How To Turn Your Email List Into A High-Converting Cash Machine With Data-Driven

Storytelling MIKE RINARD

@Kissmetrics

#KissWebinar

@allisoncarpio

Allison is the Product Marketing & Content Manager at Kissmetrics. She’s a conversion copywriter, creating high

converting websites and email campaigns. She’s obsessed with finding and testing messaging and copy that sells.

ALLISON CARPIO Product Marketing Manager, Kissmetrics

@allisoncarpio

Mike is the Founder of Chimp Wolf, a Copywriting and Marketing Consulting firm for top e-commerce brands.

When he is not furiously typing on his macbook, you will probably find him surfing in Jersey or riding a skateboard

around Philadelphia.

MIKE RINARD Copywriter and Marketing Consultant,

Chimp Wolf

@rinardmike

#KissWebinar

@rinardmike

The Foundation

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?

WATCH WEBINAR RECORDING NOW

“THE ULTIMATE GOAL”

1.  Send compelling email 2.  Drive traffic to website 3.  Sell your product

“THE ULTIMATE GOAL”

The ultimate goal is to sell more of your product. Obvious, but it can be easy to lose sight of when there are so many “in-between goals” (like open rates for example).

THE 3 BIG “TRAPS”

The 3 traps people fall into… 1.  Shiny tactics (Automation, FB Live) 2.  Vanity metrics (Open rates, Big social following) 3.  Starting at the end (Finding the “perfect picture”, Button color)

WARNING:

THE FOCUS

Compelling messaging that converts.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

1.  Why is it important to be able to convert on your email list?

•  Highest ROI by a landslide •  You own it (future-proof you business

against changes in google search algorithm

•  Creates a strong relationship with your customers…

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

1.  Why is it important to be able to convert on your email list?

•  Highest ROI by a landslide •  You own it (future-proof you business

against changes in google search algorithm

•  Creates a strong relationship with your customers…

…when you do it right.

WHY ELSE IS THIS IMPORTANT?

2. Why is it important to focus on Messaging? •  Personal •  Compelling •  Relationship building •  Creates an experience with impact

FOOD FOR THOUGHT…

Think about this: People spend a LOT of time in their inbox, and the emails that are the most important to them are largely text-based (for business and personal).

THIS IS AN EMAIL FROM A FRIEND

Important, personal email.

THIS IS AN AD

Ad.

THIS IS YOUR ADBLOCKER SHIELD INITIATING

Ad.

AD-BLOCKER SHIELD

THIS IS ALSO HARD TO READ

Ad.

AD-BLOCKER SHIELD

HARD TO READ

DON’T DO THIS:

Don’t do this: •  Create emails that SCREAM advertisement •  Put any significant text over pictures where

it is hard to read •  Have complicated and overwhelming

layouts •  Have too many links and CTA’s to count

DO THIS:

Do this: •  Create emails that look and feel

personal •  Sign emails from an actual

person (not a brand) •  Make it incredibly easy to read,

and enjoyable

MORE GREAT EXAMPLES

NEXT STEPS

So…what are we supposed to write in those text areas?

STORIES THAT SELL

Compelling: •  Lifestyle stories •  Design stories •  Testimonials More compelling: •  A story about your customer’s

biggest problem as relates to your product, in the language they use to describe it

Research

WHERE DO PROBLEMS AND STORIES COME FROM?

The Goal: Find the biggest problems in your market, in the language your customers use to describe those problems.

PROBLEMS AND LANGUAGE

The Goal: Find the biggest problems in your market, in the language your customers use to describe those problems.

PROBLEMS AND LANGUAGE

3 ways to DISCOVER the problems and stories: 1.  Surveys

2.  Conversations with customers

3.  Online data-mining You don’t have to create these, you are just going out and finding things that already exist. Like Pac Man.

BUT HOW?

Simple surveys: 1.  Use google forms or another free survey tool

2.  Try to keep it at 5-10 questions

3.  Keep your goal in mind: find the biggest

problems, in the language used to describe them.

