So it’s still like 7 degrees here in Fort Worth, and there’s a thick layer of snow sleet adorning the ground. Looking like a winter wonderland Texas Tundra over here. (Quite beautiful, just don’t freaking slip on it….)

But enough about the cold. Let’s talk about piping HOT, fresh-from-the-oven, delicious Incubation Emails that your non-converted leads are ready to scarf like a slice of NY style pizza.

What are the ingredients necessary to bake such a persuasive masterpiece? (Picking up where we left off in my last message before I was so rudely interrupted by this 5-alarm freeze-out)

Because you're spending thousands to get leads into your CRM. Some are ready to book a consult, most are not.

And here's what's wild - so many practices inadvertently end up treating that list of non-bookers like the proverbial “junk drawer” in the kitchen. Random stuff gets tossed in there, nobody ever looks at it… and half the time you forget it even exists.

Those individuals treat you the same way in return. When you send boring newsletters or random promotional blasts… people glance at them for half a second, delete them, then forget you exist until they see your next promo email that gets the same treatment.

I'm here to help you NOT get Junk Drawer'd.

So what actually makes an email worth reading? What turns your inbox from a graveyard of ignored messages into a place where people actually (gasp!) look forward to hearing from you? Or at the very least are curious what you have to say.

Let me break down 5 of the key ingredients that separate emails people delete immediately from emails people actually open, read and act on.

1. Create urgency and relevance with seasonal hooks. Obviously writing about LASIK benefits in January when everyone's making New Year's resolutions hits different than writing about it in July. But this applies year-round. Timing matters. When your email connects to what's already happening in someone's life right now, it feels relevant. (Which means it doesn’t feel like a marketing blast)

2. Leverage stories that actually entertain while they educate. Yes, entertain AND educate. Nobody wants to read a medical textbook in their inbox. But if you can wrap an important lesson about choosing a surgeon inside a story that makes them smile or think differently, suddenly they're learning without feeling like they're in a lecture hall. (Which builds affinity AND knowledge retention, double-bonus!)

3. Integrate analogies into your messaging. Remember, the vast majority of prospects are coming into your world having never faced a decision like this before. How can we help them understand how it works? The benefits? The ways to assess their options? That it's an investment, not a cost? Analogies are a weapons-grade persuasion tool to do just that.

4. Weave trust signals naturally into the conversation. Mention your experience, your technology, your patient results, your reviews/testimonials - but do it in a way that doesn't scream "PLEASE BOOK WITH ME." It's the difference between showing up and showing off. It’s gotta be done naturally (and yes there are specific ways to do this very thing).

5. Teach them how to make smart buying decisions even if they don't choose you. Erf, that last part makes you squirm a little, yeah? Sounds backwards but it works. When you genuinely help someone understand what questions to ask and what really matters in choosing a surgeon, you build authority that no competitor can touch. Authority that’s worth the $$ they invest with you, and establishes the trust necessary to move forward with surgery.

Now, do you need ALL of these ingredients in EVERY Incubation Email? Nah. But at least 2-3 of them make for a strong, educational, entertaining, easily consumable piece of content.

OK, forward this along to your marketing person (who should also be on this list) so they can apply this in your Incubation Email strategy. And next time I’ll give you the common missteps practices make when emailing non-converted leads, and what to AVOID so you don’t end up in email graveyard.

Until next time,

Troy "Secret Ingredients” Cole