Nobody likes to get an email that blows snow up their bumper. You spend a lot of time, energy and money collecting digital assets - in this case, email addresses.  You need a sharp strategy designed to keep them from feeling like they are caught in your email jail. 

Before we get into the 5 simple steps there is one big rule that we must always be mindful of.  The email must be opened.  This seems to be common sense but it is both art and science.  Think carefully about the mindset of your followers and be sure the information you are sending will be interesting and of value. 

Let's take a look at these 5 simple steps.

Step 1 - Make sure your subject line is intriguing.  Be up front and tell the recipient why they are getting the email or what it is about.  Ideas might be:  "Extreme test footage of the v-plow" or  "Your monthly newsletter from XYZ Company" or "Jim the engineering manager reveals secrets"

Step 2 - Include interesting photos with a headline about a subject matter that is important to the person you just sent the really cool email to.

Step 3 - Include a human interest headline with an image to click on and drive traffic deeper into your site.  Maybe try, "Kirk from SIM tells us why his video work elicits crazy responses."

Step 4 - Include video - embed it into the communication if possible or have an image of what they are going to see with a link to the video. Link to a video on your site or on Youtube.  Oh, and make sure the video is interesting!  You must tell the user what it is they are going to see if they click on the video.  Maybe try "Watch the young engineer make a fool of himself...and not get fired!"

Step 5 - Ask for something in return.  "Like us on Facebook" "Click here for more"  "Sign up for a special offer"  This way you can track the success of this particular email blast.

By the way, Check out this video of Chris Farley explaining "El Nino" - It's pretty funny!

http://www.snowplownews.com/video/chris-farley-el-nino

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