Ah, writer’s block. A frequent obstacle among business owners striving to send out regular emails to their list.
I’ve written a couple posts about writer’s block both broadly and specifically for email, but today, I want to cover 4 ways your own life can provide you with endless email ideas.
Read on:
1. People-Watch
Think your idea generator had run dry?
Engage in a bit of people-watching.
Sit on a local park bench, pop into a coffee shop, or even just observe people as you go about your day. You’re bound to see something slightly interesting — interesting enough to spin into an email.
The more crowded, the better, of course. You’ll see plenty of interesting interactions at an airport or a mall, for instance.
But as long as you’re out and about often, this can be a great help for email marketing.
2. Try Something New
I like to think of myself as a lifelong learner. I’m not content with stagnation — I love gaining knowledge and acquiring new skills. It’s almost a hobby.
But it also offers an endless stream of powerful email ideas.
Think about it: new experiences are great conversation starters among friends… and can be with your email list in the same way.
This is especially true if what you’re learning is relevant to your business’s niche/industry. As a copywriter, talking about what I discover while working with clients makes for great email fodder.
So pick up a new hobby. Take a class in something interesting. Read about obscure topics online. You never know what exciting things you’ll come across…
And can turn into $$$-generating emails.
3. Read a Variety of Books
Reading books is great for enjoyment, learning new things… and finding money-maker email ideas.
Whether it’s part of a story you’re reading, an interesting concept you learned, or a cool quote…
You bet you can turn it into an email.
And no, they don’t have to be just business or marketing books.
For instance, I read George Patton’s autobiography, War as I Knew It, which recounts his experience in the WWII campaigns in Africa, Italy, and Germany.
I respect the guy, but his book was, er, dry, to say the least.
Still, he had some great quotes that I pulled out and used as the basis for client emails. I’d never have gotten those ideas had I skipped this book.
4. Conversations With Friends
I mentioned conversations with friends earlier… and those are great places to dig out email hooks, too.
I mean, you can take something said by a friend, family member, grocery store cashier, or someone else and expand on it in some way.
Of course, make sure to respect their privacy if they don’t want their name or other details blasted out to your list.
Make Sure You Document Ideas!
Document things if you don’t need ideas right away. It’ll give you stuff to fall back on if you run dry of ideas one day.
Grab an app like Evernote, or use Google Docs and jot down any ideas that come to mind.
Personally, I have an Evernote list where I jot down email ideas as bullet points. That way, I have a nice, large bank of ideas in case I’m struggling on any given day.
All that said…
If you’re struggling to come up with email ideas or want other tips on email copywriting…
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