A subscriber sent an email recently, praising my newsletter. I share it with you because it reveals my “secret” for building readership, fans, and clients.
See if you can spot the secret:
—
David
Thank you for your newsletter.
Yours is one of the few newsletters that I read everyday!!!
It always adds value and it is not always hyping the latest greatest webinar or makes me watch a 5-minute video to find out if I am even interested (which means I usually DONT watch the video).
I like how you provide value in a time efficient manner but also include a link for more information.
To me, this positions you as a more credible expert who gets someone’s interest by providing value so the person wants to learn more.
If I have to jump through a lot of hoops (aka watch a bunch of LONG videos) then I will probably never do it.
By the way, I have bought several of your publications and books.
Have a great day!!
—
He also forwarded an email he got as an example of what he doesn’t like. It was a freak show of graphics, hype, and obnoxious calls to action. A melange of “yuck”. (It was also unclear what they were even selling).
If you compare that mess with my emails, you’ll know that my secret isn’t really a secret at all.
It’s not that my emails are plain text emails instead of a “pretty” HTML newsletter, although that’s part of it. It’s not that I’m not “in your face” with aggressive sales pitches and hype and zero value. It’s not that I just say what I want to say instead of forcing you to go watch videos.
It’s not any of those things, it’s all of them. And more.
It’s the subject matter of the emails. I share ideas that can help you increase your income, be more productive, and make your day a little less stressful and a little more fun.
It’s the stories I tell, often based on personal experience, which illustrate my points and provide a glimpse into me, the person, and not just me, the attorney.
It’s my informality and (lame) humor. You may not laugh but you won’t fall asleep.
It’s that I write “to” you, not “at” you. Just the two of us, having a chat.
And it’s the brevity of the messages. In a few minutes, you get a dose of something to think about or something to do. I give homework, but it’s not overwhelming.
The secret is that I write what I would want to read. And because I was in your shoes for many years, I know what you want to read.
So there you have it. Write to your clients and prospects what you would want to read. You know them, so give them what they want.
Keep it short. Keep it real. Keep it simple. And have some fun with it.
If you do, your clients will look forward to hearing from you, praise you, and buy everything you sell.
Here’s how to use email to build your practice
