As email marketers, we’re probably on a few more email lists than the average person. We want to see what people are writing about, how they’re doing it and how it benefits their businesses. It’s fair to say we look at the whole email campaign process differently than the average person.

See Email Marketing as the Novice Does

Every once in a while it helps if you put those jaded expectations aside and go back to being a normal, non-marketing type of person. You know, like your customers. Being a regular human puts the whole calculated customer connection thing back in perspective because you can see things freshly again. So how do you do this? Just live your life for while. Something will turn up like it did for me.

Have You Ever Had a Meal So Delicious…

So there I was at the chef’s counter at the Disney Resort’s Napa Rose restaurant. I’d always wanted to eat here, but I’m the type of guy that likes to spend as little on food as possible, and certainly not about a hundred bucks just for me! But it was my good friend’s birthday and his party invited (and paid for) me. Who was I to say no?

Well, let me tell you that this really was one of my most favorite dining experiences in all my life. Really. And my wife and I just returned from some great resort dining in Hawaii. But since this blog is about email marketing tips and not about food, let me just say that each one of the five courses we had (and we all had different items) was in the range from excellent at the low end to life altering on the high end.

And Conversation So Enlightening…

But what really took this whole ride up a notch was the banter and education from superstar chef Andrew Sutton. While his sous chefs and staff explained to us what we were about to be savoring, he engaged us in great conversation both on and off food. We left the restaurant either floating on clouds of joy or rolling on our stuffed bellies. I really couldn’t tell the difference.

That You Would Beg to Be on an Email List?

At the end of this meal, when the tab for you plus two is just under $400, an email signup form would probably be out of place. Or maybe it could be served to you on a gold plate and you could sign with magic pixie dust. But this is one time when I would beg to be on a list. Andrew Sutton’s gastronomic creations were so incredible and his personality so great, I would pay to be on any email list where he offered any morsel of culinary advice. In short, he’s on my email marketing dream team.

Think of Your Email Marketing Dream Team

So here’s the rub (pun intended, BBQ fans). Think of the top five or ten personalities who you wish wrote email newsletters. Write them down. Now think of the reasons you’d want their emails. Is it because they’re industry experts? Is it because they have a way with people, a way with words? Or is it solely because of an outstanding product. Most likely, it’s a mix of all of these things. Write these things down too.

Now Emulate What and How You Think They Would Write

You now have in front of you a mini-map to success for writing an industry expert newsletter, at least according to your standards (and they’re good standards; believe in yourself). Let’s try my example:

My Dream Team Email Marketer Would…

Personally, I think that Napa Rose Chef Andrew Sutton’s email newsletters would be great because I could expect to learn about outstanding dishes, but also be entertained and educated in a personal conversational tone. During our dinner, he conveyed to us that musicians and chefs are similar because the way that they must hold their instruments and position their bodies is fundamental to success. If that type of info was mixed in with recipes, I’m one happy reader.

Learn from Your Heroes, Even if They Don’t Write Email Newsletters

Chances are that if you and your company provide a good enough product, someone really considers you an industry expert. You already know the benefits of email marketing, now it’s time to get better. And who better to learn from than your email marketing dream team? Find them. Analyze why their emails would be awesome. Now make that exercise a real industry-expert newsletter.