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Emailing Your Favorite Blogger

written by John Chow on July 4, 2007

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I get a ton of emails everyday. I’m sure that is the same with other big bloggers like Shoemoney and Problogger. Have you ever sent an email to your favorite blogger and got nothing in return? Want to improve your odds of getting a reply? Then follow these simple steps.

Put Yourself In The Blogger’s Shoe

You need to tailor your email to the blogger you are targeting. The bigger they are, the less time they have to read a long email. A minute or two to read an email doesn’t sound like much, but when you multiply that by hundreds of emails, you’re looking at several hours of work. That makes it very hard to do a 4-hour work week. The less work you create for the target blog, the higher the chance of getting a reply.

Don’t Ask First, Just Do

You want to interview a professional blogger like Shoemoney? Don’t ask for an interview. Just send it. I’ve received countless emails asking for interviews. The author ask if I agree, they will email me the questions. You would get a much better chance of getting a reply if you send the questions with the email. The last interview I did, the blogger had the five questions right in the email.

I’ve also received emails asking if I would like hear a business idea but the person doesn’t offer any detail on what the idea is. I’m always open to new business ideas. There is no need to email me (or any other blogger) asking if I am interested. Just state the idea in the first email and I can give you an answer right away instead of playing email tag.

Get To The Point

Checking emails is one of the most time consuming task I do. I get hundreds of emails everyday. The faster I can go thought them, the better. When sending an email to a big name blogger, make it as short as possible. Don’t chic chat, just get to the point. Your chances of getting a reply is in direct relation to the length of your email – the longer the email, the less chance of a reply. As a general rule; if you can’t get your point across in three paragraphs, don’t brother sending until you do.

I’ve received long details emails from reader telling me they did a review on my blog and how much they enjoyed doing it and how they plan to make money online, etc. Then they get taken a back when the only reply they get from me is, “Batch 92.” I like people to get to the point so I do my replies the same way. That’s why many emails will just get an URL in their reply when they ask me a question that has already been answered in the blog. Lately, I’ve been sending the URL to the ebook.

Get to the point. Emails are for conducting business. Save the chic chat for MSN.

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Hi John - The problem is, people don't realise how much of your time they are taking up. A good while ago, I got to the point where I just started deleting my emails, and I would only return calls between 3 and 4pm.

Many people thought I was being unreasonable, but you simply can't spend your working day replying to routine correspondence. I have been checking out some of the links in the four hour week book, and it is so inexpensive to get a virtual assistant. Maybe it will be worthwhile for you?

Ever thought of hiring a personal assistant, John? Like a dot com protégé you can take under your wing...who happens to check all your email as part of their "training" LOL. Could be fun, no?

Even with my 60+ subscribers and 500 hits a day... I feel slaughtered by emails. I can't imagine what 100x that must feel like and how time consuming it must be.

Hi John,
I think there is a typo error :

"The faster I can go thought them, the better."

THROUGH - not thought ! Am I right?

Thks

John, you are awesome!

It should be short but you shouldn't "get right to the point". It always helps to sound friendly instead of getting in there and say in the email.

"I want a link back" which is short and sweet :)

It is short and sweet, but put yourself in the blogger's shoes...

If I received an e-mail like that (I get some, but they're never that brief), I'd just think "nope" and delete the e-mail :)

I don't think that's sweet at all LOL. You could always say, "Hey, John, how about a link back?" See the difference?

You are 100 percent right about short and sweet. There is nothing worse than wanting to read all your email, but simply not having the time. Short emails make things much easier!

I guess it's safe to assume that you're going to get short-but-sweet emails from now on, John. I don't think you're getting any less of them though, that's for sure.

Great advice, unfortunately received just a day or so late... I emailed an artist I really like with the dumb, can I interview question! Haven't heard back.

Hmmm, wonder how long I should wait before I just send the questions?? :lol:

Thanks John.

I say go for it and ask away -- if you're lucky, they'll read it before the interview request email you just sent. :wink:

I agree. Did you receive my e-mail about making translation of some of your posts in the brazilian portuguese language?

