It’s a mini-ebook called “Email Marketing Made Easy.” It’s full of tips to help you get more people to open, read, and respond to your emails.
It’s absolutely free. No sign-up or registration required. I released it to my newsletter readers a few days ago, and I’m now making it public. There will be more to come.
Feel free to read it, share it, and pass it along. Just don’t sell it or change it.
Here’s the link:
You wouldn’t talk to stockbrokers the same way you talk to teenagers. Discuss things they care about, in their language. Stockbrokers are obsessed with money; teenagers are obsessed with, well, other teenagers.
If you sell products, make it easy to review and comment on them. If you have services, invite testimonials. Have lots of ways to contact you (prominently displayed). Don’t make people hunt for it.
The site should be easy to use. If you cover particular topics on your blog, list them. If you have more than one niche, list those too.
Point visitors to other relevant content on your site or blog – encourage people to spend more time with you. The more great stuff they see, the more trust and credibility you build up.
You don’t have to tell everyone what kind of toothpaste you like, but do tell us something about yourself, your background, and what brought you to start your company or your blog. If it’s a blog, put your picture on it. If it’s a web site, put your happy customers’ pictures on it.
Make your “About” page personal. It should read like a story about an interesting person, not a corporate bio written in the third person. You’re a small business, not a faceless corporation, it’s about you and your relationships with your customers.
Psst. Special free email ebook tomorrow.
Photo: Ivan Petrov
Have you got calls to action on your site? What is a call to action anyway?
Not quite sure what a call to action is? It’s the button, the sentence or the line in a script that tells your readers to do something. It might say, “buy now” or “instant access” or “get your free ebook.”
There are lots of ways to word it, but the key is to make it as appealing as possible. The more urgent and attractive the offer seems to your readers, the more clicks you’ll get. More clicks means more downloads, more subscribers, and more orders. Here are some examples of how to improve your call to action.
I know, it seems obvious, but sometimes it gets left out. If there’s no way to order, ask for the free information guide, or sign up for your newsletter, you won’t get orders or get inquiries. It sounds odd, but there are plenty of Web sites with hidden contact information and no button or phone number.
Sometimes web designers get caught up in making something beautiful, rather than functional. I’m not advocating yellow highlighter and red type, just buttons that are big, that stand out from the background, and are clearly marked.
For example, if the other buttons on the site (contact us, support, etc) are white, make the call to action blue.
If the button is by itself, contrast it with the rest of the page (so, if the background is white, make the button red).
If they can’t find it, they won’t click on it.
Layer it over other page elements. Or, make it larger than other buttons on the page (such as related posts or continue reading). Put it in a prominent place, such as the top right hand corner of the page, or in the center.
Set off the call to action button from other text or design elements on the page. If there are other button options, such as a “learn more” vs. a “buy now,” put lots of space between the call to action button and the other buttons on your page.
Try out different wording, such as “subscribe now” vs. “get your copy”) or “try it now” vs. “free demo.” More examples of calls to action.
If there’s a download, or a newsletter, or a free e-book, make it clear exactly what will happen, and whether there’s a fee (either in actual money or an email address). If it’s confusing, people won’t click.\
Button image from stylewebdesignusa.com
Since we discussed “marketing sins” yesterday, today my thoughts turned to religion (sort of).
Many years ago, when I was working for the Direct Marketing Association, I attended the Nonprofit Conference in New York. At the event, charities and other nonprofits shared stories and strategies they used to raise money for their causes.
One story in particular stuck out. A Catholic school wanted to raise money to support the school and other charitable work. So, they sent out a fundraising letter from the head of the school (we’ll call him Father Xavier).
Standard stuff, but this had a different twist. Included with the letter was a note printed in a font that looked like Father Xavier’s handwriting. It also included a copy of a picture of him with Pope John Paul II.
The response was overwhelming. People not only sent donations, they also returned the photos, with notes thanking the priest for sharing it.
The people who got that letter felt such a strong connection to the school that they thought the letter had been sent to them personally.
Marketing (says Seth Godin) is “just like dating. It turns strangers into friends and friends into lifetime customers. Many of the rules of dating apply, and so do many of the benefits. A marketer goes on a date. If it goes well, the two of them go on another date. And then another. Until, after ten or twelve dates, both sides can really communicate with each other about their needs and desires.”
If you communicate, you’ll get friends, and lifetime relationships. If you shout, talk about yourself, or don’t listen, you’ll get enemies.
I got an odd email a few days ago. It was from a star copywriter (and a rare error). The subject line said, “Read this only if you are over 50.” Well, I’m not. Since it wasn’t relevant, I didn’t care what it was. So, I didn’t open it, didn’t read it, and it went straight to the trash.
During the baseball World Series, (YAY YANKEES!) the games were full of ads for light beer, car insurance, and er, male products.
The companies running these ads spent millions and millions of dollars on advertising.
All of it irrelevant to me. I don’t drink light beer (ick!), don’t own a car (I’m not nuts, I live in a big city, where cars are unnecessary), and I’m not an older man. They can spend all they like, I still won’t buy their products.
Big companies can afford to waste their money. Small businesses can’t. Find people who want what you’re offering and talk to them. Pick a niche. It’s a lot better than spraying and praying, hoping to hit something.