I don’t read you. Really.
Now I’m not talking about male-oriented enhancement, or emails from financially-strapped Nigerian Princes – they will keep sending me spam whether I say anything or not.
I’m talking to the marketers whose subscriptions I’ve signed up to, either in the process of buying something, or for reasons I can’t fathom (and may have nothing to do with me volunteering my email address, if you know what I mean).
The fact is, I get so much, I rarely read them.
Now don’t get me wrong – I don’t delete you, either. If you have a valuable piece of information, or an interesting offer, I’ll keep you. If you’re a ‘name’, I’ll keep you. If I have a personal relationship with you, I’ll keep you. But I’m STILL not reading you.
Try better subject lines. Try interesting content. All of it is good, and will probably get you read by a larger percentage.
(Oh, but don’t go “gimmicky” – I WILL cancel truly offensive or tasteless email subscriptions).
But some of us are on Information Overload – and no amount of cute Subject: lines will work there.
So should you stop?
Of course not. Keep trying with the fancy lines, and the interesting info. In fact, give it 200% – you’ll be rewarded, and even people like me might read them from time to time.
But show a little sympathy. I get hundreds of emails a day, and I’m in no mood for another time-waster.
Make the email count. Don’t just write to sell me something – write to sell me something you truly believe in.
Don’t just give me info anyone can get online – give me something meaty I can use.
And don’t bother with ‘Opening Day Big Marketer Offers’ – I’ll be getting this same offer from a dozen other people, and they will all get deleted.
See the theme? Make the email count, and I’ll read it.
Or go ahead and write the same old, same old. Because this Tuesday I won’t be reading you – and you can guarantee I won’t be blaming myself for skipping over that email.
I’ll be blaming you.
