By Kaleigh Moore<\/a> September 3, 2024<\/span><\/h4>\nI can\u2019t think of anything to write.<\/em><\/p>\nSound familiar? Of course it does. It\u2019s one of the top reasons our customers give us for letting their email marketing flatline. They just run out of ideas or topics to write about.<\/p>\n
Even pro writers come up with major email block. Ann Handley, co-founder of Marketing Profs and the popular book \u201cEverybody Writes,\u201d only sent two emails to her subscribers in 2017. (In fact, the lack of communication was her catalyst behind revamping her entire newsletter strategy<\/a>.)<\/p>\nBut when your emails stall, you can\u2019t make connections with your subscribers. You can\u2019t sell. You can\u2019t gather feedback from your audience.\u00a0You\u2019re leaving money on the table!<\/p>\n
Never waste time trying to think of a topic when you should be writing. Here are 8 brainstorming techniques that will help you create a list of topics for future emails.<\/p>\n
Quick Notes on Brainstorming<\/strong><\/h2>\nFirst things first: Let\u2019s go over a few quick notes re: brainstorming<\/a>.<\/p>\nComing up with ideas for your content is serious, but don\u2019t get too caught up on producing the perfect idea right away.<\/strong> If you\u2019re too critical, you won\u2019t get anything written down. You never know what a random word now could make you think of later. Keep a positive mindset and be open to any and all ideas.<\/p>\nDon\u2019t worry too much about following the rules.<\/strong> Brainstorming is all about creativity and finding whatever method works best for you. While one person might do well with a structured brainstorming process, another might thrive with a loose, free-flowing idea session.<\/p>\n\nThe important thing to remember about brainstorming ideas for your email campaigns is that you\u2019ll want to stay open-minded throughout your process . . . regardless of what that looks like. <\/p>\n
Next, let\u2019s start looking at a few specific brainstorming techniques you can try in order to get the ideas flowing.
<\/strong><\/p>\nBrainstorming Techniques for Stellar Email Ideas<\/h2>\n
Before we jump in, let\u2019s talk about AI (I know, I know). Copywriter extraordinaire Eddie Shleyner said<\/a>, \u201cAI may eventually replace some writing. But it cannot replace writers, people, everything we know and feel and emote.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\nI agree. <\/p>\n
I don\u2019t think AI will replace the human touch any time soon, but it can<\/em> be a super valuable unblocker. Our AI Writing Assistant<\/a>, built directly into the AWeber message editor, can be a great brainstorming resource when you\u2019re stuck on what to write about, a new word to describe something, or how to hit the tone you\u2019re looking for. <\/p>\nCheck it out and keep it in your brainstorming arsenal so you can get back to what you love faster. <\/p>\n
Okay, on to the techniques.<\/p>\n
Brainstorming Technique #1: Word Association
<\/strong><\/h3>\nStart with one or two words related to a broad topic, and write down anything they make you think of. Let your inner editor rest for a bit and just jot down whatever ideas and words come to mind. If you need help, try a tool like Visuwords<\/a> to get the process going.<\/p>\nDon\u2019t overthink things or worry about explaining how the words are related (at least right now.) Instead, let the ideas flow and see what interesting concepts naturally arise.<\/p>\n
\n![\"Word](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/WordAssociationBrainstorming-AWeber.jpg\"\/)
![\"Word](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/WordAssociationBrainstorming-AWeber.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nImage source: Search Engine Land<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #2: <\/strong>Mind Mapping<\/b><\/h3>\nThis is a similar concept to the word association technique. Start with a word in the middle and draw lines outward to the ideas that word sparks. <\/span>Mapping<\/span> helps you visually process your ideas and decide which ones are the strongest.<\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"Mind](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/MindMapping-AWeber.png\"\/)
![\"Mind](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/MindMapping-AWeber.png\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nImage source: CoSchedule<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #3:\u00a0<\/strong>The Medici Effect<\/b><\/h3>\nIf we can figure out how things are <\/span>connected<\/span>, sometimes we can borrow solutions or ideas from another field to solve our own problems. Look for parallels around the issues you\u2019re facing in different areas \u2014 like your personal life or at work. <\/span><\/p>\nFor example: Did you recently overcome a challenge at work that taught you a lesson or provided some new perspective on an issue? How can you share that experience as a story that may help your audience with their biggest pain point? You might have come to a solution that would make for a brilliant email campaign.<\/span><\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #4: Blind Writing<\/strong><\/h3>\nJust. Don\u2019t. Stop. <\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need a plan of attack or an outline for this \u2014 just put words on a blank page, no matter what they are. You never know what will spark an idea, and writing anything is the first step to writing something good.<\/p>\n
Set a timer and challenge yourself to keep writing for however long you want. You may be surprised how much you can get down on paper in a short window of time.<\/p>\n
