Email & Coffee

Once upon a time, I was a managing editor and a cog in the wheel of countless brainstorm sessions that simply fell flat. The goal to find fresh ideas regularly degenerated into a creative process held captive by an over achieving sales force with the hypothesis that if they sell, they can write.

Any piece of business collateral is meant to increase business. However, email content should inform, entertain and then convert.

So, how do you grow a content tree without a green thumb?

From 1989 to 1998, the award winning team of David and Seinfeld produced a television show about nothing. Now in its 8th year of syndication, Seinfeld continues to be a cultural phenomena and the most profitable 30-minute program in television history.

Yada, yada, yada aside, the concept that carried the series from one year to the next should not be underestimated. Right now, somewhere in the world, employees gather around the water cooler to share the daily dialogue. Sometimes humorous, sometimes outrageous and sometimes just so much fluff… it is entertaining.

The content tree is an evergreen.

Spend an hour with your best customer service agent and just listen… you’ll have a mini case study before long. In addition, you’ll find customer service to be a stash of frequently asked questions.

Tips from an expert? Your service and repair department can provide a preventive maintenance checklist, practical do’s and don’ts, technical how-to’s, a top ten list of essential replacement parts, quick fixes… need I say more?

Let’s not forget the sales force. Your top salesperson, who spins yarn off the head of the Sphinx, walks trade shows, attends seminars, and is customarily surrounded by peers and competitors. What’s new? Just ask!

A medium-sized business has the ripened fruits of labor just waiting to be pulled from the tree. As a team effort, your newsletter will brim over with insider expertise, perpetuate your brand, grow loyalty, engage readership and become a regular source of anticipation in someone’s inbox.

So, don’t miscalculate the opportunity to grow organic content in your own backyard. After all, your email is going to the same sort of people that you employ. Tap into your workforce and rediscover why you hired them in the first place.