EP66 - Making Email Fun Again!

We ALL want things to work exactly the way they are in our mind. Our business plan is perfect. The goals we set will become real. But, life gets in the way. Reality takes over. Things change.

Hey there friends…

James here.

Remember the movie “You’ve Got Mail”?

It was 1998, starring a younger Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan.

An email was still fun back then.

I remember people just walking around saying “you've got mail”, then giggling all the time.

You didn't mind getting an email or two...

IF YOU EVER HAD AN EMAIL ACCOUNT (back then).

Am I right?

Of course, I am.

Computers we're still a novelty for most people.

Families may only own one. They were expensive and not that easy to operate.

And if you wanted to check your mail or "your email", most people had to listen to their modem make some weird alien sounds. Remember that?

I do.

Those were some exciting times for sure.

Gurus we're still figuring out how to make money online.

Yeah, times were different back then.

There was no Facebook.

There was no Google.

No Instagram.

No YouTube.

No Windows as we know it. It was still getting figured out.

Many people were still using DOS and Windows 95 was struggling to catch on. It was the crappy Windows Version, after Windows 3.11.

Then, Windows 98 is released.

Finally, something that made people smile again. A windows environment that just worked.

That was then…

Fast forward, 24 years later.

Windows 11 was just released earlier in the year. But new computers are still being released with Windows 10.

People like stability.

There is Fear when it comes to change.

Change takes place over a long period of time.

Our computers are faster today, with more memory, and huge hard drives.

Though - for me, and I may be unique in this; every time I purchase a new computer and get the largest hard drives I can afford, it seems like in no time, the hard drives are filled up and the computer is slow again.

Maybe this happens to you too?

There are now countries holding computers hostage.

Forcing companies and people to pay a ransom, just to unlock the files on their computers.

It's not new either.

Ransomware has been around for quite a long time. But now, everyone knows about it.

Fear of clicking on email links and website advertising is the result.

Giving rise to pop-up blockers.

Email has been getting a bad name because (many) marketers have been using it to take advantage of people.

Guru and other marketers use email as their personal cash register. They have been doing it for years.

It is getting very tiring.

Spam is at an all-time high.

And people are tired of it too!

In spite of all that.

Besides text messages, email is still one of the easiest ways for people to communicate.

Email is also the easiest way to make money online.

Though people keep saying “email is dead”.

Nonetheless, email is still alive and kicking.

Some (bold and innovative) marketers have started rethinking (their) email strategy.

They decided - to go against the grain.

They decided - to do something completely different.

They decided - to stop mistreating subscribers and customers…

Instead, (They Decided) to start by showing they appreciated their customers and subscribers.

How did they do that?

First of all, they decided to honor people's time and attention.

After all, time is valuable.

You cannot just run down the street and get some more.

So, we must be wise in how we use it.

Sure as a youth, we sacrificed our time because we thought we would live forever.

How's that working out?

Still, wasting your time?

Maybe not so much now.

And this is the reasoning that those who DO elect to spend their valuable time reading content and/or emails are the same as people who purchase products.

They too are spending something valuable. For them, it is (their) precious time. For customers, it is their money.

Treating both as customers just makes sense.

Sure you segment product purchasers so they can receive product-specific content, but don't treat the other group as someone worthless.

The people on your email list respond based on how you treat them. And they also respond based on how they get on your list.

Case in point:

Do you think someone that gave you an email address (a real one) to receive a simple PDF or a “cheat sheet”, will respond the same as someone who has read your blog post or your other content and decided to subscribe to your list, to read more of your writing?

Of course not.

Your list would show that to be true too...

If you had tagged your subscribers all along the way and analyzed the email open rates.

You will see a vastly huge difference.

People that have grown to know, like, and trust you will always be more inclined to read more, and eventually even purchase your products.

Imagine that!

People who LIKE YOU purchase products.

Sure there are random times when people do buy for no reason at all.

They are outliers.

But it usually turns out they had all along been researching that purchase. And after convincing themselves, (by something they may have come across and read, and it just so happens to have been on your page or your email,) they pull the trigger as soon as the opportunity arises.

But for you and me.

How do WE get back to enjoying email and making money at the same time?

It all starts with How YOU treat PEOPLE. You know those email addresses in your list.

It's not a list of emails.

It's a list of people.

People with feelings.

People with problems.

People searching for answers.

People in need of help.

And YOU!

You are in a unique position to help them.

So take the time to let them get to know who you are.

Let them know YOU have standards.

Let them know you value honesty.

Let them know you honor commitment and loyalty.

Give them a reason to read your newsletter, email, and content.

Develop your content with your audience in mind.

Make your audience feel as if you are speaking to them alone, so you can forge a deep relationship with one another.

Have fun!

Tell jokes when appropriate.

Write your email in YOUR voice.

In other words…

Your email should read the same way you speak.

If you use slang, write that way.

Don't try to be a different person to your audience. It's confusing, for them, and you.

Share secrets…

Show you are vulnerable too.

Show you make mistakes.

Let them see you had to overcome the struggles they live with every day.

It will help them understand that you are like them.

That you understand their struggles, their hopes, and their fears.

In doing all these things…

You will elevate yourself in their mind.

Not because you want to be seen as better than them, but because they see in YOU a person worth trusting and as a person worth listening to.

This will NOT happen overnight.

It takes time.

Time worth doing.

Some like to call it “the long game”.

But to me and others too, it isn't a game at all, though it takes a long time to see fully realized.

Instead, it is the right thing to do.

It provides better results to everyone.

For your audience, they learn valuable lessons.

They receive insight and knowledge they would not otherwise receive.

They have access to products and courses designed with them in mind.

For YOU, you get the honor and privilege to serve an audience that you can care for, build up, teach, and motivate.

Treating email, and people, as they deserve, provides many positive benefits.

I can only hope you choose to use it in the best ways possible.

Anyway…

It's time to call it.

The end of another podcast.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Let me know.

And I'll see you again next week.

Until then...

James "Still Emailing" Brown

P.S. - In the event, you DO find that once an episode has been produced and posted, that YOU really would like more information, just let me know. Use the Podcast Questions link, click on the link here. Or you can just leave a voice message here.