Email

Always address a person by their name in an email. Do not approach a rep or a client with a mass email if you want a response.

Always assume your client has less than one second for your email. Include any links they may already know. Write in full sentences that retrace the emails so they don’t need to scroll down and read old ones to understand. Speak in each email as if it’s the first one, gathering all the info. Unless of course you are responding immediately, then it can be quick “yes” or “no”, etc. 

Sometimes, the more you say, the less you will be heard. Consider your audience and how much time they have to read an email.

Treat others the way you want to be treated. How much time do you have to read an email or take a phone call?

You look like an amateur if you don’t have an official website email address, along with a signature on the email including your web or IG link on it.

Q:

What are your thoughts on Agency Access? I feel like spamming with promos doesn’t do much for my business these days. 

A:

We use what we have, but we cannot depend solely on doing any ‘one thing.’ Agency Access is not perfect so I also use Bikini List.  The best way to do this is to try everything and keep trying everything.

Q:

What are some things to avoid when cold emailing?

A:

The most important part of a cold email is to avoid sounding cold. I try to be in the moment to write as I speak, keeping it as “not staged” as possible. 

• Sound human
• Avoid unnecessary words = short and to the point
• Add a touch of human flair

Q:

Is there a suggestion on what else to do to get blocked email promos through clients’ email filters?

A:

I don’t have the technical fix yet, but this is a numbers game for us. I send out quarterly promos knowing that most will not get seen, but if 20% get opened, that is still part of our MARKETING PLAN that has succeeded in one way: more eyes are on our work than if we didn’t send it out. I use the same theory on IG as it’s the marketing plan numbers game.

Q:

Email promos are barely working, and I hate to give them up because I don’t know what else will work better. Please advise. 

A:

Email promos may not match the exact success open rate you are going for, but we should continue sending them. We may get fewer clicks/hits/views on everything we do, but it’s still much more of a numbers game success than walking around with a portfolio in hand (which is also important to do). The marketing puzzle of what works to be seen is broad, so many potential parts require us to do them all.

Making the subject line of your email stand out is the most important factor in getting it read. Here are a few of my ideas; please share your own in the comments!

• Be specific with your topic.

• Make it catchy and interesting.

• Use your topic as a reference to what you want them to remember you for.

• Include a question mark.

• Say their name.

Q:

The hardest part of this business is dealing with clients ghosting you after engaging in several emails.

How do you get clients to give a quick update???

A:

“GHOSTING” is the new norm due to overworked, busy clients. Potential ways of getting responses include a clean-up of how we communicate:

1. Our note needs to be short, concise, clear, and fast.

2. End ours with the question instead of asking it in the beginning.

3. Assume it’s not good news and would be time-consuming for them to form their words, so you can ask in a way that allows them to say “yes” or “no.”

4. Listen to the ghosting as a business cue to take stock of why the client doesn’t need you right now.