Why You’re Worse Than A 3rd Grader

Good data coming out of the Boomerang email study.

If you want to increase the likelihood of someone responding to your email, here’s what to do:

• Lose the big words and long sentences
• Include a couple of questions in the copy
• Be slightly positive or slightly negative
• Aim for shorter subject titles
• Try and keep it under 150 words

Only Applies To Responses

Note that this data only applies to campaigns that are looking to generate a response.  Some of you are writing purely informational emails - like me - that aren’t really geared towards generating a reply. 

However - when the time comes to elicit information from your list - keep it short and simple!

Feeling a little down? Listen to this, it really helps you feel better.

Image credit:  Boomerang Email Study

Fear - The Best Reason To Email Your Customers Regularly

I’ve been banging on about email newsletters a lot this year - here, here and here.

I’ve been saying that it’s something you should have in order to deepen relationships with customers and drive sales.

Which is all nice and Kumbaya and lovely - but there’s a better reason to have a regular customer email.

Your customers are being stolen all the time!

Whether on billboards, TV ads, sidebars or word of mouth from your mother-in-law’s cousin’s son, your competition’s message is everywhere.  How good they are, how they make a difference, how they’re great value for money and ultimately, how they’re better than you.

If you aren’t paying attention and communicating with your customers, some sweet talker is likely to whisk them away.

Your email is your advertising

Most of the newsletters on this list are educational in format - and that’s great and essential, but do your customers know all the things you do and why you’re the business they should choose?

I’m not suggesting you change everything and go all “salesy” on your list - but maybe there’s a way to tweak your email design to ensure that those who are opening it get reminded of how good you are.

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Written while listening to: The Bench - 163 - Periscope development by music2work2

Image credit: Fear of the Dark by Stuart Anthony on Flickr

Do You Know Julia Caesar?

That’s a pretty gnarly shot right? 

Here's the same image promoting a 90 day fitness challenge, you'll also find it offering inspiration to recharge your creativity and (my personal favorite) accompanying the global sisters to contemplate the divine!

The photo was taken by 18 year old Julia Caesar from Stockholm, but how did it suddenly get plastered across the internet attached to a myriad of different messages?

Imagery is getting more important

The latest ads for the iPhone 6 have nothing to do with communication, apps, games etc - they focus solely on the amazing camera.  

The seemingly unquenchable desire to capture images of our surroundings and ourselves has led to billion dollar valuations of companies like Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest and added even greater value to YouTube, Facebook et al.

Imagery helps get your message seen

"Think of your image as the sail to your message's boat - the better the image, the bigger the sail and the faster your boat will move."

I wrote that in 2013 - back then I thought the image craze would eventually settle down but I was wrong, it seems that it just keeps on getting bigger and bigger.  With so many photos being posted every day we’re now at the same point that everything that can be digitized eventually arrives at:

How do you find the good stuff?

Unless you’re an ace photographer, finding good imagery can be like finding a needle in a haystack.  Fortunately, in the same way there are places that curate the best writing, the best music and the best video, there are now places that curate the best images.

While searching the creative commons on Flickr is a good start, you can now be a little more targeted and use producthunt to identify the best image resources (and yes - you should totally bookmark that link!)

Don’t worry about image uniqueness

I was laughing with Nicole earlier this week as we both subscribe to the Unsplash email that originally distributed Julia’s image.  The fact that she used it before I could makes no difference, with so many images out there the chances of your audience seeing the same image twice are infinitesimal - and even if they do - so what!

Just to prove the point, while I’m using it throw insight into the digital marketing world, check out how the image is being used to promote wellness and a healthy lifestyle.

While you’re there, sign up for Erik’s weekly “Taylor Made” fitness tips - you’ll thank yourself in ninety days time!

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Written while listening to: i ii iii playlist - music2work2

Image credit: Julia Caesar - Unsplash