| Google has rocked the email marketing boat in a BIG | | | | their clients pre-screen their inbox as well. |
| way. | | | | So here are some tips to help you break through the |
| You may or may not have heard about the new | | | | priority in-box wall. |
| "Priority Inbox" feature that Google has created for | | | | 1. Make your emails visible. When we send out a |
| users to sort email in a different way. | | | | course email, we include a header: [DS103] that |
| As soon as I had access to it, I fell in love with it. I also | | | | proceeds the subject line. This makes it easy for our |
| realized that it was a game changer for people who | | | | clients to sort our messages from the other mail in |
| contact their clients via email. | | | | their inbox. We use [PartyOn!] to let you know that our |
| Users can now classify mail based on usefulness, not | | | | newsletter has arrived, so you can drop what you're |
| just whether or not it's spam. | | | | doing and go straight to the training you need. |
| Previously, I was sorting my mail into folders. I now | | | | 2. Make your subject enticing AND relevant. Subject |
| have over 300 folders in my email system. I'm not | | | | lines need to grab the attention, but they must also be |
| kidding.Each folder was for "stuff" that was not spam, | | | | relevant. Don't use "Important" or "Personal" unless |
| but didn't need to fill my inbox on a daily basis - like | | | | something really is. This week, we had a link error in |
| coupons from Amazon, Borders, VistaPrint and others. | | | | our newsletter, so we sent out a follow-up email that |
| I love to read, but I don't buy books every day. | | | | said "Corrected Link: Holiday Show Success" |
| Retailers are notorious for sending 3-5 emails each | | | | This is very clear, very relevant and very attention |
| week (when will they learn?) in hopes of enticing you | | | | getting. Being deceptive or clever with "hype-y" subject |
| with an offer too good to pass up at the moment you | | | | lines will more than likely get you marked as |
| need it. | | | | "unimportant" (or spam) if you do it often enough. It's |
| So those messages go into separate folders and | | | | like the boy who cried wolf. Pretty soon, people will |
| when I'm ready to buy something, I go there looking for | | | | stop listening. |
| a coupon or other info that may help me make a good | | | | 3. Make your email interactive. Once people have |
| deal even better. I purge them from time to time to | | | | opened your email, give them a reason to click, reply, |
| keep my folders tidy. | | | | or otherwise respond to your email. Include a link to |
| Priority inbox, however, takes this one step further. It | | | | your blog, an order page, your Facebook page - |
| pre-screens your email and decides what's important | | | | anything that makes them take positive action. The |
| for you to read right away - and get this: | | | | more actions they take, the more important Google will |
| It's a smart algorithm, based on how you read and | | | | consider your messages, and ultimately YOU. |
| respond to the emails you're getting. | | | | 4. Train your readers. Let them know what to expect |
| So let's say for example, my newsletter comes to | | | | when they register for your list. Let them know your |
| your inbox, and you open it right away. Google will give | | | | delivery schedule and tell them the kinds of things to |
| it "points" in the algorithm as being more important than, | | | | expect content-wise. If they're expecting your email |
| say that ad from VistaPrint. If you then click on a link or | | | | (maybe even looking forward to it), you're more likely |
| reply to it, Google considers it even more important. | | | | to move to the top of the inbox heap. |
| The more emails you get from me that you actually | | | | 5. Take the conversation offline. I don't mean abandon |
| read and/or respond to in some way, the more | | | | email. You need to be doing MORE than just emailing |
| Google believes that I (the sender) am more important | | | | your clients. Email's a cheap and easy way to reach |
| in your in-box. And if Google gets it wrong, you can | | | | people, but extending the conversation (relationship |
| correct it - learning as it goes. | | | | building) to offline venues (phone, direct mail, in-person) |
| This is exciting and scary all at the same time. Why? | | | | makes it more likely that someone will be looking |
| Because as a direct seller that uses email to reach | | | | forward to hearing from you via email. If they've never |
| your clients, you need to be even more diligent about | | | | put a face with a name, never spent time in your |
| making sure your email gets read (and not sending | | | | presence, never heard your voice, they have less of |
| junk in the first place!). If not, you're going to fall by the | | | | an emotional investment in working with you. |
| wayside of what Google calls "bologna" or "bac'n" | | | | In truth, these are things you should already be doing, |
| instead of spam: stuff that's not spam, but isn't really | | | | and now, it's more critical than ever. You can't be |
| important, either. That's a black hole you may never | | | | important to everyone, but if you're doing the right |
| find your way out of! | | | | things in your marketing and mailing, you'll be important |
| Don't think that your clients with Gmail are the only | | | | to the clients that matter most to the health and |
| ones this effects. It's only a matter of time before | | | | success of your direct sales business. |
| other mail providers start using a similar feature to help | | | | |