4.  Key question: “What is your biggest challenge when it comes to X?”

5.  Great followup: “Can you expand on that a bit? How does it make you feel?”

Don’t overthink this, and you don’t have to word it exactly like this. Put it together, get it out there.

1. SURVEYS

How to discover the best responses in seconds: 1.  Copy/paste your responses into a new google

spreadsheet in column A

2.  Use the “=len()” function to get a character count for all of your responses in column B

3.  Sort your data by ‘column B, z-a’, putting the responses with the highest character count at the top

4.  Read carefully through the top responses, copy/paste pain points and language into column C

5.  Skim through everything else

SORT AND ANALYZE THE DATA

How to discover the best responses in seconds: 1.  Copy/paste your responses into a new google

spreadsheet in column A

2.  Use the “=len()” function to get a character count for all of your responses in column B

3.  Sort your data by ‘column B, z-a’, putting the responses with the highest character count at the top

4.  Read carefully through the top responses, copy/paste pain points and language into column C

5.  Skim through everything else

SORT AND ANALYZE THE DATA

How to discover the best responses in seconds: 1.  Copy/paste your responses into a new google

spreadsheet in column A

2.  Use the “=len()” function to get a character count for all of your responses in column B

3.  Sort your data by ‘column B, z-a’, putting the responses with the highest character count at the top

4.  Read carefully through the top responses, copy/paste pain points and language into column C and D

5.  Skim through everything else, pull any “gold” into column C and D

SORT AND ANALYZE THE DATA

Remember, the goal is to discover problems and stories, not get feedback on your product Quick tips: 1.  Ask questions like “what is your biggest problem

with X”, “Can you tell me more about that?”, and “How did that make you feel?”

2.  Repeat what people say back to them - it will prompt them to clarify and go deeper

3.  Record your conversation if possible

4.  If you can’t record, make sure you take notes during and after the call. Try to write down pain points, frustrations, and any language that stands out to you

2. CUSTOMER CONVERSATIONS

Quick tips: 1.  Look through online reviews on Amazon, and

forums in your market 2.  You will end up skimming a lot, so look for key

phrases and words that indicate a pain point, like frustrate, hate, I wish, I want, why does/doesn’t, etc…

3.  Look for things that people like - the opposite is what they don’t like

4.  Pay attention to the questions people ask - this also indicates a pain point

5.  Copy and paste everything into your spreadsheet 6.  Set a timer to help you focus and not feel

overwhelmed by the endless amounts of data

7.  Don’t spend all your time on one site - try to brand out

8.  Don’t get sucked down the rabbit hole

3. ONLINE DATA MINING

Just like a survey, but you are going out and finding responses to your survey questions instead of asking people.

“Tired of breaking hammers” and “Not too heavy for my arthritic fingers”

EXAMPLE OF ONLINE DATA-MINING

“Not too heavy for my arthritic fingers”

PULL OUT THE STORIES FROM THE DATA

“This hammer is very solid without being to heavy for my arthritic fingers, and has the

surface that is good in the grip.”

Problem: I have arthritis and can’t grip hammers the way I used to.

Solution: This hammer is the perfect size and weight, with a grip that doesn’t bother my

arthritis so I can work on a project for hours and never have to stop and massage my

hands, or worry about taking pain medication (I am expanding this, and it is already

turning into a powerful story that is perfect for a specific market).

Start to think in terms of Problem vs. Solution and the story will pull itself out

How to structure a story that sells

THESE THINGS REALLY SELL WHEN YOU SET IT UP RIGHT

Food for thought: Your customers are buying the story of your product, not the product itself. They can buy products anywhere. The reason they buy from you is because of the meaning you have built around your products. That meaning is your stories, your marketing.