Please let me know.

I strongly believe in what John said. In professional communication the mails should be specific and to the point. Long mails are well suited for your girlfriends or boyfriends (although the communication is getting shorter and specific in that case as well :razz:) - Info4BeingRich - Earning Money Online Made Easy

That's how I do it when contacting someone that is popular and probably busy. I remember one time you talked about how you had a backup on e-mails to read, and you were only at e-mails from months ago. That's a lot of e-mails!

Keep It Simple Stupid.

K.I.S.S.

It's always worked for me.... :lol:

LOL kiss, I like that. It should work for most business/personal correspondences, I think.

Hey John, I think you will have more tons-of-emails in your e-mail inbox soon. :))

My e-mail will be the shortest and the most targeted you've ever seen! :evil: :evil:

Thanks for the tips John. Surely these could be applied when emailing anyone regardless of how busy they are? It's good communication all round.

I have business idea which would realy work because it is unique and I havent seen it on Internet (or I dont know the right search term) problem is that I am scared to tell about it anyone like this.
The Idea could be stolen.
Is there a way how to protect it?

This is great advice. Its the same sort of teaching that you find in a business writing course. Be it business memos, emails to your favorite blogger, or most forms of written communication, you need to get to the point quickly, as people these days are more busy and distracted than ever.

What do people email you about? It seems like you put a lot of great information on your site everyday!

Oh, you know how people are, always curious and ever so relentless. I'd imagine those emails to be made up of mostly business proposals and how-to questions. Also, as John mentioned, a few interview requests.

Can't forget the few beggars. People wanting John to buy them a new car for example :P

Oh definitely can't forget about those. To me, desperation and quick-passes get you almost nothing, so might as well work hard for it.

I wonder if anyone who lived near to him requested to spend a day with him? That also might be a good idea for a contest! That might be like a grand prize.

Yep I have emailed many top bloggers and have recieved the reply from them.
Subject: To the point
Body: Concise message inline with subject
Thanking them for their time and energy.

Vijay

That template should work, I think. It would definitely get the blogger's attention and maybe even elicit a response.

Agreed, most people like stuff that doesn't muck around and gets straight to the point.

I enjoy the occasional frills, but never on business or formal correspondence, that's for sure.

Speaking of Batches. When can we expect Batch 89 & 90? :twisted:

If I ever e-mail you I now know what to do.

Chit chat, John. It's chit chat. :wink:

And you shouldn't tell readers to save the chit chat for MSN, because now you're going to get emails asking for your MSN.

I quite like like the sound of chic chat though. Sounds high-class...almost French.... :grin:

Chic chat -- sounds like something off Project Runway or ANTM.

Thanks for the great information

I must say John has always replied promptly to all my emails. Thanks John!!

I sent him one email and got a surprisingly quick response, too. Looks like short and unsweetened correspondence works quite well in this case.

Man, I need to think of something to send to John so that I can get a response quickly like y'all have!

Well just make sure it's something useful to both you and him. The shortest thing would probably be "Hi!" and his reply would probably be "Hi!" :D

What percentage of your e-mails are worthy of a reply John? I imagine most of them just get trashed.

20% maybe, there are far too many junk mails nowadays

Blogebrity or not, I'm afraid a person has their "unfair" share of spam and nonsensical emails. Whether it's just one or 100, they're a pain nevertheless.

Why don't you write me back anymore John? I thought you loved me? lol...

I get a bunch of email everyday from readers and others. Some of it is unreadable due to poor grammar and spelling.

I recently decided to open up some forums on my site. I figure if people take the time to leave a question in the forums I can answer it once and hopefully future readers will look there first before asking me the same question.

@John Chow
Answer my interview ;)

lol, I made a typo too.

replace picks with pics

:oops:

Typos -- happens to the best of us, so don't worry about them next time. Cheers! :wink:

It does, I wish there was a way to edit comments, even if it was just for 10 minutes after you posted your comment. I hate hitting submit and then seeing a silly typo...