A common dilemma many email marketers face is whether or not they should “show their personality” in their emails. Just how “real” should they be?
It seems that many are under the impression that they won’t be taken seriously if their emails are
- too personal
- too funny
- too entertaining
- not “all business”
First, if you’re an email marketer for a corporation and you’re emailing executives and board of directors, then your emails will not have much personality in them.
Why? Because they must reflect the corporate culture while conveying information in as efficient a way as possible. Oh, this also applies to internal marketing emails – though you're often given a bit of leeway because it is, after all, marketing, you aren't given much.
But, if you’re an online business owner or internet marketer,
your personality is what separates you from your competition.
Okay – I admit – success with email marketing is a bit more than just your personality.
Let’s assume you have the knowledge and expertise to share the solutions your list needs for their problems.
Real success – consistent click-throughs and consistent purchases – happens when your subscriber sees the real you and decides to stay on your list because they like you and like what you offer.
Being “all business” and dull, lifeless, and impersonal is a sure-fire way to fail.
Your subscribers will get bored. They will ignore your emails. They won't buy anything from you.
You have to understand that the core of email marketing is developing relationships.
When people give you their email address via a landing page/opt-in page, it means that they’re giving you explicit legal permission to talk to them.
In other words, they want at least a one-way relationship with you. They're interested in what you have to say. They want to know your thoughts and opinions and stories about problems and solutions in their lives.
Whatever you do, don’t resort to copy/paste and recycling from the same swipe files as every other online business or internet marketer in your niche. Assume your subscribers are on their lists and getting their emails. And you don’t, absolutely don’t, want to send your subscribers the same thing your competition sends them. Because you are guaranteeing that your subscribers will tune out and unsubscribe from your list.
That’s not what you want.
You want subscribers who look forward to getting your emails.
Subscribers who want to open your emails.
Subscribers who want to read your emails.
And, subscribers who want to click on the links inside the emails.
Don't hide your personality. Celebrate it. Embrace it. Share it by sharing stories and thoughts and opinions and experiences. Add your “special touch” of humor or sarcasm or angst. All while showing your expertise.
Focus on being an expert, being credible, being trustworthy.
This will ensure that your subscribers will trust you, think you’re reliable, and know that you offer solid solutions and results…because you’ve been showing them who you are, what you do, why you do it, and why it works. And you’ve been doing it in your own words and in your own way.
Ultimately, you’re selling your personal brand, not just a set of solutions. If people only wanted to learn about certain solutions they can do it through other lists. Instead, they get the solutions AND they get you!
Get in there. Become part of the conversation. Make them miss you the moment they switch to another list. They should be able to instantly tell that there is something missing. The “flavor nugget” of your personality is too obvious and so it becomes easy to miss.
Your personality is the key ingredient to email marketing success. Don’t hide it. Share it. Do you and you will do well.
Is it possible for a copywriter to capture your voice?
Yes.
Getting YOUR voice is something I am good at doing. This means when I write your emails they sound like you wrote them – and they also are in the language your subscribers use. I know, you're not quite sure what that means and that's okay. What matters is that your subscribers will enjoy hearing from you – and feel like you know what they want and need. That's what leads to successful email marketing.
Want me to write your emails? Interested in hiring me as your consultant to get you on track with email marketing?
