“Okay, Gail, I know you’re on a back to basics kick but why
are you doodling stars?” I asked.

“You understand how it is getting harder to get people to
open e-mail messages. Right?” she replied.

“Yes,” I agreed. “You have thoroughly convinced me that the
single most important part of an e-mail message is the subject line and it is
worthwhile to test it and to personalize it if you can. I get that, but what is
with the stars?”

She pulled her glasses down her nose, looked over them and
pointed to the star saying, “I’ve been doing a little research and I’ve found
all kinds of split run tests of e-mail messages and blogs and web sites and
landing pages…you name it and the better performing ones for the most part are
those that pay attention to the star. They answer the questions every reporter
is taught must be considered to really tell the story.”

And those questions are?

“You’re a great straight man,” she chortled and went on,
“Who, what, when, where and why and sometimes people add how. The thing is that
if you provide that kind of concrete information and do it from the addressees
point of view you will be more successful whether you are simply conveying a
message to a colleague or looking for click-throughs or sales.

Who can work a couple ways. It can make you identify the
person you are writing to—the persona that is being discussed so frequently in
marketing circles. It can also be a reminder to let people know something about
the speaker or seminar leader or a way to be sure you identify the person or
persons a story is about.

What pushes you to provide concrete details about the
occurrence or the expected activity. Notice I said concrete. The more real you
can make something in your target’s terms the more you will get through to him
or her.

When puts a clock and a calendar to it. I’ve seen
invitations where the date or time has been overlooked. Even more importantly
if you are relating an occurrence or an example the specificity of when it
occurred is one more material way to be more believable.

Where can be place oriented or allow you to go romping about
in a convenient mind. Again, the more tangible your description, the more
clearly defined and described the more powerful your communication will be.

Why is the question that gets at the reason your message is
persuasive. Is what you are offering valuable? Can it save me money? Does it
save time? Will using your advice make me a star? Why is about benefits and
expressing them in your target’s terms.

The star is How I remember to check each message I put
together.”

You’ll find more on this “deputy” at www.JerryFletcher.com

Speaking? Learn more at www.NetworkingNInja.com