Introduction

Rob & Kennedy are an interesting duo, and not the types you may think about when you consider business and email marketing! 

Rob is a fiery-haired comedian and stage hypnotist. Kennedy is a sleek, platinum-topped mentalist (psychological mind reader) with a strange and unusual knack for figuring out what you’re thinking. 

These two unique guys have spent the last 18 years using these particular skills to be successful in show biz, but they’re also a shining example of how to use psychology in business and marketing! 

As founders of Email Marketing Heroes, they plan to save the world from boring, yawnable, old-fashioned email marketing that nobody wants to read by teaching others how to become email marketing heroes in their own small businesses. 

What You’ll Hear

• [2:10] About Rob & Kennedy and their backgrounds 
• [7:38] How Rob & Kennedy found motivation to start their businesses 
• [11:07] Rob & Kennedy on crafting attractive emails 
• [17:26] Taking action to prevent unsubscribes 
• [24:38] Rob & Kennedy on growing your email list 
• [29:39] Rob & Kennedy on types of lead magnets 
• [32:36] The most interesting places they’ve visited 
• [33:48] Connect with Rob & Kennedy 

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About Rob & Kennedy and Their Backgrounds 

Both Rob and Kennedy began their careers in entertainment, despite both being rather socially awkward! 

When they started their entertainment businesses (15 or so years ago), neither of them was keen to even attempt selling over the phone, being more on the introverted side. So their minds went immediately to email. 

When their businesses took off, other entertainers started coming to them to find out what they were doing to get so much business (at high prices) and so, separately, they began teaching others how to do the same thing they were. 

That led to them being asked to speak at marketing and business events, which eventually branched out into working together on a podcast and an email marketing business that teaches others to bring in more sales using, as Rob puts it, “email that doesn’t make you want to be sick in your mouth”. 

How Rob & Kennedy Found Motivation to Start Their Businesses 

Rob & Kennedy were running a business together before they started Email Marketing Heroes, but were losing money left, right and center on tools that weren’t actually helping them grow. 

As they moved from selling entertainment to selling software and other things, they tried to apply the same principles but discovered that it was pretty darn hard to do. 

Their biggest motivation came from their own team! After sitting their people down and telling them that they weren’t sure they’d be able to pay them that month, their team stuck by them anyway, which gave them a good dose of motivation to actually get things going successfully. 

However, it did prompt them to rethink their business plan and they decided to build their foundations on email marketing as they were both really good at it and had a passion for sharing it with others. 

They knew they could help others break free from awful, cliched, and just plain boring email marketing. They also realized that most of the stuff being taught about email was just pretty bad, so their motivation came from wanting to show others a better and easier way. 

Rob & Kennedy on Crafting Attractive Emails 

Interestingly, they suggest a few mindset shifts before trying anything physical. Firstly, they recommend that all entrepreneurs stop thinking of email as a sales-making loudspeaker and start seeing it as a form of content creation. 

The moment your reader has your lead magnet, they consider the transaction to be complete. Now, most people make the mistake of beginning to sell products that the reader has no knowledge about, which immediately gets their walls up. 

Instead of immediately promoting your product or service, they suggest making your emails conversational, easy to read, and non-selly. Talk about daily life, with a twist towards your products or services. 

Also, be honest about them being on your email list, tell them what they might gain from being on it, and let them know how often they can expect to hear from you. Remind them that they’re one click away from unsubscribing 🙂 

Ultimately – make it about story-telling rather than selling. 

Taking Action to Prevent Unsubscribes 

Old-fashioned selling is annoying when people receive it everyday. If they know you’re going to be selling, they won’t open your emails. 

Instead, following the story-telling over selling approach makes your content interesting and they’re much more inclined to read them. And the tiny sell at the bottom of the page won’t chase them away, because they enjoy your content 🙂 

When people aren’t rolling their eyes and wondering “What are they selling now?”, but rather thinking “I wonder what fun story they’ve got today”, you’re on the right track. 

This is a great way to avoid irritating people by emailing daily (which is a great idea, to keep you and your biz upfront in their mind all the time). 

Also, if you’re using paid ads, don’t focus on money that you feel you wasted. Instead, focus on the money you spent that gained you subscribers, and work on improving those numbers. As long as the numbers are relative, don’t let them phase you. 

How to Grow Your Email List 

First, create a lead magnet that will attract the kind of people you want as customers, not a lead magnet that will get you a whole bunch of subscribers. Email subscribers are not Pokemon! Aim for those whose problem you can solve and who might stick around, not just anyone and everyone. 

Secondly, create a free Facebook group. Promote your email list and lead magnets in the questions required to join the group, and wait for people to pop in their email. Make it optional, though! 

Thirdly, and the one Rob & Kennedy suggest doing before anything else, is to create a landing page offering people your daily tips & tricks email. They know what they’re getting into, and they only opt in if they really do want it. 

Types of Lead Magnets 

Most of their lead magnets have been paid products, which means your email list is made entirely of actual customers. They recommend evergreen lead magnets, seasonal lead magnets, and create some urgency about them. 

The Most Interesting Place They’ve Been 

Kennedy loves Ho Chi Minh city, despite the crazy motorcycle traffic. Rob’s favorite spot is Vegas, which was his first trip to America as a 21-year-old. 

Connect with Rob & Kennedy 

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