This landed in my mailbox this morning. It's a textbook example of how not to look for links back to your site.
What's good about it? She spelled my name right.
What's missing? So, so much! But here are the big things:
- Any information about what her company does and why she thinks her customers are visiting or will visit my blog.
- An indication that she not only saw my post, but why she thinks it would be relevant to her target audience.
- An assumption that I would agree to this for a potential cash pay-out.
- An acknowledgement that I might not accept paid placements and link-backs.
- A sense that she thought about her recipient before she began writing.
- Any awareness at all that she is asking me to use my good name to promote her company and build her business, and that that's a big ask.
If you're sending out this kind of email to try to get link-backs, mentions or other kinds of endorsements, stop now. Seriously, think about how you'd react if you got an email like this. How would you feel? Probably not warm and fuzzy enough to do the sender this massive favor.
Related Content:
- Write better sales emails and other content
- Direct email: Don't take flattery too far
- How to write a fundraising letter