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March 15, 2021 Content Chat Recap: Email Marketing Hacks That Drive Results

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Are your email marketing efforts falling flat? Audiences are flooded with a sea of emails each day, which means that your emails need a way to stand out—and there are a few behavioral science principles that may help!

In this #ContentChat, we’re joined by Nancy Harhut (@NHarhut), co-founder and chief creative officer of HBT Marketing, to discuss email marketing hacks that drive results. Read the full recap below, where we discuss how to write compelling email subject lines, ways to create a sense of urgency and exclusivity for your community, and other tips to drive action from your email marketing.

Q1: What type of subject lines work best for email marketing? What are some “eye magnet” words that instantly grab attention?

Per Nancy, the best subject lines have news, urgency, and “ignore at your peril” elements. Some effective eye magnet words include “today,” “introducing,” “alert,” and “action required.”

“Free” used to trigger spam filters but is now a top-pulling subject line word.

Experiment with question, how-to, and list subject lines. 10 is an especially effective number because it’s easier for our brains to process.

Emojis also draw attention, just be sure that they align with your brand voice.

Use your customer data to tailor subject lines whenever possible. Some audiences respond well when their name is included in the subject line, but not all people will be receptive to this tactic.

The main thing is to experiment with different ideas and track your success. Conduct A/B testing to find the best way to approach your audience. Learn more about A/B testing here.

Q2: How can marketers create a sense of urgency and exclusivity in their emails?

Urgency and exclusivity are part of the Scarcity Principle, which can motivate audiences to take action. However, we as marketers need to act responsibly and not lie to or purposefully mislead our audiences to drive profit.

Include a deadline to create a sense of urgency. A countdown clock/timer can reinforce this urgency and increase your clickthrough rate by 31%.

Create exclusivity by offering early access, special discounts, sneak peeks, and other offers that are reserved for specific members of your community.

Q3: What visual or other unique elements can marketers use to drive action from their subscribers?

Emojis can boost your email open rate by 21%.

Special characters like /, [, >, etc. can grab attention. Put the first word or two of your subject line in brackets to see if it boosts your open rate.

Use GIFs in your emails when appropriate, or find other ways to humanize your brand and showcase your personality.

The best way to provide value to your audience is to send them tailored messages. Use purchase, browsing, or demographic data to deliver personalized content.

Before and after photos can increase believability. One brand saw a 12-15% increase in conversions when using before and after photos.

Q4: What are the pros and cons of using “negative” phrases or elements in CTAs, subject lines, etc.?

Loss aversion can motivate email subscribers to take action. Use phrases like “don’t miss” to prompt a positive response.

Be mindful of your brand voice and audience before you use negative phrases. You do not want to imply that you think your audience is bad at their jobs.

Focus on audience value if you use negative phrases.

And avoid using the word “hate” if your audience does not respond well to it.

Q5: What brand(s) do you feel are most effective with their email marketing? Why?

Check out the below community recommendations on brands that have effective email marketing. Is your favorite missing from the list? Let us know in the comments.

Q6: What tools do you use to create and manage your email nurture streams and newsletters?

Nancy recommends SubjectLine.com to workshop your subject lines and email timing.

The community recommends ConvertKit, Mailchimp, and MailerLite to manage your email newsletters.

HubSpot, Mailchimp, and Really Good Emails all provide valuable content to help improve your email marketing.

About Alek Irvin

Alek Irvin is a content marketing professional with a rich history in social media management, executive thought leadership development, and media relations. As a consultant at Erika Heald Marketing Consulting, he creates human-focused content and thought leadership platforms that help brand leaders connect and engage with their communities. Alek has worked with a range of startups and Fortune 500 companies across the B2B technology and consumer spaces, including IBM, Dell Technologies, Hitch Works, Emtrain, Integrate, and Frameable. Connect with him on Twitter @AlekIrvin.

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