2 Sane Methods that Get Readers to Stop Ignoring Your Emails (+ 1 Crazy Method…)

Standing apart from the crowd of other emails in your prospects’ inboxes isn’t easy. There are gimmicky ways to do it – write subject lines that shock, use lots of funny characters in the subject line, use the latest “hot” subject line [for the past year, this has been “Hey”], and so forth. But how do you get your recipients to become avid readers of your emails?

Sane Method #1 – Tell stories. There is a marketer who appears in my inbox about once a day. Gmail highlights this email because Gmail knows I read his emails. Why? Because he entertains me with stories. When I click his email, I will get swept into another world. And even if it’s just his world and just for a minute, it’s a great escape to my otherwise sometimes monotonous day. And yes, I buy his products, too.

There’s a bonus to telling stories besides the fact that your emails get opened and read, and it’s this: Telling stories is fun. Instead of selling, selling, and more selling, you’re now entertaining. You can embellish, you can be flamboyant, you can add your personal touch, you can get creative, and you can have a blast doing it.

Suddenly your day is just a little more exciting because you’re watching for the next story to fall into your life every moment. Even a routine trip to the store can become an exciting adventure. The newspaper holds new meaning, and the websites you visit are a treasure trove of possible stories you can share.

Sane Method #2 – Be a coach. Think of your readers as your students. Love your subject and stick to your topic. Only build your list with people who want info on your subject, then teach them all you can about it. When recommending products, tell them the good and the bad. Give them lots of detail. Be their coach first and foremost; they will hang on to your every word.

This method works incredibly well if you love your topic. It’s for you if you spend hours on the Internet learning about this topic, hitting all the forums and websites, finding the best products, and so forth. Every new site you visit is an adventure because you continually seek more information to share with your students. And selling becomes easy because you share your knowledge with your students.

The [Not-so] Crazy Method – Hide clues in your emails that lead to prizes. I haven’t yet tried this method, but I’ve been tempted. What if every email you send out holds a clue to a valuable prize? Collect all the clues, and you will find the award online. There’s little doubt this method will open your emails, but will they be read? In the right niche, yes. Imagine doing this in a gaming niche – what a killer technique. The viral effect alone could be huge.

So tell me – is this last method crazy, or a millionaire maker? I don’t know of anyone who’s doing it – yet. But no doubt someone will. And in the right hands, it could be decisive, indeed.