By Kaleigh Moore September 3, 2024
I can’t consider something to jot down.
Sound acquainted? After all it does. It’s one of many high causes our clients give us for letting their e-mail advertising and marketing flatline. They simply run out of concepts or matters to jot down about.
Even professional writers give you main e-mail block. Ann Handley, co-founder of Advertising Profs and the favored e-book “Everyone Writes,” solely despatched two emails to her subscribers in 2017. (In actual fact, the shortage of communication was her catalyst behind revamping her complete e-newsletter technique.)
However when your emails stall, you’ll be able to’t make connections together with your subscribers. You’ll be able to’t promote. You’ll be able to’t collect suggestions out of your viewers. You’re leaving cash on the desk!
By no means waste time attempting to consider a subject when you need to be writing. Listed here are 8 brainstorming methods that can make it easier to create a listing of matters for future emails.
Fast Notes on Brainstorming
First issues first: Let’s go over a couple of fast notes re: brainstorming.
Arising with concepts on your content material is critical, however don’t get too caught up on producing the proper concept instantly. In the event you’re too important, you received’t get something written down. You by no means know what a random phrase now may make you consider later. Maintain a optimistic mindset and be open to any and all concepts.
Don’t fear an excessive amount of about following the principles. Brainstorming is all about creativity and discovering no matter technique works greatest for you. Whereas one particular person may do nicely with a structured brainstorming course of, one other may thrive with a unfastened, free-flowing concept session.
The necessary factor to recollect about brainstorming concepts on your e-mail campaigns is that you simply’ll need to keep open-minded all through your course of . . . no matter what that appears like.
Subsequent, let’s begin taking a look at a couple of particular brainstorming methods you’ll be able to attempt with a view to get the concepts flowing.
Brainstorming Strategies for Stellar E mail Concepts
Earlier than we bounce in, let’s discuss AI (I do know, I do know). Copywriter extraordinaire Eddie Shleyner stated, “AI could ultimately substitute some writing. But it surely can not substitute writers, folks, all the pieces we all know and really feel and emote.”
I agree.
I don’t suppose AI will substitute the human contact any time quickly, however it can be a brilliant worthwhile unblocker. Our AI Writing Assistant, constructed immediately into the AWeber message editor, generally is a nice brainstorming useful resource while you’re caught on what to jot down about, a brand new phrase to explain one thing, or tips on how to hit the tone you’re in search of.
Test it out and hold it in your brainstorming arsenal so you will get again to what you’re keen on quicker.
Okay, on to the methods.
Brainstorming Method #1: Phrase Affiliation
Begin with one or two phrases associated to a broad matter, and write down something they make you consider. Let your internal editor relaxation for a bit and simply jot down no matter concepts and phrases come to thoughts. In the event you need assistance, attempt a device like Visuwords to get the method going.
Don’t overthink issues or fear about explaining how the phrases are associated (a minimum of proper now.) As a substitute, let the concepts move and see what attention-grabbing ideas naturally come up.
Picture supply: Search Engine Land
Brainstorming Method #2: Thoughts Mapping
It is a comparable idea to the phrase affiliation approach. Begin with a phrase within the center and draw strains outward to the concepts that phrase sparks. Mapping helps you visually course of your concepts and determine which of them are the strongest.
Picture supply: CoSchedule
Brainstorming Method #3: The Medici Impact
If we will work out how issues are linked, typically we will borrow options or concepts from one other area to unravel our personal issues. Search for parallels across the points you’re dealing with in numerous areas — like your private life or at work.
For instance: Did you lately overcome a problem at work that taught you a lesson or supplied some new perspective on a problem? How will you share that have as a narrative that will assist your viewers with their greatest ache level? You may need come to an answer that might make for an excellent e-mail marketing campaign.
Brainstorming Method #4: Blind Writing
Simply. Don’t. Cease.
You don’t want a plan of assault or a top level view for this — simply put phrases on a clean web page, it doesn’t matter what they’re. You by no means know what’s going to spark an concept, and writing something is step one to writing one thing good.
Set a timer and problem your self to maintain writing for nevertheless lengthy you need. Chances are you’ll be stunned how a lot you will get down on paper in a brief window of time.
Brainstorming Method #5: Challenger
Make a listing of your assumptions (about your clients, your content material, your format, and so forth.) after which problem them one after the other. You may suppose you already know the easiest way to do one thing, however we don’t make progress by by no means questioning issues.
That is additionally why break up testing emails is so necessary. Chances are you’ll suppose one topic line will carry out higher over one other, however with out testing, you by no means actually know.
Associated: FREE Course: Study The right way to Write Higher Emails
Brainstorming Method #6: SWOT Evaluation
Create a desk to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, alternatives, and threats (SWOT) to your present strategy to e-mail content material. This helps you see your course of in a extra analytic method and logically determine if there’s a more practical method to write, share, and educate.
As you full your SWOT evaluation, remember to see what your most important rivals are doing and make notes on how chances are you’ll (or could not) be measuring up together with your present strategy.
Picture supply: Wordstream
Brainstorming Method #7: Flip to Your Readers
Conversations together with your subscribers can result in a treasure trove of e-mail concepts. Ask your subscribers questions and attempt to discover out as a lot details about them as potential. What do they really need or want from you? What are their greatest obstacles, targets, or most important ache factors?
Your subscribers’ suggestions might be immensely worthwhile to your small business. You should utilize it to jot down your subsequent e-mail, and different varieties of content material like weblog posts, movies, and social media posts. You may also take it a step additional by utilizing the suggestions to accurately place your product, encourage loyalty, and/or develop all-new merchandise.
Brainstorming Method #8: Begin with the Topic Line
Set a timer for five minutes. Then, give you a listing of topic line concepts that you’d completely open in the event that they hit your inbox.
Ask your self questions like:
- What’s the important thing level on this e-mail {that a} subscriber can be desirous to know extra about?
- Did I write about one thing within the e-mail that might shock the reader?
- What do readers must know proper now?
The topic strains you write could even spark some all-new content material concepts.
Associated: Your Information to Writing the World’s Finest E mail Topic Strains
Sensible E mail Concepts, Time After Time
Persistently sending emails is a superb method to hold subscribers engaged, however attempt to not neglect that nobody needs to open an e-mail that doesn’t even have any new or helpful info. Having a relentless provide of recent e-mail concepts retains you from getting marked as spam and despatched to the junk mailbox, by no means to be opened once more.
Frequently, brainstorm new matters via these completely different approaches and hold a swipe file of your greatest and brightest concepts. You’ll by no means hit a bottleneck in concepts for e-mail campaigns once more.
Prepared to begin sending killer emails to your listing? Then join AWeber Free in the present day!
