Overview

One GREAT way to get students to learn about Lumiere is through referrals from teachers, counselors, or clubs. The best way we’ve found to do that is to reach out to these teachers and then ask them to share a blurb with their students. We’ve found that by teachers sharing these blurbs, it legitimizes the program for students and families.

Use our Lumiere Email Coach GPT!

https://chatgpt.com/g/g-690d6e28774c8191ac2147280749c2f4-lumiere-email-coach - the best way to get feedback before talking to other teammates is to paste your email into this and then get some direct feedback on it!

First let’s step back: who is forwarding this email?

One thing to think about is WHO is receiving this email and sharing it on. This is usually a teacher or a counselor (or sometimes a club member). In this case, they want to share on things that seem like genuinely cool and valuable opportunities for their students. That’s why scholarships + competitions will share better than programs. Free programs > Costly programs. So, try to give the counselor something that they would feel cool showing to their students.

How to write a good email - the steps

Also related Lumiere Email Style Guide (AKA How to write emails that people LOVE)

Start with the Subject Line

Subject line is the MOST important part of the email forwarding writing process. Here are some quick guidelines for you here. If you don’t have 5 subject line options, you have not spent enogh time on this.

• Keep it between 2-7 words, should be able to be read on a phone on the gmail app
• Should be interesting/clickable (you might need to test)
  • Good: Rhodes Scholar | Research Opportunity?
  • Bad: Great learning experiences for students working with me
• Write out at least 5 options before choosing one.
  • I would recommend working with ChatGPT to help you brainstorm ideas here. You don’t need to have everything. ChatGPT is really good at writing 8/10 emails. Start there!

<aside> 💡

I would spend time experimenting with subject lines. One way to innovate in a subject line is to innovate what you are offering. So, instead of saying “Research Program” you reach out to schools for an essay contest or for a “scholarship”.

School counselors want to pass on things that seem like genuine opportunities for their students.

</aside>

Introduce yourself - but briefly.

Here you should brag about yourself/mention the things that make you legit. But, don’t spend too much time on it. This is about them, not you.

Good:

Hi John, This is Dhruva, I’m a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford and the director of the Lumiere Research Program.

I was wondering - could you share this blurb with your students?

xx blurb xx

Bad