In previous posts in this series, I explained why speakers’ promotional efforts always disappoint and how to craft email subject lines so you increase your email open rates.

Once someone opens your email, the copy has to be compelling enough so they click on the link in your email. This is no easy feat.

With only 3% of those who open your email actually clicking on links in them, the copy has to be enticing enough to get them take action.

And that’s the key – the reader has to be compelled to take action.

Otherwise, the reader will see the sales page you lovingly and painstakingly put together about your telesummit, video summit or virtual event. And if very few people see your sales page, you won’t get the desired registrations you need to make your virtual event a success.

So, how can you increase the likelihood that those who open your email will actually click on the links in it?

The person who does this the best is Rob Schultz.

I bet Rob’s clickthroughs are quite high. I recommend that you get on his list and stay on it for a while to see what he does.

In my mind, Rob does an excellent job of creating intrigue and mystery in his emails.

Rob leaves me hanging. I’m so curious to know how the story ends that I click on the link in his emails to read the rest of the article on his blog.

His method reminds me of those books I used to get as a teenager where the path to the ending was based on the reader making decisions. I’d read a few pages, then I’d come to 2 questions at the end of the chapter – should I do this or that? Whatever decision I made took me on a path, but I couldn’t get there unless I made a choice.

Rob sets the story, then he ends with a sentence that prompts the reader to click to learn more.

For example, Rob sent an email with the subject line Are You in Danger of Losing Your YouTube Account? Well, I was wondering what the story was so I opened his email.

In the email, Rob laid out that…

“A growing number of online marketers and business owners have had their YouTube accounts suspended. Or terminated. Out of thin air.”

Oh no! I said to myself. This could easily affect me.

Rob then ended his email with the following sentence…

“If you want to keep your YouTube account safes and continue to attract those new prospects, we’ve done the digging for you…”

And then ended with a link to his blog post on the topic.

Here’s another great way Rob gets his reader to click on the link. The subject line is Is Your Biz Suffering from Tony Bennett Syndrome? Personally, I think Tony Bennett is corny, so I had to open the email to read more.

Rob starts his email by stating this…

“Entrepreneurs sure are crazy. Sometimes crazy in a good way. Sometimes crazy in a not so good way. One of the not so good ways is ambition.”

The email continues on to say that entrepreneurs would be more successful if they caught on to the Tony Bennett Syndrome. Rob then ends his email with the following sentence:

“What the heck is that? So glad you asked…”

That simple sentence was enough to get me to click on the link in the email.

Looking at Rob’s method, you simply need to end your emails with a statement or question that can will be answered only if the reader clicks on your link.

No one likes being kept in the dark. Think of the last movie you saw. If the director simply ended the movie at the midway point, you’d be pissed, but you’d be more forgiving if you knew that Part 2 (the end) would be shown in 2-weeks. And I bet you’d be the first in line to get tickets.

When I think back to The Lord of the Rings, I hated waiting a whole year just to find out if Frodo actually made it to Mordor to destroy the One Ring. But there I was at the first showing the following year to watch the completion to the story (only to have to wait in line again a year later since it was a trilogy).

The idea is not to provide completion in your emails. Let the reader click on a link to go to your blog or sales page for the end to the story. Try this next time you send an email to your list.

Do you have any other ezine marketing tips to help increase clickthroughs? Please provide your tips in the comments area below.