The Wrong and Right Recipes to Cook up Profits…

A self-proclaimed “email marketer” posted a diatribe on Reddit recently, accusing a biscuit company of “assaulting his inbox.”

He ordered some biscuits online, and then the biscuit company sent him, on average, five emails per week.

“Sending five emails per week is not the way to stay top-of-mind,” he declared.

He suggested sending “fortnightly” emails instead:

fort·night·ly /ˈfôrtˌnītlē/

1. happening or produced every two weeks.

The “email marketer” (EM) advised: Most of those “fortnightly” emails should contain “interesting/valuable” content such as “recipes” and “icing classes.”

Send “occasional promotional emails at times of the year when I’m more likely to want posh biscuits (like Christmas, Valentines or the last time I purchased posh biscuits).”

So, according to EM, you should send two emails a month (all/most without any promotion) and send promotional emails a few times a year (maybe three).

Speaking of recipes…

EM’s advice is a recipe to sell fewer biscuits.

EM combined so many myths to whip up his profit-crushing recipe.

The myths…

Myth #1: That which offends me will offend everyone — as in, “I don’t like getting frequent emails. Therefore, frequent emails won’t work.”

Myth #2: “Interesting” emails are valuable. Promotional emails are not.

Myth #3: The less you send, the more you sell.

The truths…

Truth #1: If you don’t like receiving frequent emails, that’s OK. If you choose not to send frequent emails, no problem. But please don’t confuse your personal preferences with a business-building marketing strategy. Conflating that which you dislike/like with business strategies that are bad/good is a great way to destroy your business (see Truth #3).

Truth #2: If you run an honest business, your products and services provide value to those who buy. When you promote your products and services, you persuade prospects to recognize the value. You persuade them to act in their best interest. That’s not an imposition. That’s a gift.

If you treat promotions as UN-valuable, you devalue your products and services. You withhold your gifts. Plus, you train subscribers devalue your promotions. Your infrequent “promotional emails” will generate fewer opens/clicks and more opt-outs and complaints. Bottom line: If you send some emails that are “interesting and valuable” and others that are “promotional,” you’ll sell less.

Promote with confidence and pride. Stand behind your products and services. You will sell more, and your clients will benefit more. You will not impose upon those who buy. You will help them.

That’s why every email I send includes promotions. Every piece of story-powered content provides value. Every piece sells. Every piece includes a next step.

Truth #3: If you send interesting, captivating, relevant emails (that also promote your products and services), the more you send, the more you sell. Most people get offended and opt-out not because you send too many emails. They get offended and opt-out because you send boring, irrelevant emails.

Over the 20+ years I’ve been an email marketer, I’ve increased sending from monthly to weekly to three times a week to week-daily. Every time I increased frequency, opens, clicks, and direct replies went up. Opt-outs and complaints went down. And most importantly, sales increased.

That’s my truth. And that’s the truth for other marketers who frequently send captivating, story-powered emails.

My mission: Help you consistently and comfortably create content that captivates your followers and inspires them to buy…

…so you can create and send more (without writer’s block) and sell more.

Everything you need will be in my new membership community, Club Storyville, launching later this month. Stay tuned for details.