5 Content Brainstorms For Emails Your Subscribers Actually Want To Receive: How To Use Email For Good, And More Frequently

Email is an extremely effective marketing tool for so many reasons.

But it’s still the most hotly contested strategy I bring to the table when I consult clients one-on-one.

Why?

• People have very strong reactions to email.
• They’re overwhelmed by the volume of content in their own inboxes each day.
• They feel like someone is always trying to sell them something.
• They’re convinced their own emails will just be ignored.
• And most of all, they’re at a loss of what to say to their email subscribers.

The biggest mistake you can make in email marketing is to only show up in someone’s inbox when you’re asking for something. Arts companies often only email when they’re selling tickets to a show. Service providers only email when they have a new offer or need to fill consulting spots. Speakers only email when they have an event. Shops only email when they’re having a sale.

When you approach email this way, it's a self-fulfilling prophecy. You show up less frequently; you get ignored more often.

When you haven’t shown up in months, your name isn’t top of mind, so yes, you probably won’t get a lot of opens.

If you haven’t demonstrated value or inspired joy in their inbox, you haven’t earned their attention or the sale.

When you approach email without a content plan, you risk becoming part of the noise that you personally find so frustrating.

Show how do you develop a content plan for your email list?

There is an endless amount of storytelling you can do and value you can provide to make your company worth paying attention to. And all of it can be emailed to your subscribers. Here are some questions to get your content brainstorm started:

Go back to the beginning

Why has someone opted in to your email list in the first place? Was it to receive an instructional video? To join a challenge? To download a free template or workbook? To get a discount? What else can you offer them that follows a similar format or teaches them something else they’d be interested in learning?

Answer some FAQs

What are some frequently asked questions you get from your best-fit clients or customers? Can you use your next email to answer one at length?

Share some inspiration

What are some thought-provoking reads or inspiring/helpful videos that you’ve come across recently that would be of interest to your subscribers?

Get them talking

What about some conversation starters? Can you email questions you have for them, and get them talking in email replies?

Celebrate!

What are some achievements or successes you can share? Email can be an opportunity to brag a little, even without asking for something in return. Do you have a great case study from a recent experience with another client? Have you been offered an opportunity to lead a project or speak on a panel? Share some successes and some gratitude.

Join Amy's Confident + Consistent Marketing group on Facebook for more helpful tips.