Some people just take, take, take. Me, for example.
For years now, I’ve been signed up to the email list of a business owner outside the marketing niche.
As usual, I don’t like to name names, so let’s give this business owner an impenetrable alias. Let’s call him Blimon Sack.
Blimon writes interesting daily emails. I know, because I read them often, and have for years.
He usually opens with some historical anecdote or curiosity. I’m eager to read those.
The second half of Blimon’s emails transition into a “takeaway” — some kind of point he wants to make — and then lead into his offer.
But like I said, I just take, take, take.
I’ve been reading Blimon’s eduselling emails for years. I never bought from him, never even clicked through to the sales page.
Not buying became a habit. Read the interesting historical anecdote… click away.
I had some vague idea of what Blimon is selling. It was the same offer every time. But if you asked me to explain it, I couldn’t really tell you, because I didn’t know.
That is, until one day. That’s when Blimon sent out a different email. He cut out the usual education/entertainment, the first half of his email.
Instead, he simply restated what his core offer is, what he had been promoting all this time. He listed everything that’s included. He stated the price. And he gave some kind of reason for getting it today rather than tomorrow.
I didn’t buy this time either, but I was damn close. I finally had a clear idea of what he sells. It sounded interesting and valuable and reasonably priced.
If Blimon would repeat this bare, “zero value,” pattern interrupt email from time to time, there’s a good chance my resistance would finally crumble and I would buy.
So that’s my “takeaway” for you.
Infotaining, eduselling, Simple Money Emails are great. They keep people reading. And they do get a good number of them to also buy in time.
But there’s always those takers on the list, who enjoy the stories and the gossip and the news, but who are “too smart” to pay for anything.
Of course, not everybody who doesn’t buy is a taker like me.
There’s also a good number of people who joined your list recently, who might not have been around for the long-gone launch of your offer, who enjoy your emails, see that you know what you’re talking about, but whose eyes still glaze over when they reach the B side of your email record, where all the sales deep cuts are.
For those people, all of them, it’s important to send the occasional stripped-down email. Not to hide your offer behind a story or a news item or even a testimonial. But to, as my former copywriting coach used to say, make your offer “on the nose.”
And if you’re wondering why you got two emails from me tonight instead of the usual, well, that’s why.
Perhaps you found this email valuable. If so, you should check out my Most Valuable Email training, because it’s filled with dozens more valuable marketing ideas.
You can read about Most Valuable Email it in that other, “zero value” email I sent you. Or directly here on the sales page: