I woke up this morning, dreading the 525,600 Cyber Monday emails I would have to sift through to get down to real business today. It was worse than just Cyber Monday email—since I was out of town for Thanksgiving, I hadn't touched a computer since Wednesday afternoon... which meant I also had all the pre-Thanksgiving, early bird and Black Friday notices filling up my inbox.
I fully intended to delete every last email, unless I recognized the name as a business associate. Until... this headline caught my eye: The Zombie Account Executive—The Sequel. I LOVE THIS! I love zombies. And a zombie seller? Well, this I had to read about! So I clicked... and was not disappointed.
If you are a marketer who is trying to stand out in a crowded marketplace, you need to be smart. The power of the subject line is what got me to open this message. And, upon opening, I was entertained and informed (not bad for a Monday morning!)
Take a moment to do your own informal study of your inbox. The majority of my messages promised clearance prices, a 20-30% discount, a "Cyber Monday Sale," or "Cyber Monday Savings."
What would have made these marketing campaigns exceptional would be if I had opted in—if I had ASKED to be on their mailing list (rather than being coerced at the register)—and then if they sent me a targeted email based on my interests, browsing or purchase behaviors. That type of email marketing is smart marketing, and is very different from the spam I received loads of today.
Which emails did you open this morning? What prompted you to open them? Let's discuss and learn how to break through the holiday email clutter so you can connect with more quality sales leads this season!
For more ideas on how to make your inbound marketing successful, download 30 Days to Inbound Marketing Success.
Kim Peek is the Blog Boss at The Center for Sales Strategy.