Brainstorming Technique #5: Challenger<\/strong><\/h3>\nMake a list of your assumptions (about your customers, your content<\/a>, your format, etc.) and then challenge them one by one. You might think you already know the best way to do something, but we don\u2019t make progress by never questioning things.<\/p>\nThis is also why split testing emails<\/a> is so important. You may think one subject line will perform better over another, but without testing, you never truly know.<\/p>\nRelated: <\/strong>FREE Course: Learn How to Write Better Emails<\/a><\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #<\/strong>6: SWOT Analysis<\/b><\/h3>\nCreate a <\/span>table<\/span><\/a> to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to your current approach to email content. This helps you see your process in a more analytic way and logically decide if there is a more effective way to write, share, and educate. <\/span><\/p>\nAs you complete your SWOT analysis, be sure to see what your main competitors are doing and make notes on how you may (or may not) be measuring up with your current approach.<\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"SWOT](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/10032018-Article-Image-3-1.jpg\"\/)
![\"SWOT](\"https:\/\/blog.aweber.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/10032018-Article-Image-3-1.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nImage source: Wordstream<\/a><\/em><\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #<\/strong>7: Turn to Your Readers<\/b><\/h3>\nConversations with your subscribers can lead to a treasure trove of email ideas. Ask your subscribers questions and try to find out as much information about them as possible. What do they actually want or need from you? What are their biggest obstacles, goals, or main pain points<\/a>?<\/p>\nYour subscribers\u2019 feedback will be immensely valuable to your business. You can use it to write your next email, and other types of content like blog posts, videos, and social media posts<\/a>. You can also take it a step further by using the feedback to\u00a0correctly position your product, inspire loyalty, and\/or develop all-new products.<\/p>\nBrainstorming Technique #8: Start with the Subject Line<\/strong><\/h3>\nSet a timer for 5 minutes. Then, come up with a list of subject line ideas<\/a> that you would absolutely open if they hit your inbox.<\/p>\nAsk yourself questions like:<\/p>\n
\n- What\u2019s the key point in this email that a subscriber would be eager to know more about?<\/li>\n
- Did I write about something in the email that would surprise the reader? <\/li>\n
- What do readers need to know right now?<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
The subject lines you write may even spark some all-new content ideas. <\/p>\n
Related:\u00a0<\/strong>Your Guide to Writing the World\u2019s Best Email Subject Lines<\/a><\/p>\nBrilliant Email Ideas, Time After Time<\/h2>\n
Consistently sending emails is a wonderful way to keep subscribers engaged, but try not to forget that no one wants to open an email that doesn\u2019t actually have any new or useful information. Having a constant supply of fresh email ideas keeps you from getting marked as spam and sent to the junk mailbox, never to be opened again.<\/p>\n
On a regular basis, brainstorm new topics through these different approaches and keep a swipe file of your best and brightest ideas. You\u2019ll never hit a bottleneck in ideas for email campaigns again.<\/p>\n
Ready to start sending killer emails to your list? Then sign up for AWeber Free<\/a> today! <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
Sound familiar? Of course it does. It\u2019s one of the top reasons our customers give us for letting their email marketing flatline. They just run out of ideas or topics to write about.<\/p>\n
Even pro writers come up with major email block. Ann Handley, co-founder of Marketing Profs and the popular book \u201cEverybody Writes,\u201d only sent two emails to her subscribers in 2017. (In fact, the lack of communication was her catalyst behind revamping her entire newsletter strategy<\/a>.)<\/p>\n But when your emails stall, you can\u2019t make connections with your subscribers. You can\u2019t sell. You can\u2019t gather feedback from your audience.\u00a0You\u2019re leaving money on the table!<\/p>\n Never waste time trying to think of a topic when you should be writing. Here are 8 brainstorming techniques that will help you create a list of topics for future emails.<\/p>\n First things first: Let\u2019s go over a few quick notes re: brainstorming<\/a>.<\/p>\n Coming up with ideas for your content is serious, but don\u2019t get too caught up on producing the perfect idea right away.<\/strong> If you\u2019re too critical, you won\u2019t get anything written down. You never know what a random word now could make you think of later. Keep a positive mindset and be open to any and all ideas.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t worry too much about following the rules.<\/strong> Brainstorming is all about creativity and finding whatever method works best for you. While one person might do well with a structured brainstorming process, another might thrive with a loose, free-flowing idea session.<\/p>\n The important thing to remember about brainstorming ideas for your email campaigns is that you\u2019ll want to stay open-minded throughout your process . . . regardless of what that looks like. <\/p>\n Next, let\u2019s start looking at a few specific brainstorming techniques you can try in order to get the ideas flowing. Before we jump in, let\u2019s talk about AI (I know, I know). Copywriter extraordinaire Eddie Shleyner said<\/a>, \u201cAI may eventually replace some writing. But it cannot replace writers, people, everything we know and feel and emote.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n I agree. <\/p>\n I don\u2019t think AI will replace the human touch any time soon, but it can<\/em> be a super valuable unblocker. Our AI Writing Assistant<\/a>, built directly into the AWeber message editor, can be a great brainstorming resource when you\u2019re stuck on what to write about, a new word to describe something, or how to hit the tone you\u2019re looking for. <\/p>\n Check it out and keep it in your brainstorming arsenal so you can get back to what you love faster. <\/p>\n Okay, on to the techniques.