Oops Messaging

Oops messaging is a powerful tool that you can use if you use it wisely. Over use will quickly destroy any benefit it may have but, used in moderation, it is a sure-fire way to get a second kick at the cat. Here's how it works:

You send out your regular email newsletter, information update, or general contact message to your mailing list. (You do have a mailing list, right?). This mailing will typically have three or four key items that you want your clients or prospects to see. This is quite normal and is a great way to get information out about new products, services, sales, discounts, or new or special uses for existing products. You really should establish a periodic mailing process if you dont already have one, but that's for another article.

Now, the key to the oops message is to wait a couple of days and follow this mailing up with a second mailing that contains a short addendum of some kind that focuses on one of the points in your regular mailing. It should contain additional information and, where possible, be worded as an "oops" message, ie: you forgot to include something, or you need to make a correction to something you sent, in the first message. Here's an example of an actual oops message I received the other day:

"I must apologize because 2 days ago I sent out a newsletter update with an excellent auction resource called {NAME REMOVED} and also gave a link to my new blog post. Some folks weren't able to access the link so I am resending it again. Here it is: {URL REMOVED}."

This brief second oops message got me to take a few moments out from my usually busy schedule to take a look at the blog. I hadn't bothered with the first message, saving it to look at another day. Many, perhaps most, of those saved messages never get looked at again even though my intentions are good. This oops message did its job. A good oops message process, along with your regular email/newsletter campaign, can turn the whole thing into a winner.