While back I sent my client their email promo.

I’d crafted a fine offer.

Put some “muscle” on it (iii eee spiced it up with a few psychological triggers to help folks buy).

Then, I entrusted them with its care.

When it landed in my inbox, they’d added a bunch of words without telling me.

Where I’d made a point of emphasizing this was an exclusive offer to our subscribers…tacked on was the statement please share this with anyone you think would benefit.

In our next meeting I queried, “so…who added this bit?”

The business owner cautiously admitted “that might have been me”.

I said, “yeah…don’t do that.”

The two words not to put in your offers?

Please share.

Here’s why:

One, exclusivity is one of said ‘psychological triggers that help folks buy’.  Humans are enticed by access.  And our nervous systems are wired to think of what is rare as valuable.  If just about anyone can have your offers, there’s a good chance no one will want them.

Two, it can come off as needy and hurt your positioning with your prospect.

In fact, using please DON’T share often packs more punch.

Finally, to paraphrase Perry Marshall, every time you hit ‘send’ you are training people to read your next email.  You do this mainly by keeping your content interesting, relevant, or entertaining in some way.  But bigging up the exclusivity of your offers doesn’t hurt either.

Who wants to miss out on a great deal?

The only time asking readers to forward your emails can work is if you frame it as “I’m on a mission to help” as I did once with a client who did magnesium infusions to cure headaches and migraines.  The treatment is (a) ridiculously effective (one woman got rid of a 17-year headache her first go), and (b) everyone knows at least one person with this problem.

Such was my logic.

Most offers aren’t like that.

Anyway, take it for what it’s worth – the psychology of this works everywhere, not just in email.

Heed my cautionary tale today.

People like exclusivity.

Why not give it to them?

Happy Excluding,

Conor Kelly

The Muscle @Marketing Muscle

P.S.  I have great news for those who have been asking.  I recently freed up time in my schedule to take on one more local business.  If you’d be interested, just reply “interested” in the comments and I’ll get you all the details.