I was at the farmers market by my house, waiting to check out. The lady directly ahead of me kept tinkering with her cell phone. She’s lazily putting her stuff on the conveyor belt and I’m trying not to get frustrated.
I look left. I look right. Yup. This lane is still probably the fastest option out.
She finally starts moving forward with her items. She’s not quick about it and I imagine she’d do it a lot faster if she stopped fiddling around with her phone.
Is she texting? Is she on Facebook? Who knows. I wish she could get it together though because I’d really like to get outta here with my “two things”.
Who is this lady? She is most of the people that are looking at your emails (and social posts too for that matter).
We want to believe that our readers are at home opening our emails with undivided attention and discernment. This was true in the 90’s maybe but that was a LONG time ago.
Now when your list is reading your emails they’re in line at the bank, grocery store, or at the gym. Or worse they’re ‘reading’ while they’re texting and watching YouTube. Or driving!!!
Your first step to writing better emails is understanding that the people who will read them are more ADHD than Hammy from the movie Over The Hedge. Hammy is loving and adorable but a tough nut to crack with average emails.
Better to put in the work using a little flash and Blockbuster Storytelling to capture Hammy’s focus than to make believe your reader is some unicorn that’s giving your email her undivided attention.
To learn how to write captivating emails (even for ‘Hammy’s’ at the grocery store), subscribe to my newsletter at https://adamstreet.net for daily emails.
Adam