WildStory QuickTip: Stop writing to the masses — write every email like you’re talking to a single person instead.

One of the biggest mistakes I see zoos and aquariums making in their email marketing is writing generic, templated updates to the masses, rather than speaking directly to the reader.

As marketing expert, Seth Godin, said, “When you market to everyone, you market to no one.”

What he means, is that genetic prose, written to the masses, won’t connect.

Remember, every email is being read by a single subscriber, not by a crowd of people.

So, before you hit send on your next zoo update, ask yourself:

• Is this email written as though I’m having a conversation with someone?

• If I sent this to my friend, would they read it and feel like it’s just us talking?

• Did I write this email focused on the reader or focused on the zoo’s accomplishments? (Hint: you want to focus on the reader’s role in the zoo’s story.)

You can think of it this way — your reader/subscriber/member is the main character in the plot of a story and you, the zoo, are the guide.

This small shift will make your emails feel more personal, build stronger connections with your readers, and remind your subscribers why they love your zoo.