Tired of creating uninspired email marketing even you find boring or pointless?

As a copywriter, I sign up to alotta emails. You have brands like Very Good Copy who provide amazing educational content, while popular YouTube names like Nathaniel Drew come in hot with personal lifestyle content. 

Now I know a string of emails in your inbox can be annoying. But as creators, it’s also a great opportunity to nosey around and dissect an array of email marketing strategies to analyze what works and what doesn’t.

During this process, I admit I have also unsubscribed from alotta emails. The key is to be selective on what you consume and find those golden nuggets, because they are out there. Here’s what I’ve found works well:

1.Think Fresh

You may think it’s time to talk about the new leaves and therefore opportunities falling in Autumn or 5 best *generic* tips to improve your business. But guess what? Everyone else is doing the same. How do I know? Because I’m signed up to their emails, and I read every single one.

Before you or your team start writing, take the topic you would like to include and brainstorm all the different ways you can touch upon it in an unexpected way to hold attention.

For example: 

Rather than talk about the new opportunities of Autumn falling like the leaves, could you create an email campaign where your product or customer is “shaking something off”, like the trees are actually programmed to do with their leaves?

Rather than some generic tips to improve your website and business, can you talk about the time Henry the door salesman showed up at your door and conned your dad and what it taught you about business?

2. Don’t Include Walls of Text

I’m not saying emails can’t be full of text, as long as that text is relevant and well-written. I’m saying formatting matters. 

Break up your meter-long paragraph into three. 

Put that call to action in a separate button.

Have each sentence on its own line if that makes sense for you.

Here’s an example of text that’s been strategically formatted to be easy to read:

3. Have A Purpose 

Do you want to entertain your audience? 

Do you want to educate your audience? 

The above buckets are my go-to when it comes to categorizing email marketing in a simple way. That’s because I believe these two buckets are the number one route to boost engagement and get people interested in what you’re saying.

From the many newsletters I’ve signed up to, I personally love the ones that are either entertaining and make me smile, or help me learn something new and inspire me.  Always have a goal for your newsletter, and I’m not just talking about “increase sales”.

4. Tell A Story

You’ve heard me say it before, and you’ll definitely be hearing me say it again. Storytelling is the key to engaging your audience. It’s a proven technique to hook your reader, make them remember you, and present information they can easily understand.

“The world’s best [insert product or service]” no longer cuts through the noise. Over the last few years, people have turned further towards the experience economy and how you can impact their life. Amidst wars, recessions, social injustices, the lingering C-word…people actually look to brands to give them hope.

To sell in 2023, you must be obsessed with your customer. You must share the story they need to hear right now.

5. Stop Sounding Like AI Wrote It

Since the news of AI like ChatGPT surfaced, companies and individuals alike have fled to test its capability to write copy. However, after testing it myself and also hearing unbiased feedback from clients and peers, there was one common feedback: the robots lack emotion.

Yes, the information is there. Yes, there’s a clear point of view. However, it lacks those little touches that resonate with your audience, such as addressing the readers themselves or applying your unique brand tone of voice. Your emails should always use language that engages and connects – so if you’re using ChatGPT or other AI tools for copy, we believe it’s best to use them as a starting point rather than the final draft.

Email marketing examples that keep you subscribed:

OLLI ELLA // Why it works: short simple text, easy to understand, and easy to digest. Images are always fun and interesting. Designed to bring playfulness to your day.

ANTHROPOLOGIE // Why it works: fun tone of voice portrayed in short snappy sentences. You can always rely on Anthro to add some interest to your day without heading to snooze ville.

KATELYN BOURGOIN // Why it works: exceptional writing, highly educational with real life brand examples. Her newsletter is named Why We Buy, which is perfectly on brand and you know exactly what to expect – inside knowledge into why people purchase.

NATHANIEL DREW // Why it works: personal storytelling and  ponderings about life as well as music and book recommendations. Easy to read, offers food for thought, never over salesy. 

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Feeling inspired to improve your email marketing game? We hope this shed some insight. And if you want some help launching a newsletter or crafting your next communications piece, don’t hesitate to get in touch.