I remember reading somewhere about scientists developing an electron laser that could actually inscribe all 24 volumes of the Encyclopedia Brittanica on the head of a pin. And it made me think of communication in general, and marketing communication in particular.
Why? Because just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Case in point…email blasts. Yes, you can stuff a ton of information in your email blast. But please don’t.
Targeting prospects and customers with relevant information via email blasts and landing pages can be an incredibly cost-effective and successful form of marketing communication. If it’s used correctly. So here are just a few things to keep in mind.
Keep it short.
Remember to keep it short.
Did I mention keeping it short?
The fact is…the more you say the less your target listens. They simply don’t have the time or the attention span required to consume tomes of copy about your business, sale, event, history, webinar or promotion. Especially when it’s unsolicited.
Consider the audience for an email blast. They are not waiting by the phone or glued to their laptop waiting for your message. They are busy doing something else. They may be working, shopping, eating, reading, driving, literally anything. When they do take the time to check their inbox, and if you have a really compelling subject line, they might just stop and click. Congratulations, you have their attention for all of ten seconds max.
It’s just barely enough time to get to the point. So you better get there quick. If it’s succinct and relevant you’ll get them to your landing page where you’ll have a wee bit more time to pitch them. It’s all about brevity and relevancy. Relevancy may be an educated guess, but brevity you can control.
And yet many marketers are tempted to turn their email blast into a mini-brochure.
It’s a mistake. A big mistake. Because cramming too much information into a message your customer never asked for in the first place, can actually annoy that customer. Not only will they not click through your email to a landing page, they may begin to ignore and/or automatically delete all your email messages. Continue to deluge them with bloated blasts and they could even go as far as unsubscribing.
The email blast is designed to intrigue not convert. If you keep it short and compelling, and if it’s something a customer cares about, they might click through to learn more. If they open your blast to find three paragraphs of copy with multiple messages, lots of detail, and paragraphs of fluff – chances are they will simply close it without reading it or clicking through to your landing page.
Do email blast campaigns work? Yes, very well when they’re done correctly.
So bring some pruning shears to your next messaging strategy meeting. Pair your message down to the bare essentials.
Then…cut that in half.
It’s tough love. But no one ever said this stuff was easy.
