Friday, June 18, 2010

How to make your summer more fun! (And profitable)

Today I opened my monthly Aeroplan e-newsletter for the first time, I think, ever.  What made this one stand out in a sea of email newsletters, all begging for my attention?

This email earned my attention by promising a unique and creative benefit. Here's the subject line: "Offers to make your summer vacation fun." Who could resist that?

Lots of marketers every day promise to make me happier, smarter and more successful. But Aeroplan seized my attention with an unusual and highly evocative message. Summer is coming. Most people associate summer, if only in memory, with happy, sun-drenched days filled with relaxation and fun.

Aeroplan latched onto a powerful primordial instinct: We can make your summer fun again!

This is how you attract attention.
Everybody wants more fun.

How can you make life better for your market? What basic, instinctual, primordial longing can you tap into?
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PS: Compare this subject line to the dull and predictable titles on previous Aeroplan newsletters that languished unopened in my inbox:
* Your Aeroplan newsletter, May 2010
* Hurry! Aeroplan Bonus Days are here but only for a limited time!
* Your Aeroplan newsletter, March 2010

Your messages will gain greater attention in direct proportion to your ability to think like your customer.

1 comment:

Gloria Hildebrandt said...

Probably the worst news releases I get are ones that have no description in the subject line at all, just the words "News release for [date]." This is not thinking like the recipient, only as the sender. I need some kind of hook or reason to open a news release. Help me out with some idea of what the "news" is!