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Over the holidays, a business sent me an email that made me want to leap over to their site and seize their services.
ASAP. Stat. Eeeeeeeemediately.
And it created that effect with THEE shortest, THEE simplest, THEE most well-timed content . . . that actually wasn’t even trying to sell me anything.
In fact, all they did was wish me Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
1. It came from the heart. As you can see, it’s simply a kindhearted holiday greeting. The good people who run this hotel just wanted to wish their customers well. Their intention is so pure, in fact, that I don’t even know that their aim was necessarily to make me think to book with them again. But it sure had that effect.
Unlike the obviously scripted Happy Birthday voicemail I get from my car insurance agent every year, this email felt personal and authentic. The words “from all of us” made me perfectly picture the friendly owner, the information-packed manager, and the bartender who looks and speaks so much like my friend Hrysanthi that she made me feel completely at home.
What this means for you: Whether you’re writing your own content or you hire a pro … be sure your voice is honest, personal, authentic, and never stiff.
2. It sparked emotion. The holidays can be stressful. And at the beginning of a cold, snowy Wisconsin winter, this simple email took me straight back to the sun and the sea of Santorini last September. For a moment, it transported me to the night I arrived at the Matina. Warm evening air, a garden lush with hibiscus and bougainvillea, candles lighting up the steps, fellow travelers’ stories at the poolside bar about the magic of the island. The words “Merry Christmas from Santorini” are a far cry from a cold winter!
What this means for you: Tap in to emotions. And time your emails right. For example, if you run a fitness business, send a simple email wishing your clients a beautiful spring. That’ll put you top of mind at a time when people really need to be thinking about you. Past clients will say to themselves, “Man, she helped me lose weight last year! I should sign up for her bootcamp … I gotta tone my arms in time for tank tops.”
3. It’s short and to the point. While this isn’t a professionally copywritten email, it happens to embody what good professional content is: clear and concise.
What this means for you: Whether you’re nurturing an ongoing relationship with your customers (as in the Matina’s email) or you’re persuading people to buy (with, say, a dynamite sales page), your words must be simple to be effective.
4. It used words that speak to me. Hotel Matina knows who they are and who their guests are. We and they value “love, peace, happiness, prosperity, passion, harmony, joy, and serenity.”
What this means for you: Write for your customers in their language. Mine your testimonials, customer reviews, and FB comments … or hire a copywriter who masters the art of review mining.
5. It was different. How many “New Year, New You” emails did you get? I got at least 10. And I deleted ’em all. The Matina’s email, however, is still in my inbox. It makes me happy when I run across it. And am I booking Santorini ASAP? H to the ell YES!
What this means for you: You don’t have to get fancy to stay in touch. In fact, stand out by being classic. Nurture your customer relationships by sending something as simple as a Christmas card from a friend. Be like that old friend from high school who lives far away, who they know offers them a standing invitation to come visit. Include a subtle link to your website, and see some “links clicked” numbers climb.
Of course, to HAUL in the clicks, it takes a different tactic. But with simplicity and perfect timing, good nurturing content has a role for sure in keeping your happy customers coming back.
Copy props to the Matina! 
Top image via Pixabay.
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