Email is one of the most powerful marketing tools we have at our disposal. It’s also one of the most difficult to use effectively. Consumers have become increasingly adept at determining when they’re being “sold” to, and according to a study done by ExactTarget, people take an average of only 2.7 seconds to decide whether they’re going to read, forward, or delete an email.
So how do you craft an email that will actually elicit a response or action from the reader? According to marketing expert Jill Konrath, it all comes down to the four “SNAP” questions:
- How simple is it?
- Does this person bring value?
- Is this aligned with my objectives?
- How big a priority is it?
If you can create a compelling email that prompts the correct answers to these four SNAP questions, you’ll witness far higher returns on your email marketing efforts.
Konrath published a comprehensive paper on the subject called “The Ultimate Guide to Email Prospecting.” I highly recommend reading it if you are interested in improving the success of your email campaigns.