Why what used to be a copywriter’s least favorite medium to write for is now it’s most important.
Here’s the deal:
I used to hate email.
Correction: I used to really hate email.
Writing them, that is.
But that was before email got its groove back. Before brands realized that it wasn’t just another way to get people to read a print ad by teasing them with an un-funny but very punny subject line. It was before email became an essential part of growing every small and big business’s bottom line.
Because email today is the wild west of content marketing. Which is weird, because it’s also the oldest and original way of the internet.
Looks like the 90s are back in more ways than sitcoms and acid washed jeans.
1. THE INBOX IS AMERICA’S HOTTEST CLUB
Newsletters are the new blogs. 3.5 million people subscribe to TheSkimm. That’s double the number of folks who have a digital subscription to the New York Times. Lenny has more than half a million subscribers and a 70% open rate. And Shea Serrano (side note: #relationshipgoals) is about to release a book based on his Basketball and Other Things newsletter. Heck, that guy who made weird noises in the back of your freshman biology class probably has a Tiny Letter, too.
The inbox is the place to be. If Stefan was still around, he’d tell you it was America’s hottest club. And like any hot spot, you can’t just show up and expect to get in if you don’t look your best.
What does that mean?
Email is its own beast. It isn’t a place to repurpose creative made for other media. Yes, tease the content on your brand’s blog. Yes, if you uploaded a video to YouTube you can embed it in the email, but only if you have a killer Call To Action that it inspires. Email isn’t print. It isn’t social. Your messaging needs to be urgent but timeless, too. Don’t bury the good stuff—the offers, the deals, the announcements, in 500 words of plain text. Get to the point and do it in your brand voice surrounded by killer visuals.
2. THE INBOX IS THE NEW LIVING ROOM
People in TV like to talk about the fact that what makes their entertainment medium so special is its intimacy and regularity. That viewers aren’t just watching their shows, they’re inviting the characters into their homes and routines. I think that email is much the same. If social media is the mall or the high school cafeteria of the internet, people’s personal inboxes are their living rooms. So be sure to be a good house guest. Bring a housewarming gift (hint: discount code, downloads, special offers). Make every message personalized. Be human.
3. EMAIL IS EVERYWHERE
77% of Americans own a smartphone. That’s more than 250 million people who are able to check their email virtually anywhere, whether they’re in line at a coffee shop or bored on a bad first date. This is an Opportunity with a capital “O”, one that no other medium can offer.
Email is an escape from the noise of the internet. There are too many platforms. Too many apps. Too much of the same. But most people only have two inboxes — a personal one and a work one. That’s manageable. That’s a medium where something, someone or some brand can get noticed.
And for marketers, email is also far more brand-centric than social media. When people sign-up for your emails, they’re basically holding a boombox over their heads shouting, “Please sell me something.” They’re looking for information about your products and the lifestyle they inspire. They’re looking for special offers and discount codes. They open your emails because they’re looking for opportunity. The worst thing you can do is not oblige.
So, here’s my deal now:
I love email.
Correction: I really love email.
Writing it, that is.
Have an email you need written? Let’s chat.