“Smashing the desk”

By Norman | May 16, 2008
Filed Under Uncategorized |

Patrick Ruffini offers a primer to candidates (and John McCain specifically) on the proper use of email for communications and fundraising. Snip:

This is not direct mail. We are not some people data-mined off a consumer list who’ve never heard from you before. We opted-in. We are the top 1% — the savviest, most interested, most influential supporters. We get the joke. On the flip side, consider how much Hillary and Obama get simply by seeming real in their e-mails, even if they don’t get to cram in as many policy points.

Some years ago, the simplest lesson on email I ever got was from an old GOP warhorse (and top marketer) here in Richmond: “Email is a conversation. Keep it personal, informal and brief.” Every campaign copywriter should have that saying engraved on their keyboards.

Comments

3 Responses to ““Smashing the desk””

Brian Kirwin on May 17th, 2008 10:46 am

Aren’t there studies that demonstrate the average time someone spends reading a single email?
Norman on May 17th, 2008 1:04 pm

Probably. For the mail, I know you’ve got about seven seconds — assuming your letter was opened in the first place.

It can’t be much longer than that for email.
J.R. on May 19th, 2008 3:02 pm

Norm-
You should charge for this stuff!