Frank Kern’s Mass Control marketing was one of the best product launchs I’ve seen in Internet Marketing history. His videos were brilliant but can the idea of “building a relationship with your list” really be that big a profit multiplier?
Our lab put the idea to the test and here’s the result. Now this is not meant to be an endorsement of Mass Control Marketing – the product is off the shelves. But hopefully, you will learn a ton from reading this post and observing the experiment we did.
The idea itself, is quite simple.
People get on email to see what’s new with their friends and colleagues. People do not check their inboxes to shop. The ‘frame of mind’ they’re in is about communicating with friends.
Yet most list owners send out annoying, salesly crap that their subscribers have no desire to read. There’s a frame of mind mismatch here. You’re trying to sell to people who are seeking a completely different experience from email. And this is why open rates and CTRs in emails have been falling for years.
So Kern’s advice is simple. Build a relationship with your list. Treat them as a ‘friend’ and write to them in the language and style they would expect from a friend or acquaintance.
The Experiment
We own a site that has a subscriber base of 200K. A bi-weekly newsletter goes out to this base. The promo pattern looks like this: The newsletter contains a short announcement of a special offer valid for 5 days. Then, just before the 5 days are up, the subscribers get a reminder email reaffirming the offer and reminding them of the promo end date coming up.
We took our regular reminder email (below) and swapped it with an email inspired by Frank Kern’s lessons.
Email 1: Regular Reminder Email
Subject: {FIRSTNAME}, a Special Reminder
Hi {FIRSTNAME}
This is just a quick reminder..
The XXXXXXX Promo we told you about ends Tomorrow Feb 5 2008
We’d like to invite you to take part in this promo and master more advanced XXXX techniques – those that make up the core of the XXXXX Product.
It’s going to take you miles beyond what you’ve studied so far…
In case you missed the first email, here’s the deal..
You had downloaded our complimentary XXXXX Training Program from our web site on Dec 5 2007.
I hope you have enjoyed our program and that it helped you become more aware of your true potential.
Yet, what you just studied is only a fraction of what XXXX involves…
So we have a Special Offer for you…
Visit the link below to see full details of this offer…
Full Details Here… www.XXXX.com
This offer is only valid until Feb 5 2008
Go Ahead, View the Special Offer..
And Do Email Me if you Have Any Questions.
Sincerely Rachel Curt, Your Customer Communications Manager www.XXXXXXXXX.com
Email 2: Mass Control Marketing inspired Email
Subject Line: {FIRSTNAME}! Rachel here, don’t forget about it…
Hi {FIRSTNAME},
Rachel here. I just wanted to remind you that I have this super cool bonus surprise for you if you order th1s week (I sent the announcement in the newsletter… I hope you saw it!)
Why am I doing this? Well, I know this product really works and I want you to develop yourself as much as you can (I have been working with {Product X} for a few years now and I have seen lots of incredible results… so lets say I know what I am talking about!) Plus I like to spoil my customers and I have a lot of material to share anyway, so why not?
This link is only going to be available until next Tuesday February 5th
Check it out here!
I hope you like my surprise I have chosen some awesome material which I personally adore
Cheers!
Sincerely Rachel Curt, Your Customer Communications Manager www.XXXXXXXXX.com
The Results (Drumroll Please!)
You’ll notice that the friendly email cuts away the usual sales message and instead makes the subscriber feel that they are being written to by an enthusiastic friend.
We expected positive results – but not these kinds of results.
The friendly email beat the control by approximately 250% percent more sales.
So this stuff does work. And as for us, we’re cutting back on salesly emails and investing more time in building a relationship with our list.
PS – our previous post on Frank Kern and Mass Control Marketing is here.
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