The Evolution of Email Marketing: From ‘meh’ to ‘a-meh-zing’

In the digital age we live in, our inboxes are flooded with emails daily. For businesses, it's a massive challenge to stand out. During INBOUND 2023, HubSpot's annual conference, Pierce Ujjainwalla and Jay Schwedelson shared their knowledge and insights on transforming email marketing from 'meh' to 'amazing.'

Creating value

Crafting a great email starts with creating value. People are generally more interested in what's valuable to them rather than your webinar, website, or blog.

So, it's important that your email provides value to the reader. Make sure you explain the benefits for them in your email.

The CHEETAH framework when doing email marketing

To convey the value of your email, you can use the CHEETAH framework, a handy guide for optimizing emails. This framework emphasizes several essential elements.

• • Captivate
    It's all about the first impression. You have only one chance to grab attention with your sender name, subject line, and preview text. Get creative with emojis and animations, for example.
  • Human
    A human tone in your writing style is crucial. To promote that human tone, imagine you're writing the email for a specific customer. This enhances the personal touch and builds a connection.
  • Entertain
    Who said B2B has to be boring? Entertaining is effective! Make someone laugh and take that risk for once.
  • Easy
    Ensure your email is easy to read. Choose one clear call to action (CTA) and make sure that’s the focus of your email. Keep it simple for everyone!
  • Transitions
    We're often used to inserting lines or alternating colors in emails. Handling transitions differently can give your email a whole new look.
  • Animations
    Animations can help you stand out and differentiate yourself from others. Try to be subtle with your animations and avoid going overboard.
  • Harmony
    Consistency between your emails and landing pages is essential. Make sure they align with each other. The email should entice the reader, and the landing page should facilitate conversion.

Innovative personalization

Personalization goes beyond mentioning the recipient's name. Tailor your email to the recipient's industry (increases the open rate by an average of 25%!), job role (increases the open rate by an average of 31%!), and other interests (increases the open rate by an average of 27%!) in the subject line. In short: go beyond just addressing someone by their name!

Go and execute an A/B test!

To continuously learn and optimize, A/B testing is crucial. Here are some tips to get you started:

CTA buttons

CTA buttons written in the first person increase the click-through rate by an average of 28%. For example:

• "Reserve My Spot" vs. "Sign Up"
• "Give Me 5 Tips" vs. "Download"
• "Give Me More Information" vs. "Schedule a Call"
  
  

Steps in the Subject Line

Mentioning steps in the subject line has increased the open rate for B2B by 24% and for B2C by 19%! Make your subject line something like '5 Steps to a Better Email Workflow' or 'In 6 Steps to the Perfect Living Space.'

Ensure Your Header Relates to the Offer

What value are you offering to the reader with your offer? Mention that in the header of your email. Also, ensure it follows up on the subject line. So, start your header with "and," "but," or "plus" (increases the open rate by an average of 19%!).