Had a chat at a coffee shop that flipped my view on email lists

I was telling a friend at The Daily Grind in Portland that my email list was just for sales, and he said 'you're missing the whole point, it's a conversation, not a megaphone.' He showed me his own welcome series that just asks one simple question, and his reply rate is over 40%. How do you actually make your emails feel like a two way street?

3 comments

3 Comments

sarah5311mo ago

Ask a real question that actually needs an answer, not just a sales pitch.

daniel5931mo ago

My buddy Mark runs a small bike shop. He started just asking "what's your favorite local trail" in his first email. He gets so many replies he has to actually pick which ones to answer.

angelar571mo ago

Mark gets so many replies he has to pick which ones to answer? That is a crazy problem to have from one simple question. I run a cafe and our emails go straight to the trash. The idea that people actually want to talk back to a business is wild. He must have tapped into something really basic that everyone wants to share. I might have to try asking people about their favorite coffee spot.