Think about some of the most successful TV series of the past 10 years – shows like 24, Lost, House of Cards, or Game of Thrones. These four shows couldn’t be more different in their storylines, but they’ve all been wildly successful.
What do they have in common? Why do audiences have parties every Sunday night to catch the newest episode or binge-watch entire seasons in one sitting?
The Art of Open Loops
Here’s the reason why:
At the beginning of each episode, you’ll see a “previously on” montage. A collection of scenes from previous episodes – usually unresolved plot points (open loops) that leave you hanging on the edge of your seat.
This does more than provide background information. Everything in the sequence builds intrigue about how these scenarios will resolve in the episode you’re about to watch.
The show spends the first half resolving some of those points (closing the loops). And in the second half, they’ll open up new loops.
If they do this right, at the end of each episode, you (and millions of other viewers) will be dying to know what happens next.
We want to do the same thing in our email marketing. We want to follow a sequence in our email that opens up loops to make our prospects hungry for more – not just for your next email, but your entire coaching system.
So, how do you do it?
How To Write Open Loops In Your Email Marketing
To get started, open 4-5 windows of a text editor (like WordPad or TextEdit) on your computer. Each window represents a different email in the sequence (Email 1, Email 2, Email 3, etc.).
As you write Email 1, start giving great information, then before you finish, stop. You can add something like, “I’ll tell you more about that later.” You’ve just opened a loop.
When you create and open loop, you’re creating an incomplete idea.
Maybe in Email 3, you can say, “Remember when I told you about ______?” Close the loop you opened in Email 1 by completing the idea.
You can mix up where you open and close the loops throughout your email sequence. Just make sure the content is useful enough to be intriguing when left incomplete.
Once I was in a two-day training seminar where the instructor kicked off by telling three stories. She started Story #1, got to a cliffhanger, and then stopped. She just moved along to Story #2 and…. same thing, stopping at a cliffhanger and starting on Story #3. When she got to the third cliffhanger, she stopped again! Then, she started the training.
I couldn’t believe it. Everyone in that room was thinking, “Hold on! You haven’t finished the stories yet!” We all listened to the training, waiting to hear bits that would give us an idea of how those stories ended.
Finally, in the last 20 minutes of the second day, she finished all three stories, closing the loops.
She created an open-endedness that left everyone hungry for the resolution – and it worked.
When Done Right…
Opening and closing loops in a way that fits the content and creates hunger is an art form. It’s an advanced technique, but it can transform your email marketing.
When you get this right, you don’t have to be pushy in your emails. You won’t have to say, “Hey, it’s me again. Buy my stuff!”
Your content will subtly sell for you.
The hunger that your prospects experience after you open a loop will make them more responsive. When you finally make an offer, they’ll be much more likely to take action.
Ultimately, you want your audience to be addicted to your email marketing.
If you stopped emailing your list, would your audience notice? Would they beg you to continue? Comment your thoughts below.
P.S. Whenever you’re ready… here are 4 ways I can help you grow your coaching business:
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