<\/p>\n Start with one or two words related to a broad topic, and write down anything they make you think of. Let your inner editor rest for a bit and just jot down whatever ideas and words come to mind. If you need help, try a tool like Visuwords<\/a> to get the process going.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t overthink things or worry about explaining how the words are related (at least right now.) Instead, let the ideas flow and see what interesting concepts naturally arise.<\/p>\n Image source: Search Engine Land<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n This is a similar concept to the word association technique. Start with a word in the middle and draw lines outward to the ideas that word sparks. <\/span>Mapping<\/span> helps you visually process your ideas and decide which ones are the strongest.<\/span><\/p>\n Image source: CoSchedule<\/a>\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n If we can figure out how things are <\/span>connected<\/span>, sometimes we can borrow solutions or ideas from another field to solve our own problems. Look for parallels around the issues you\u2019re facing in different areas \u2014 like your personal life or at work. <\/span><\/p>\n For example: Did you recently overcome a challenge at work that taught you a lesson or provided some new perspective on an issue? How can you share that experience as a story that may help your audience with their biggest pain point? You might have come to a solution that would make for a brilliant email campaign.<\/span><\/p>\n Just. Don\u2019t. Stop. <\/p>\n You don\u2019t need a plan of attack or an outline for this \u2014 just put words on a blank page, no matter what they are. You never know what will spark an idea, and writing anything is the first step to writing something good.<\/p>\n Set a timer and challenge yourself to keep writing for however long you want. You may be surprised how much you can get down on paper in a short window of time.<\/p>\n Make a list of your assumptions (about your customers, your content<\/a>, your format, etc.) and then challenge them one by one. You might think you already know the best way to do something, but we don\u2019t make progress by never questioning things.<\/p>\n This is also why split testing emails<\/a> is so important. You may think one subject line will perform better over another, but without testing, you never truly know.<\/p>\n Related: <\/strong>FREE Course: Learn How to Write Better Emails<\/a><\/p>\n Create a <\/span>table<\/span><\/a> to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) to your current approach to email content. This helps you see your process in a more analytic way and logically decide if there is a more effective way to write, share, and educate. <\/span><\/p>\n As you complete your SWOT analysis, be sure to see what your main competitors are doing and make notes on how you may (or may not) be measuring up with your current approach.<\/span><\/p>\n Image source: Wordstream<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n Conversations with your subscribers can lead to a treasure trove of email ideas. Ask your subscribers questions and try to find out as much information about them as possible. What do they actually want or need from you? What are their biggest obstacles, goals, or main pain points<\/a>?<\/p>\n Your subscribers\u2019 feedback will be immensely valuable to your business. You can use it to write your next email, and other types of content like blog posts, videos, and social media posts<\/a>. You can also take it a step further by using the feedback to\u00a0correctly position your product, inspire loyalty, and\/or develop all-new products.<\/p>\n Set a timer for 5 minutes. Then, come up with a list of subject line ideas<\/a> that you would absolutely open if they hit your inbox.<\/p>\n Ask yourself questions like:<\/p>\n The subject lines you write may even spark some all-new content ideas. <\/p>\n Related:\u00a0<\/strong>Your Guide to Writing the World\u2019s Best Email Subject Lines<\/a><\/p>\n Consistently sending emails is a wonderful way to keep subscribers engaged, but try not to forget that no one wants to open an email that doesn\u2019t actually have any new or useful information. Having a constant supply of fresh email ideas keeps you from getting marked as spam and sent to the junk mailbox, never to be opened again.<\/p>\n On a regular basis, brainstorm new topics through these different approaches and keep a swipe file of your best and brightest ideas. You\u2019ll never hit a bottleneck in ideas for email campaigns again.<\/p>\n Ready to start sending killer emails to your list? Then sign up for AWeber Free<\/a> today! <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nQuick Notes on Brainstorming<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\n
<\/strong><\/p>\nBrainstorming Techniques for Stellar Email Ideas<\/h2>\n
Brainstorming Technique #1: Word Association
<\/strong><\/h3>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBrainstorming Technique #2: <\/strong>Mind Mapping<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBrainstorming Technique #3:\u00a0<\/strong>The Medici Effect<\/b><\/h3>\n
Brainstorming Technique #4: Blind Writing<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Brainstorming Technique #5: Challenger<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Brainstorming Technique #<\/strong>6: SWOT Analysis<\/b><\/h3>\n
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\nBrainstorming Technique #<\/strong>7: Turn to Your Readers<\/b><\/h3>\n
Brainstorming Technique #8: Start with the Subject Line<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n
Brilliant Email Ideas, Time After Time<\/h2>\n