First of all, a big ‘Thanks’ to you for reading the story about Grandpa John and his little ‘secret’. You’ve now seen first hand how StoryMails work. I use stories to entertain the reader, leading them to the PS which is a Call To Action (CTA). From there they Click the link taking them to your site so you can make the sale.

StoryMails are long, short, strange, fun, and always entertaining.  They are never the same and they are never boring. The goal is simply to give your clients a small “oasis of joy” in an increasingly chaotic world. Soon they’ll associate those good feelings with you and your company.

Now, I know at the end of the Grandpa John story I promised you some Email Marketing Secrets and I will get to them . . .

But first I want to talk about you.

For most of the people reading this you started email marketing because someone told you it was easy. Some overpaid consultant or a ‘techno nerd’ on your team said, “This is easy. Build a List and extract money from the list!”

Easy, right?

And at first it was easy.Your list grew and you made sales. Some of the sales were ecommerce and sometimes there was extra traffic in your store. Either way it was all good. Extra sales and profits all because of email. Sweet!

But then things changed. You started to hear words like Spam, Promotions folder, deliverability, unsubscribes and low open rates. Suddenly it wasn’t ‘easy’ anymore.

Then along comes some hotshot (me) who once again again tells you it’s easy.

“You’re doing it all wrong.” he says.

“You’re sending the wrong stuff.” he says.

“People won’t read that crap.” he says.

“Send stories!”, he says.

“What? Stories? Why?”, you ask.

Because,(now we get back to the Secrets . . . you don’t think Grandpa was the only one with secrets!)

First, People HATE advertising. It’s why millions pay Netflix. It’s why Google created both a SPAM and a Promotions Folder in Gmail and it’s why your finger hovers over the ‘Skip Ad’ button on YouTube videos.

Second, People LOVE stories. If you know anything about your great grandparents, someone told you a story. Every great novel you’ve ever read, all of the great TV shows and Movies you’ve seen were stories. And yes, the gossip you hear in the lunchroom at work, is ALL stories. (some of them may even be true!)

Third, In this noisy world of information overload where millions of posts go up every minute on Social Media . . . The answer to getting noticed, standing out, and generating  sales is not about “more” . . .

it’s about being different! 

And, the single most important Email Marketing Secret is,

Mail stuff people want to read!

Imagine a child sorting through a Halloween candy bag, quickly grabbing their favorite candy – the ones they want to eat. Just like your subscribers sifting through their Inbox, eagerly opening emails they want to read . . . your digital flyers and sales emails  ending up like the less desirable candies, ignored at the bottom of the bag.

Now, because you aren’t a moron, you understand when people want to read your stuff, they will OPEN YOUR EMAIL

When you mail stuff people want to read, GOOD things happen!

Open Rates soar.

Delivery problems disappear.

Clients read and like your emails.

Spam and Promotional folders cease to be a problem.

Conversion rates go up.

Sales skyrocket and

Your competitors become irrelevant!

But, why take my word on the greatness of stories?

In a recent Forbes article, Marie Hattar says,

 “Storytelling is powerful because it creates an emotional connection between a company, its products and its customers. Effective storytelling increases engagement between a brand and its audience, which helps drive conversions and, ultimately, revenue growth.”

People usually have 1 of 3 different reactions when opening an email. 

The first is ‘WOW’ or what I call the Unicorn Email. It’s very rare. Like a Unicorn.

The second is the ‘Oh Damn, I’m being sold to again . . .” email. That’s the reaction you get from consistently sending Flyers and Sales Promos. It’s why your Open Rates are low and your Unsubscribe rates are high.

The third reaction is the “That’s cool, that’s fun, I like it”. This is what I aim for. If I can consistently elevate your  clients’ mood soon they’ll be thinking about what a great guy you are! Get it?

StoryMails are long, short, fun, quirky, and always entertaining. StoryMails are never boring.

After awhile your clients will look forward to your emails . . .

The plan is simple, like my brother-in-law Phil. But unlike Phil, this plan works:

I write an engaging Subject Line, followed by an entertaining story and capped off with a PS which is a compelling Call To Action.

StoryMails come to you in groups of 4 every month and are $300.

“Why groups of 4?”, you ask. One of the other ‘secrets’ I’ve learned after sending thousands of emails is that while the emails should never be boring, the schedule should be. Regular, weekly emails work best in most situations. Too many emails = Unsubscribes.  Too few and clients  forget about you. (Who dis . . .?)

When you sign up to get StoryMails there is,

No Retainer & No Contract

My work stands for itself. With email, statistics are always available.If I don’t measure up to your standards, not only can you fire me, you should. 

I get that what I do is not for everyone. If breaking with convention and doing the unexpected is too much for you, that’s OK. If you don’t want to compel interest in your emails while making your reader smile, then I can’t help you. 

With StoryMails, here’s what happens:

      * My emails get opened.

      * My emails get read

      * My emails generate click throughs.

      * YOU get the benefits.

I want my clients to have an edge – always. After reading one of my StoryMails your clients won’t feel like they’re being sold to. The sales pitch is  always  secondary to the story. This is about

Attracting an audience and creating fans.

Your email list isn’t just a bunch of names. It’s a potential goldmine waiting to be tapped! Sending emails people want to read is the key to unlocking the full potential of your list. So, if you’re serious about growing your list and maximizing the lifetime value of your clients, it’s time to start spinning some tales.

Great Stories For Sale – Your Business Doesn’t Have to be Boring