PEOPLE BUY THE STORY

BACK TO STORY TYPES

Compelling: •  Lifestyle stories •  Design stories •  Testimonials More compelling: •  A story about your customer’s

biggest problem as relates to your product, in the language they use to describe it

USE THEM ALL

4 ESSENTIAL STORY ELEMENTS

THE STORY TEMPLATE

The 4 Elements 1. ACTION 2. STRUGGLE 3. RESOLUTION 4. LESSON LEARNED Here is your template: Today I <insert action or activity and sensory info>. At first I <insert struggle or problem you had with activity, and show the action>. But eventually <insert what you did to overcome, and show the action>. Here’s what I found surprising: <insert your lesson learned, connect it to a big idea, and lead into the call-to-action for your product>.

THE STORY TEMPLATE HOW-TO

How to use the template: 1.  Keep it in a document on your desktop for quick access

2.  Copy and paste it into a blank document when you go to write your next story

3.  Fill-in the blanks (use information from your research)

4.  Use the story as-is, or…

5.  Take that information and rewrite the story below and just use the template as

a starting place Using the template means you ALWAYS have all of the story elements, and you NEVER end up staring at a blank screen wondering what to write

FROM STORY TEMPLATE TO ACTUAL EMAIL

The Template: Today I woke up at 6am to go running. At first I just went back to bed because I was so tired and it has been a busy couple of weeks - I need the rest. But eventually I got up, and went about my day. I didn’t end up running until later in the evening…but I finally got it in. Here’s what I found surprising: I’m the guy who owns Territory - a brand that inspires people to get out and run. And yet, I struggle with the exact same things every single day that my customers struggle with: making time to do the things I love when life is almost constantly crazy.

BREAKDOWN

The Elements in Action: 1.  Action 2.  Struggle (and development of struggle) 3.  Resolution (later in the email) 4.  Setting up the Lesson Learned and

Big Idea Stats on this email: •  58% open rate •  38% click-through (unique) •  Ton’s of responses •  Sales: Part of a launch series that did

$19,000 in 12 hours to a list of 2,800 people

ONE MORE EMAIL EXAMPLE

STORIES IN ACTION

Stories are constantly selling, whether they intend to or not.

QUICK WINS FOR STORY SELLING

Quick win story tips: 1.  Write the way you talk

2.  Don’t start with a blank screen (use the template, or

pieces of your research)

3.  Write, then edit

4.  Edit: take out unnecessary words and phrases

5.  Edit: exchange “limp verbs” for power words (engage vs hijack)

THE TRANSITION

The #1 pain point: How do I transition from the story to my product? Answer: 1.  Turn phrases 2.  Anchoring

TURN PHRASES

Turn phrases: 1.  “So why am I telling you this?”

2.  “This is a great example of…”

3.  “This reminds me a lot of…”

ANCHORING

Anchoring: Anchor words you drop before and after a story to knit everything together and hold it in place. Before: single word forecasts that connect to your lesson learned, big idea, or product. After: recap or recall

EXAMPLE OF ANCHORING

Anchor word: Instinct Big idea: Instincts are important Product name: The Instinct Sock

How to test and scale a story across your marketing

GOT A GOOD STORY? AWESOME. USE IT EVERYWHERE.

Press send!

Email gives you immediate feedback.

HOW TO TEST

Feedback you are looking for: 1. Sales! 2. Customer responses 3. Open rates 4. Click-through rates If you get sales AND customer responses, you are really onto something

SIMPLE FEEDBACK CHECKLIST

Take that story and repurpose it across ALL of your marketing: 1.  Product descriptions 2.  Sales pages 3.  Social media 4.  Blog posts and other content

(even video) 5.  Sky is the limit!

RECYCLE YOUR STORIES

The email

RECYCLING EXAMPLE

IG post Sales page

LAST THOUGHTS

Final tips: 1.  Keep it interesting and entertaining

and nothing can go wrong 2.  Subject lines 3.  Frequency 4.  The few things that people will

definitely read: subject lines, first lines, captions, the P.S.

LEARN MORE NOW

Discover how Kissmetrics can help you optimize your marketing

Questions?

ALLISON CARPIO Product Marketing Manager, Kissmetrics

@allisoncarpio

MIKE RINARD Copywriter and Marketing Consultant,

Chimp Wolf

@rinardmike