Hey there, fellow email wranglers!
Today, we’re diving into the trifecta of email marketing power: trust-building, storytelling, and identifying pain points. And here’s the kicker — we’re doing it in a way that won’t leave you feeling like you’re a door-to-door salesperson begging your customers for money.
Understanding the Value of Trust in Email Marketing
Trust. It’s the lifeblood of any relationship, and it’s no different when it comes to your relationship with your email list. You want your subscribers to see you as a trusted source of information, not as a spammy salesperson. When your audience trusts you, they’re more likely to engage with your content, click your links, and yes, buy your products. So how do we cultivate that trust?
Storytelling: Engaging Your Audience Authentically
Storytelling is the secret sauce that makes your emails sizzle. It humanizes your brand, makes your content more engaging, and gives your audience something to relate to.
Take this email I wrote for a client, for example. It starts with a story about my client’s dog, Jasper, who chowed down some chemically-treated grass. (I kinda like dogs, if you haven’t noticed lol.) Not your typical start to a sales email, right? But that’s what makes it work. It’s not an outright pitch. It’s a story. A story that leads into the problem the client can solve for their subscribers.
Hi [fname] –
My dog has been lying next to my desk pouting all morning. The yard man came to spray my yard earlier and Jasper doesn’t understand why he can’t go outside.
It’s been a few hours and I’m tired of listening to him moan and groan, so I go outside first to make sure the grass is dry.
It is.
And, wouldn’t you know, when I let Jasper out, the first thing he does is run over and start munching mouthfuls of the recently-chemicaled grass.
Fantastic.
I shout at him to get inside, and thankfully he comes in immediately without much fuss.
The thing I failed to remember is that he likes eating grass, so of course he’s gonna go out there and do that.
He had no idea now was a bad time for that.
But if he doesn’t know any better, how is he supposed to act differently?
Kind of reminds me of some of the broken down [software] instances I’ve seen.
I talk to many people whose [software] systems are misconfigured or a database is inoperative. And they aren’t impressed with the performance.
They’re trying to build reports with a broken system, but they don’t necessarily know it’s broken.
All they know is that they’ve done it the same way in the past and this is just how things work.
But, [company] is here to fix that.
It’s less costly to work with compared to [software] themselves, and we’re not trying to upsell you services that won’t solve your problems like some of the less scrupulous partners out there.
You just want your [software] instance to work like it should. We just want to help you get there.
Let’s book a meeting next week to discuss how we can help get your reporting back to where it needs to be.
Where do you wish you could improve your [software] system?
[Signature]
Identifying and Addressing Pain Points
Now let’s talk about pain points. Those pesky problems that keep your audience up at night. If you can identify what those are, you’re halfway to making a sale.
In the case of the Jasper email, the pain points were misconfigured software systems and unimpressive performance. The subscribers didn’t necessarily know their system was broken — they were just munching on that chemically-treated grass, unaware of the issues at hand. But the email highlighted these problems and offered a solution.
Selling Respectfully: Balancing Promotion with Value
So we’ve got our trust, our engaging story, and we’ve identified those pain points. Now comes the tricky part: selling without feeling like a nuisance.
The key here is balance. You want to offer value to your subscribers, not just sales pitches. You want to respect their inbox, not bombard it with constant promotional material. It’s about giving them something useful or entertaining, while also showing them how your product or service can solve their problems.
In the Jasper email, the selling came in the form of a proposed meeting to discuss how the client could help improve the subscribers’ software systems. It was a respectful, non-pushy call to action that came only after providing a relatable story and identifying a pain point.
Bringing It All Together: Trust-Building, Storytelling, and Pain Points
When you combine trust-building, storytelling, and identifying strong pain points, you’ve got a powerhouse of an email strategy. You’re not just selling; you’re building relationships. You’re providing value. You’re showing your subscribers that you understand their problems and you have the solution they need.
Email marketing doesn’t have to feel dirty or intrusive. It can be a genuine, helpful, and effective way to connect with your audience and grow your business. So let’s ditch the spammy sales tactics and start crafting trustworthy email campaigns that really work.
Now, it’s your turn! How have you incorporated trust-building, storytelling, or pain points into your email marketing? Share your experiences and let’s learn from each other.
And, as always, if you need help crafting engaging, effective email campaigns, I’m here to help. Reach out and let’s get your email strategy to where it needs to be.
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