Getting Your Email Read

One of the most valuable marketing tools you have as an advisor is email marketing. It is the "FOUNDATION" of our eBusiness. Think about that for a second...most people think that traffic is the foundation of your eBusiness....wrong!!

While yes traffic does have a role to play in the marketing of your business it is the email marketing aspect which carries the ball for us and builds the trust and rapport for us.

Or, I should say it should work at building trust and rapport, however if our messages don't even make it to the person who has requested it...well then "Houston we have a problem!"

We face essentially three challenges when it comes to e mail marketing, let's take a quickie look at them...

Challenge 1 - Spam Filters

Filters do a reasonably good job at deleting those unwanted mail, but there is still the chance that the legitimate email (like yours and mine that people have actually requested) end up not making it through the spam filters :o(

There is no real set way of determining what is legit and what isn't. I mean lets face it the "list" of words that are on the hit list grows every day...so even trying that approach is a daunting task.

Challenge 2 - Mass Deleting

Within the control panel of my email box I have a little check box that I click which marks all the email in my inbox for delete. What I do then is quickly scroll down the list and I will uncheck an email that I have been expecting or one that I know I need to keep.

After that the rest are deleted. I am not alone in this little process of "mass deleting" we all tend to do that in one way or fashion. The thing is though that there are times when I have been scrolling quickly and end up deleting a message that I shouldn't have.

It's human error, it happens and unfortunately we run the risk of having our customers do the very same thing.

How To Get Our Emails Opened and Read

Did you take some time to enjoy the holidays? Are you happy to be back to a "normal" routine again? I know I am! Seeing my son Matt off to school this morning was -- how shall I say it -- a big relief. It's not that I don't adore my son, it's that treasured thing we parents call peace and quiet! :-)

Despite the chaotic pace of the season, I did keep a close eye on my inbox. In light of the new CAN-SPAM law, I was especially curious to see if there would be any noticeable differences in spamming volume. So far I'm still being bombarded but, since spammers have 30 days to comply with the new law, we'll have to wait and see.

For the meanwhile though, as responsible marketers, we're faced with yet a new creative challenge -- how to come up with subject lines that will get our emails opened and read.

We need to find a balance between making our readers curious and assuring them that our emails are legitimate. And, let's not forget the role providers play in all this -- spam filtering can be dangerous to your e-health!

If you're trying to recruit people for work at home opportunities, you'll get nowhere fast with the words "work from home" in your subject. Other subject line no-no's include "lowest mortgage rates" ... "as seen on Oprah" ... "get out of debt" ... "online pharmacy" ... "XXX rated" ... and let's not forget everyone's favorite personal growth product -- it starts with a "V" and, no thanks, I don't need it!!!!

So what can you say? And is it worth all this time and effort? You bet it is -- when you're out to make a sale! The subject line is absolutely crucial to the success of your message.

In approximately 40-60 characters (the shorter, the better), you want to tell the recipient what's in it for him/her ... how they are going to benefit from opening your message. Try to look at what you're offering from your customer's perspective ...

What will they get out of taking the time to read your email? Will it save them time ... money ... make their life easier or better in some way? Telling prospects that "this is not spam" is not a solution. Saying "7 surefire ways to get your emails opened" just might do the trick. KEEP THE EMPHASIS ON THE BENEFITS!

A few more points to remember: Personalization is a plus, so use it whenever possible. "John, here's some crucial information" will work better than plain old "Here's some crucial information." Watch overused words and phrases like "limited time," "free" and "last chance. " When you're a member of an affiliate program that provides you with prewritten emails, be sure to rewrite the subject line. A message that sounds too familiar is automatic grounds for deletion.

Don't be afraid to let your communications reflect your personality. A unique and compelling subject line can be your foot inside the e-door.

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Phyllis Schwartz is a longtime copywriter who works from her home office in Ventnor City, New Jersey. She is offering free copy coaching as a sign up incentive for “The Marketing Brief," a unique list building program. Check it out. For a full menu of copywriting services go to BetterCopywriting.com.

The Missing Link Between Article Writing and Email Marketing

It's no surprise that today we are going to talk about writing articles and how to tie them into email marketing. So, settle in and let's get at it!

Article writing is NOT a new tactic. With 300,000+ newsletters in cyberland covering a wide range of topics, it should come as no surprise what all publishers are looking for...GOOD QUALITY CONTENT.

Hey, it's no secret that we are all trying to get EXPOSURE... right? Keep in mind that that ONE ARTICLE can reach more people than you could ever possibly imagine.

You aren't limiting yourself to just one newsletter...you can send that very article to several publishers within your TARGET MARKET and reach tens of thousands of people all at the same time. The great thing about using articles is the fact that it doesn't cost you a cent... just takes a little time in putting your knowledge to paper...oh, I mean to disk ;o)

To read more about article writing and email marketing click here

How to write emails that get results!

By Lee Hopkins

Writing effectively can get the result you were looking for is not as simple as just opening up your software and hitting the keyboard with your fingers . Writing an email that gets results is an art form - get it right and it is read effortlessly by the reader. Get it wrong and it reflects really badly on you.

So if I have just ONE tip to pass on to you it would be this:

When writing your emails throw everything you learnt in English classes out the window!

Instead, use the following tips (click here) to make sure that your communication is as powerful and effective as it can be: