What Interests Email Readers?

Marcos has just written a piece for this blog in which he has a quote about the importance of not being boring. So, what do readers consider to be "not boring'?

I have a personal blog that has drawn a large audience (135,000 visitors since last spring). With such a large a base to sample, I can see by the number of comments each posting receives just what interests people the most.

The winner, far and away, is postings about personal matters with which the readers identify. I post an item about health problems and readers post responsive comments. I do semi-humorous pieces about the changes in one's body in late life, and they comment. I talk about the freedoms of late life and they get back with comments.

What does this indicate? I think it gets down to the fact that nothing is more interesting to readers than writings which make them think of themselves. I talk about my situations and they compare it with theirs. So, we now have arrived at personal involvement - and those with personal involvement will never be bored.

Is this a lesson to businesses that communicate by email? It should be, but it is universally ignored. The concept of personalizing a company is very hard for them to handle.. Now and then you will find a company that has managed to develop a family feeling. Such companies can talk to their customers in terms that touch the customers' personal feelings and experiences.

When the customer reads such communications they will be thinking, "This company knows what I have been through. They know what I am like." So, they see the company as a helpful friend - one which can be believed in.

When a company's communications have a achieved this, selling their products and services becomes infinitely easier.

Prescott "Pete" Lustig
Senior Marketing Strategist
www.loopconsulting.com