One reason for this is obvious – the only way people can get onto our subscription lists is by applying to receive the emails we send them. So it is quite likely that having done that they’ll read what we send them.
But there is a second reason why the subscription lists are so responsive, and that is to do with the way the pieces are written.
Now this in itself can cause concern among those who advertise through the subscription lists, because our editorial team is quite shirty about letting through announcements that proclaim 50% DISCOUNT, and talk about THIS AWARD WINNING SOFTWARE etc.
Emails to teachers on our subscription lists are not written that way at all in fact. They are actually much more restrained, and talk about the issues, the problems and so forth, before gently moving onto the solution and the benefits.
And through this approach the response rate goes up. It almost seems as if when we stop SHOUTING AT TEACHERS and TELLING THEM HOW GOOD WE ARE they start to believe us a bit more.
In other words we write emails to teachers on our subscription lists in a way that they find acceptable to read. Because of this they stay on the subscription list, and keep reading.
There are details of the various email subscription lists of teachers at http://www.emails.gs/emailteachersdirect.html - or to find out more please do call 01536 399 000. On that web site page there is also a link to a page that has examples of emails we have sent out.
Tony Attwood
PS: If you have been in this business a few years you might remember the Toppled Bollard – the mythical pub that was the centre of energetic debate on direct mail issues. Although the stories from the Bollard stopped a year or more ago, I still get asked about it – so they are starting up again as a blog at www.blog.toppled.info Hope you enjoy it.