1997 - The year that changed TV forever

In December ‘97 HBO gave the go-ahead to a series that would re-shape TV as we know it. 

One that would go on to set the bar for what a quality TV series should look like and become my all-time favourite.

Yet one with the unlikeliest of heroes…

An overweight, out-of-shape dad in therapy, suffering from a midlife crisis brought about by the stress of his job and family life.

And in giving David Chase (the creator of the show,) the green light for The Sopranos … HBO changed TV forever

Because without The Sopranos there wouldn’t be...

The Wire...

Game of Thrones…

Succession…

Or even Netflix.

How so, you ask?

Because HBO gave Chase the time to create a story spread over 12 episodes, which at the time was unheard of.

Up to now every episode had to be a microcosm of the show as a whole. It had to hit the high notes every time.

The Sopranos changed that.

Gone were the days where each episode was a self-contained package. 

Now episodes began to build upon one another.

And characters could be developed in ways that weren’t possible in previous formats.

Minor characters could turn into major players if this moved the story along. And the class of stories that were once the exclusive domain of filmmakers began coming into our homes.

With no need for every episode to build up to a crescendo, the series could ebb and flow as needed, developing its own natural rhythm of highs and lows.

The whole goal became about building towards the series finale, where all storylines would come crashing together.

Now, you might be wondering why I’m nattering about the Sopranos-driven evolution of television, which is a fair question.

But you see, there are parallels here with your emails.

Most PTs are like directors stuck in the old TV format, believing they need to hit the high notes on every single email.

They’re unable to zoom out and see the bigger picture…that you don’t need to sell every time you appear in somebody’s inbox.

As a result, they struggle to develop their storytelling ability and build a bond of trust with the readers.

Failing to recognise that each email plays a part in building towards a pitch every 4th email or so.

Leaving every email feeling like a desperate plea for cash.

To succeed, grow, and improve as an email marketer, you have to step back and look at the bigger picture.

Without stepping back you fail to see the minor characters involved, those trust-building tales about your life, which are the glue holding your “show” together.

Instead, you devote all your time, energy, and attention to a sexy, wild character called  “crappy pitch”.

Trouble is, “Crappy Pitch” is the guy who is going to get you shot, bringing the series to a premature end.

Always trying to push for the sale will lead to poorer sales, because as Tony Soprano said…

“Every decision you make affects every facet of every other fucking thing.”

Sales pitches must be followed with value-based emails because these bond-building gems allow you to ramp up the emotion as you move towards pitching your service.

Just like progress in training or rehab is never linear, there must be ups and downs to allow your readers to see the value you can bring to their lives. 

Remember, in something as well-written as The Sopranos, the crazy guy gets shot LONG before the main player. If he didn’t, the whole series would crumble. 

So do yourself a favour and take a step back and look at where you want to go with your emails and think in terms of building a 4 episode mini-series NOT a one-off special.

That way you stand a chance of actually getting there.

Later,

Colin