7 Email Marketing Mistakes That are Killing Your Brand

1/18/2019

Face it; some emails will never be read. Don't let yours be one of them. Here are seven deadly mistakes email marketers make.

1. The Subject Line Doesn't Get to the Point In Time - The first few words have to compel the reader to keep reading and open your email. If you're having a 25% off sale, lead with the words: "25% off." Don't lead with the words: "Today only, get a special, once-a-year promotion and enjoy 25% off your entire purchase."

2. The Preview Text Is Irrelevant - You've seen it; that text that previews an email's content. Too many n00b brands and some established ones waste that space with boilerplate, unsubscribe text, or other, non-essential information. This is often a remnant of the email sending service you are using. Send a test to yourself before sending the email to a group. If the preview text is not your immediate content, modify your template so that information is placed elsewhere. Preview text should always be compelling.

3. The Top of the Email is Legal Jargon or Boilerplate - When your email is opened, the text at the top should get to the point quickly, reinforcing the benefit, and highlighting the call to action. Then, support it with additional details.

4. You Go On For Days - You're not in the business of writing love letters. Get to the point. If you need to tell a long, complicated story, summarize it in the email and then have the "full story" clickable and hosted on your website. See how many people click through to the whole thing. Most people only want the summary.

5. You Only End on a Virtual High-Five - So many emails end with a positive note, but fail to give a clear call to action. If you have an action you want people to take, make it obvious. Have links to direct actions they can take.

6. You Send Too Many Emails - Aside from a select group of markets, most email marketing campaigns should send emails anywhere from once a week, to once a month. Plan your campaigns and deals ahead of time.

7. You Don't Give People Enough Time To React - While flash sales are fine, if you're promoting things like classes, limited time services, or discounts on appointments, give people at least a week's advance notice. Tell them once, far in advance, and once again, a week or two before.

About the Author: Jennifer L. Jacobson is a communications strategist who leverages marketing, brand identity, and public relations to help brands advance their voice in crowded industries. Her clients have been TIME’s best site of the year, and graced the likes of Today, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Popular Science, Scientific American, USA Today, and thousands more. She is the founder of Jacobson Communication.

About Jacobson Communication

Jacobson Communication specializes in public relations and creative services for growing niche brands, including startups, theme parks, musicians, authors, nonprofits, and more. From audience awareness to brand development, and positive social change, you'll be surprised what better communications can do for your brand.

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A Word About Generative AI in Regards to
Comms and Creativity

One of the values I bring to my clients is my ability to grasp the "big picture" and align it with the public's current moods, thought patterns, and needs. I believe my specific brain, my heart, my experience, and my personal methodology are what separates me from those who rely on what generative AI feeds them.

I do not use generative AI, nor do I generally endorse its use for writing and creation in public relations, the music industry, or art. To all my fellow comms and creatives out there; stay human!

You can learn more about my thoughts on generative AI here:

The Jacobson Governing Principles for Ethical Uses of AI

Land Acknowledgement

Acknowledgement to the southern Lushootseed-speaking Coast Salish Indigenous Peoples whose land I live and work on.

This land also includes the traditional land and waterways of the first people of Seattle, the Duwamish People of past and present. It is with honor and gratitude to the land itself, the plants, animals, and the Duwamish Tribe that I practice my work.

This land is also on and adjacent to the traditional homelands and waterways of the Puyallup Tribe. The Puyallup people have lived on and stewarded these lands since the beginning of time and continue to do so today. I recognize that this land acknowledgement is one small step toward true allyship, and I commit to uplifting the voices, experiences, and histories of the Indigenous people of this land and beyond.

To learn more about the Puyallup Tribal Language program, visit:
https://www.puyalluptriballanguage.org

Personal Statement

It is my hope that we all deepen our understanding, awareness, and relationship to where we live in the world, and that we, individually and as a group, do our part to heal the wounds caused by genocide, enslavement, displacement, and other such atrocities, many of which have been intentionally carried forward into our present day and built into modern systems of power. Here is a list of books that might help you on your way to decolonizing the mind.

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