I want to talk to you about handwritten letters. Can you remember the last time you received a handwritten letter?
The excitement when you see that postmark showing where the letter is from and the handwriting of someone close to you.
I remember running to the door hoping to see a letter (when I knew one was coming) and beaming with excitement as you saw that lovely blue ink on the front of the envelope.
Now imagine if I saw that envelope, raced to rip it open and then the first thing I saw was a great big notice announcing the following:
“THIS IS A LETTER FROM A LOVED ONE. IT TELLS YOU HOW MUCH THIS PERSON CARES ABOUT YOU AND ENDS WITH SOME KISSES.”
That would be odd, wouldn’t it? It would ruin the intimacy of the communication completely. Cold water duly poured.
What is the connection to email marketing? Well, sadly hardly anyone sends letters nowadays, but we do tend to receive regular emails, the poorer value replacement for the letter.
The key thing is to remember that what we are trying to replicate with an email, as much as is possible when talking to clients and prospects, is that same intimacy that used to be created when we received a letter.
For this reason, your email marketing newsletter should not do the following:
- Be called a newsletter; or
- Have your logo at the top of it; or
- Start with an introduction such as “Welcome to the July edition of Smithers Jones newsletter.”
Why?
Because in an instant you have done two things if you do this:
- Told me that this is not a personal /intimate communication after all; and
- Told me that you are selling to me.
As soon as anyone sees your logo or the word newsletter, what they actually see is “BUY, BUY, BUY”.
What your email should do is start along the lines of the following:
“Dear Nick,
I wanted to write to you this week to ensure that you understand the importance to you and your loved ones of a document that has a rather dry legal name, but which can be an absolute lifesaver for your family.
You have probably heard about this document but may not quite understand its significance. It is called a Lasting Power of Attorney and its purpose is….”
This is much more like a personal letter and is FAR MORE likely to be read, particularly if you make the subject line something along the lines of “Important Information About Protecting Your Loved Ones.”
Who wouldn’t open that email if they have a family?
If you do offer Lasting Powers of Attorney services, you would be very wise to use those words or similar for a future email. I promise it will generate some business for you. Please just remember when it does to let me know. My joy in my business comes from the success that my law firm clients achieve!
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