially effective marketing activity into a low-leverage waste of time.

Here’s a far better alternative

If you’re proud of what you do. If you know that the person you’re marketing to has a pressing need for what you provide. If you have a compelling reason for them to purchase from you. And especially if you have their permission to send them information… don’t start off with an apology. There are situations where it’s right to say sorry — this definitely isn’t one of them.

Instead, use a highly targeted list and send a highly targeted message. The reader will then feel as if you are writing for them, rather than writing at them. With no apology required.

Here’s a free, 2 part email marketing series with some useful email marketing tips:

Does email marketing work? Part 1.

Does email marketing work? Part 2.

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Hi! I'm Jim Connolly and I help small business owners to increase sales, boost their profits and build amazing businesses. Read more here.

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