How Email Marketing Will Help You Win the Game of Thrones | Gate 39 Media

In the age of real-time tweets, snaps, and texts, email marketing is still the most powerful and cost effective marketing tool available. Imagine if Jon Snow had access to emails instead of ravens to send messages? The entire Game of Thrones could have been won by the power of an email newsletter.

A core tool in your marketing arsenal, emailed content can act as your Unsullied army of information, marching out to communicate with each lead from the Vale to the Iron Islands — and further winning the loyalties of those who have already pledged fealty to you.

Is Email as Dead as the White Walkers?

In a word: No. According to a June 2016 survey of US marketers conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) email marketing had a median ROI of 122%, which is on average more than four times higher than other marketing formats such as social media or PPC.

Why Publish an Email Newsletter? You Don’t Want to Be the Faceless Man.

Financial businesses of all sizes can effectively utilize email newsletters and email marketing to inform clients of financial news, trends, services while keeping your firm top of mind. The value of your information is the real Hand of the King!

By distributing your unique insight into the financial world, you provide value to the reader in exchange for the subscriber allowing you into their Inbox. This provides you with constant visibility and opportunity to convert the reader to a customer with the right offer, the right information, or simply the right email at the right time. (What information would Lord Varys share at this time?)

Create a newsletter everyone will want to read until Winter arrives

Here are a few tips to help you unravel the mystery of a great email newsletter:

• Grabs users’ attention (without beheading anyone): Your newsletter could hold the map to the tunnels of King’s Landing but if your subject line is boring nobody will ever see what’s inside. Use powerful words that appeal to emotions such as curiosity or fear.
• Generate interest: Don’t call it a victory because someone opened your newsletter (you know nothing Jon Snow!), now you must keep your users interested. Teach them how to solve a problem, impress them by showing them something new like how to ride a dragon, or present a compelling infographic.

• Build up desire as high as the Wall: As you’re building the reader’s interest, help them understand how your firm can assist. Appeal to their personal interests by providing something they want such as tips on how to kill a White Walker.
• Winter is Here! It’s Time to Drive Action: Finally, be very specific on what action you want users to take. You have an opportunity to direct users to take action such as filling out a form to buy dragonglass or requesting more information on House Targaryen.

Email newsletters are a great way to sell or upsell products but if you send emails just with the purpose of selling you will not win the Game of Thrones. Your email should not be all about “buy, buy or the dragons will breathe fire upon you” as it may cause readers to unsubscribe or mark your email as spam. This results in a wasted effort to capture your audience and makes your business look as self-serving as Lord Baelish.

Remember the Night’s Watch Oath… Remember the Call-to-Action!

A great newsletter not only informs, but also subtly promotes. Email newsletters are a natural and softer way to promote your services. Include clear calls to action within your message. These include links to specific services, offers, and white papers. From Casterly Rock and Braavos to Dorn and Winterfell, your key mission is to spread your subject matter expertise, position yourself as an information leader, win the love of the people, and encourage them to take the next step through a call-to-action.

A Sharpened Newsletter can be as Powerful as Valyrian Steel

Unlike the ravens sent from the Night’s Watch that can only carry a small scroll, we are equipped to reliably share larger quantities of information more quickly (and in a more measurable fashion) through email newsletters.

With the above tips and suggestions, you can create a newsletter that will have everyone in Westeros waiting for each new edition. All seven kingdoms are waiting for your message. Get your email newsletter strategy together to help claim your crown as a trusted expert over all the other Great Houses – because winning the trust, action, and loyalty of your email recipients and transforming them into customers IS winning the Game.