Sometimes I think startups make an effort to re-invent everything. If you want a successful email program then you have to go and copy the mailings (as in made

Sometimes I think startups make an effort to re-invent everything. If you want a successful email program then you have to go and copy the mailings (as in made of paper) you get from charities. Those are the best to study and follow. Pay attention to the language, the composition of the offer, the colors each page has (due to the purpose of each page), the layout, and how most include a little gift to get you to open it. Now, the other day I noticed a little detail in the emails I would get from Firefly (Dan Shipper's startup). The from line said "Team". I emailed Dan and told him to change it to someone's name. He promptly did. But why? People relate to other people. Little details like these are what nudge people towards opening emails. Be very, very conscious about details. That's how you get engagement. The details. Oh, and answer the damn emails. I hate replying with a question, only to be ignored because some idiot forgot to forward the mail to the general inbox.