The Cuttlefish Method: Friend-Zoning Your Email Marketing is a Good Thing

Cuttlefish are brilliant creatures.

They can change the colors of their skin so fast that sometimes it looks like they're shooting electric rainbows up and down their skin. It's such a beautiful display — the males use it to attract their mate, and the biggest male who shines the brightest wins the female's affection.

... most of the time.

We usually refer to the "friend zone" as a bad thing — but cuttlefish turn it around to their benefit. Sometimes, a smaller male cuttlefish will adopt his skin to look like that of a female's and become her friend. He'll pal around with her for MONTHS before mating season. While cuttlefish don't use this tactic too often, when they do, the smaller male will have a 30% higher chance at winning the female's affection come mating season. It's because she already knows him, is familiar with him, and likes him.

Thus, we have our favorite approach to email marketing: The Cuttlefish Method. REALTORS® and professionals in industries with a long sales cycle have a lot to learn from the most fascinating cephalopods in the sea — stop marketing; start making friends.

Templated messages, giant billboards, and wrapped vehicles are the real estate equivalent of an "electric rainbow." They're flashy, shouty, and preachy, and they're trying to steal your customers. How do you compete? Try the Cuttlefish Method.