How to Make Your Email Ad Sell By Abbie Drew Feb 2, 2012

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I'll bet you've noticed that DEMC is an ad sponsored
newsletter. As a result of offering sponsor ads, I
regularly have prospects ask me what makes an email ad sell?

Most recently, I had Matt contact me with an ad for his app.
Now, I don't want to sound like Simon Cowell, from
American Idol fame, but honestly Matt's ad was really
lousy.

Unfortunately, Matt completely missed email advertising
101. Matt's mistakes were not atypical. Too often email
marketers fail when they could succeed with a few simple
rules of engagement.

Let's review what makes an email ad successful. Many of
these points apply if you're sending out an ad to your own
list as well as sponsoring an ad to anothers' email list.

1. Sponsorship email ads work best as email lead generators.

Use email ads to build your own list. (You are building an
email list aren't you!)

Do Not, and I repeat Do Not try to sell your offering in
the email ad you send. It will not work. This is true when
promoting to your own list as well.

2. Keep your email short and scan-able.

An email promotion should be able to be scanned within
seconds. A reader viewing the email should be able to
understand your point and what you're offering simply
by glancing at the message.

3. Have only one - BIG, BOLD call to a action.

You can repeat the one call to action in the email but
drive traffic to just one link.

Multiple links and requests distract the prospect from your
main goal. That main goal in a sponsor ad is capturing the
lead's email address.

Try out a large, purple "Click for Access" button to see
if it improves response to your sign up page.

4. Use a Landing Page.

Direct leads from your promotional email to a specific
offer landing page. The landing page is where you do
the selling, not in the email.

With an email sponsorship ad, include an obvious sign up
box front and center in the landing page.

Driving traffic to an affiliate page or your main home page
where you fail to re-state the offer made in your email is a
lost opportunity. You have to further explain on your
landing page the offer you just emailed in order to close
the deal.

Check out the past issue of DEMC on landing page design
for sponsorship ads called:
6 Keys to Double Your Subscriber Sign-Ups


5. Make an Irresistible Offer

Your email and your landing page should promise to deliver
something in exchange for enticing the lead to give you
his/her email address.

The more valuable the freebie you offer to visitors the more
likely you'll gain their email addresses. So make available
the best information or offer you can.

6. Include a picture with a person's face or people faces.

People relate to people and we can't help but be drawn into
taking a look at a picture. Include your head shot or a stock
photo of faces to grab attention in your email.

7. Focus on the Subject Line.

The subject line is the key element to getting your email
opened. Spend time on writing a short catchy subject.

Use your own email inbox to research good subject lines.
Everyday you review your email make a note and put into
a folder the emails that you actually open. These emails
clearly had subject lines that worked.

Then the next time you have to write a subject line -
review your opened email folder and compose your own
line from those that worked.

8. Create Urgency.

To encourage readers to act immediately upon what you
offer - limit its availability.

Tell recipients the offer is for Today only or use verbiage
such as "Almost gone" or "Last chance".

You want the reader to act upon your offer right now before
they close your email and move on to the next one. If the
reader thinks there is no rush they may put off taking action
until later and then it's likely they'll forget.

9. Promote an exclusive deal.

Recipients who believe the deal you're making is crafted
just for them will be more likely to act.

An exclusive deal make subscribers feel appreciated.
You make them feel they are getting special treatment for
being part of your group. When you make people feel
special they will respond.

10. Deliver on your promise and Follow Up.

When a person signs on to your email list make sure you
deliver what you promised immediately and thank your
new subscriber.

Also be sure to have an email autoresponder in place that
follows-up with that lead. The autoresponder should have
an automated series in place which builds a relationship
with the prospect.

Your autoresponder can deliver a welcome series of
messages recommending your different products
and/or services.

Your autoresponder can also deliver a weekly tips series
that continues providing quality content to your
subscribers. Sending valuable information regularly
develops rapport with your subscribers and makes them
more likely to buy from you.

If you don't have an autoresponder, be sure to check out our

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