I have to share this email with you, hot from the JD spambox. My reply is below. Big takeaway from this one.
From: *********** | ************ [mailto:*******@**********.co.uk]
Sent: Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:01 PM
To: James Daniel james@jamesthecopywriter.co.uk
Subject: Savings Available until 30 June
Dear James,
Up until the end of this month we’re offering significant discounts on all our CAD products.
Savings are available on single licenses of ********* Standard, Professional and Premium, with greater discounts available for multiple licence deals.
And…
Discounts are also available on add-on products such as…
Simulation
Plastics
Electrical Schematics & 3D
Electrical PCB
Composer
Visualize
Inspection
Model Based Definition
All offers will end on 30th June 2017.
If you’d like to take advantage of these savings, reply to this email or request a price online.
Kind regards
***** ******
Marketing
********** – Supporting Excellence
——————————————————-
From: James Daniel james@jamesthecopywriter.co.uk
Sent: Thursday, June 8, 2017 2:01 PM
To: *********** | ************ [mailto:*******@**********.co.uk]
Subject: RE: Savings Available until 30 June
Dear *****
I would like to congratulate you on this remarkable email. I’ve read it three times over now, and I still have no idea:
Who ********** is or are
What in the name of Satan’s mighty arse a CAD product is
Why I’d want or need a CAD product, discounted or otherwise
This is, all things considered, the worst email I’ve ever seen. And that’s in the face of stiff competition, so I repeat – congratulations.
Take a tip or two from an award-winning copywriter:
One – don’t spam total strangers. If I wanted to be on your email list, I would be on your email list.
Two – if you must spam, don’t expect people to guess what you do. Actually tell them. (Unless there’s a prize for guessing, in which case tell them what the prize is).
Three – take me off your mailing list.
I know for a marketer with your obvious flair, I shouldn’t need to spell this out, but I do not wish to buy any discounted CAD products either now or in the future.
If I wake up tomorrow thinking “Wow I was wrong, I feel like a discounted CAD product for breakfast” (or whatever it is one does with a CAD product), I will contact you. Otherwise, please assume this is a permanent decision.
With kind regards, and a polite suggestion that you learn the basics of copywriting –
James
So what’s the big takeaway (other than stay the hell outa my inbox)?
This. You are waaaaay closer to your business than anyone else. Even your best customer, the one who’s buying from you for donkey’s years, won’t know half as much as you assume s/he does.
But a prospect? Who’s never so much as raised a hand to show a whiff of interest? You assume s/he knows what you’re about at your peril.
This person replied to me, saying “I explained it all in an earlier email!”
Well, there we are then. It’s my fault because I didn’t bother to go looking for it in my deleted items.
YOU – not me – YOU, are responsible for your message getting through to me. Turn it into a treasure hunt, or get vague about what you’re selling, and it’s your piggy bank that suffers. Not mine.
I’ve seen a few spammers whining about this lately on LinkedIn – saying it’s not fair, because people won’t reply to unsolicited emails.
Well, build a list guys. Build a relationship. Add some freakin’ value. Whining about fairness ain’t gonna feed the dog, is it?
There we have it.
Don’t spam! And if you do, don’t screw it up and blame the people who don’t buy from you!
Happy Days.