-------------------------------------------
THE LEVISON LETTER
-------------------------------------------
Action Ideas For Better Direct Mail,
E-mail, Web Sites & Advertising
Published by
Ivan Levison, Direct Response Copywriting
October, 2002
Volume: 17 Number: 10
==========================================
How to be a more effective email marketer
==========================================
If you've got an e-mail inbox, you know how bad the
spam
problem has become.
It seems that every day you get new offers of low
mortgage rates, psychic readings, pornography, get rich
schemes, etc.
What does this mean for marketers?
It means that it's harder to cut through all the spam
and
get your legitimate offer read by the prospect.
This isn't a personal observation based on anecdotal
evidence. The Wall Street Journal recently published a
terrific article dealing with the state of e-mail
marketing and their conclusions aren't pretty.
The article explains that "initially, consumer
response
to e-mail was high, with click-through rates as high as
15% . . . The current average click-through rate (now) is
an anemic 1.8%."
The author emphasizes that:
"The stakes are high for aggressive marketers eager
to
break through the clutter. Companies will blitz consumers
with more than 430 billion e-mail advertisements this
year. By 2006 that figure is expected to reach 960
billion. It is, by any measure, a lot of spam."
A lot of spam, indeed! And if you want to be one of
those
marketers who does manage to break through the clutter,
you had better do everything right. Here are just a few
things you can do to make sure your next e-mail message
gets read and acted on:
1. Use a high-impact "Subject" line
It's a simple fact. If your subject line isn't working
correctly, your e-mail will never get opened and your
campaign will be a failure. Keep your subject lines
short. (Never exceed forty characters including spaces.)
This means that every subject line must communicate
extremely quickly and have a little punch.
2. Make sure your Web address appears early in your
e-mail
Don't bury your URL at the end of the e-mail. Put it
near
the top of your message so it's readable as soon as your
e-mail is opened. Make it easy for people to see your URL
quickly so they can get to the landing page with the
least possible effort.
3. Identify the reader's pain quickly
Don't start your e-mail by enumerating every feature
and
benefit of your product or service. One effective way to
roll into your message is to prove to your prospects
immediately that you understand exactly what they're up
against - that you have the perfect answer to their
problem. Use a classic problem/solution format and you
won't go wrong.
4. Make the e-mail long enough to do the job
Some people have a terrible fear that their e-mail won't
get read so they write two short paragraphs and call it
quits. That could be a big mistake. Prospects will read
your e-mail if it's got valuable information for them.
The typical e-mails I write run a good seven or eight
paragraphs in length . . . often with bullets too. They
work just fine.
5: Write with enthusiasm
As I often say, you have to write with a little energy
and sense of fun. Flat, boring writing just won't cut it.
Sure, there are times when you have to sound sober, but
never as if you've just popped some ludes! Sometimes,
when you add a little attitude, you can cut through the
clutter and get the reader on your side. Then you're
halfway home!
The take-away message this month? It's getting harder
and
harder for e-mail to cut through the clutter. This means
you have to pay attention to the details and do
everything right. If you do, e-mail is still a very
powerful medium that can help you boost sales and profits.
=====================================
How To Get In Touch
=====================================
Ivan Levison
Direct Response Copywriting
14 Los Cerros Drive
Greenbrae, CA 94904
Phone: (415) 461-0672
Fax: (415) 461-7738
E-mail: ivan@levison.com
Web Site: http://www.levison.com
=============================================
How To Subscribe/Unsubscribe
=============================================
SUBSCRIBE FREE to The Levison Letter at
http://www.levison.com
UNSUBSCRIBE by sending a Reply to this message with
just the word unsubscribe in the subject line.
IMPORTANT: Your subscription information will NEVER
be traded, sold, or used by anyone else. That's a personal
promise.
_______________________________________________
Copyright 2005, by Ivan Levison, All Rights Reserved.
Recent Back Issues of The
Levison Letter
 |
|
|
| |
| Click Here to see back issues of The Levison Letter |
|
