Just Write an Email – Writing
Just Write an Email
Stephan Miller
How did you sell your last product Imagine that I am a newbie writing you an e-mail after reading your ebook. How would you answer the question I bet you could send me a 300 word reply in no time. Words would flow from your keyboard as fast as you can type. You have just written your next article. Dont think so Too easy Read the next paragraph.
Robert Allen has written you an e-mail. He needs you to write a chapter in a new book that he is putting together and he needs it in a week. Are you up to the task Can you have it done in time The theme of the chapter: the unique way that you sold your last product. Okay, start writing. How long did it take you to write the first sentence A hour, two. Remember, millions of readers will be viewing the results.
If you want to, do both exercises above and compare the results. Which piece reads better Which one sounds like a high school textbook Read them aloud and I bet the answer becomes clearer. You would be proud to let anyone read the e-mail addressed to the newbie but create a pen name for the book chapter. Why is there a difference here Both of the subjects were the same. The same person wrote both pieces. Or was it the same person
In example one, you were yourself. You were just answering a question. You were more than happy to explain your knowledge to someone who just casually wrote you an e-mail. In example two, you became "the author". Maybe you had to outline the chapter first, make notes, research it. In other words, do as many things as possible to put off what you really sat down to do. Just write. After all, with thousands of readers critiquing your work, everything has to be perfect. There is no room for mistakes. And yet the e-mail reads better.
So why not write an e-mail. The next time you have a great idea for an article, turn that idea into a question and e-mail it to yourself. Well, you dont actually have to go that far, but if it helps, do it. Then all you have to do is reply to it. Dont worry about grammar. Dont worry about going off on a tangent. That tangent may be exactly what you need to make your article, oops, "e-mail" stand out. Just explain everything you need to in order to get your point across. If you need to, click "Create" in Outlook and start writing. Try it. And dont follow the instructions in the next few paragraphs until you are done with your e-mail.
When you are done, read it out loud. Any time you slow down or stumble over the words, cut those word out. Any part that sounds like your sixth grade English teacher instead of you, chop it. Take no prisoners. You will know your own voice when you hear it. Just listen for it. Your readers want a new perspective just as much as they want information. You are not writing for the New York Times and you definitely dont want to become Joe Friday. Slip the facts in with your personality and your readers will be flocking to your web site in search of more info. Or for that matter, they will be flocking just about anywhere you want them to flock.
Dont forget to make sure you covered everything that you needed to cover. If you need add a word here and rearrange paragraphs there, do so. Once the idea is alive in your e-mail, it is hard to kill it. Dont worry about that. Just make your e-mail complete. You will know when it is. You will get that feeling that is hard to explain, but involves printing your article out, sticking it to your refrigerator, telling your neighbors, and rehearsing for your Pulitzer Prize acceptance speech. If you notice any of these symptoms, your can now safely begin to refer to your "e-mail" as an article without killing it or triggering writers block.
Use this method as described and I promise you will become a much more productive writer. So how did you make your last online sale Write me an e-mail.
P. S. I did write this in Outlook and addressed it directly to you.
About The Author
Stephan Miller is a ebay seller, freelance programmer, writer, and webmaster at http://www.profit-ware.com Home of Hotbid Auction Market Analyzer
newsletter@profit-ware.com
Email Microtargeting – Email Marketing
Email Microtargeting
David Moceri
Email marketing is undergoing rapid changes. Now, more than ever, both the creative and demographic selection and targeting of a message must be highly relevant and qualified.
Microtargeting has become a valued strategy. At VIBEdirect, we have seen the industry withstand incredible changes based on bandwidth, creative, message perception and the fickle marketing factors that affect both open and click through rates with todays campaigns.
Consumers received an average of 3 marketing related emails per month in 1999. This number is expected to jump to over 130 marketing related emails per month by 2005 due to the success rate of email marketing and the number of companies sending optin email. The problem is that this trend has caused email open rates to drop.
In the past, our success had been built on wholesaling opt-in email campaigns to brokers and agencies. But as business conditions changed, we evolved by providing our clients with a microtargeted approach for cost effective results and a positive return on investment. As a result, we have maintained a sustained, strong period of growth.
Our opt-in lists offer marketers a "politically correct" way to reach their target audience on the net. While using bulk e-mail lists is cheaper, the practice in itself is extremely controversial. You must be very careful when considering using bulk e-mail to market your wares on the Internet. This can lead to some unexpected and unwanted results. For example, some of your recipients may decide to "flame" you by clogging up your e-mail system with angry responses to your marketing message. Other recipients will complain to your Internet Service Provider, who may decide to discontinue your account.
We have more than 2,000 opt-in lists with more than 40 million unique names to choose from. All of our email addresses are ALL opt-in from a variety of quality web sites, banner ads, e-surveys & e-zine lists.
The Power of Microtargeting
Email microtargeting is really a distinct form of "niche" marketing, differentiating consumers by segmenting them into identifiable, targeted groups. Its the depth of relationships that counts, not the quantity. Studies show that closer relationships increase the likelihood that email advertising will make an impact.
For the higher quality more targeted and uniform audience, advertisers have traditionally paid a higher cost per impression, although the overall cost for advertisers is lower with email campaigns since the number of impressions is lower. In addition, the ability to modify and adapt the creative to confront rapidly changing marketing conditions makes this medium especially attractive and cost effective.
Our microtargeting approach has been very powerful. This strategy focuses on increasing market share--that is, on selling a product to as much of the market as possible. Once a product succeeds on a microtargeting level, we can eventually modify it to appeal to a larger group. When properly and effectively executed, microtargeting leads back to the masses.
Instead of trying to reach the greatest number of people, microtargeting focuses on earning more of an individual customers business. This strategy doesnt target groups of customers, it targets units of one.
The foundation of our microtargeting approach lies in the idea that 80% of a companys business comes from 20% of its customers. The most active frequent fliers account for the bulk of the airline profit. So, rather than aiming to reach all possible fliers, airlines realize they can more efficiently market themselves by trying to win over the top level, and by encouraging those frequent fliers to fly as frequently with them as possible.
Our microtargeting email practices help businesses provide better, more personal services. It is an equally effective strategy for both business acquisition and retention.
About The Author
David Moceri is President and CEO of VIBE Direct Media, a full service online marketing agency. A complete description of VIBE Direct Media services can be viewed at www.vibedirect.com.
Direct Marketing Strategies for Holiday Email Promotions – Email Marketing
Direct Marketing Strategies for Holiday Email Promotions
Richard Cunningham
Tis the season to leverage customer interest data for successful email marketing.
All of the information gathered throughout the year from customer purchases, customer feedback surveys, and other behavior offers direct marketers necessary direction for conceptualizing a successful email campaign.
Further, these customer data strengthen email promotions, ensuring the best possible message targets each individual customer. In the audio book,