The highly memorable poem by Rudyard Kipling, ‘If’, is much loved but, from an email marketing point of view, it leaves out one skill. While it would probably not have improved it, it might have been useful to include; If you can solve other people’s problems while ignoring your own . . . You know the rest.

Whatever it is you are selling in your email marketing campaign, if it is something that your subscriber wants, or especially they need despite not realising, then the item will sell itself. Everyone needs the answers to their problems. Once you have discovered what is worrying your subscribers, put the solution out in front of them and stick a price label on it. The perfect product.

How can you discover what seemingly insuperable problem is bugging your subscribers is the trick. The easiest way is to get them to tell you. Just to make it a little bit difficult for you, after all if it was easy wour competitors will already be providing solutions, customers are historically reluctant to discuss their problems and a simple question, ‘What is your biggest block to success?’ is, unfortunately, unlikely to provide an accurate answer. You have to look for other methods.

In order for people to tell you anything, you should avoid being seen as selling. There are a number of ways you can do this, and they might already be out there saying what their problems are but you could be missing what they are saying.

Look for a forum or Facebook page specific to the type of product you are offering. Posters will often explain their concerns freely and their uninhibited manner can give you clues as to ways of improving your product as well as highlighting what you should also be selling. You will have clear evidence of what they need.

Enter into conversation with them, although say who you are. Ask them what they want and how you might improve a product. People are more open on social media. Your next email marketing campaign will mention the fact that you have solved a specific problem. The perfect email.