Some emails linger in my inbox waiting on me to acknowledge them. Days pass with them unopened and nearing expiration before I act. When I do, my typical response is to sort by the sender and delete in mass without opening them. Most of the time, I’m shaking my head at the list of subject lines that appear.
Some are worse than others…
Over the last two weeks, I received emails with the following subject lines from one company:
- Final Day – Free Standard Shipping
- 3 Day Only Free Standard Shipping
- [Company Name] Outlet Event – Save 20%
- Final Day – 15% Off Site Wide
- 3 Days Left – 15% Off Site Wide
- [Company Name] Outlet Event – Save 20% more
- Take 15% off site wide with our apologies
Is there any wonder that people suffer from email fatigue? (BTW, if your email subject lines look like this, stop it. Now. Earn your salary by creating instead of copying.)
Then there’s Timberland…
Timberland takes a different approach. During the same time, there are four emails instead of seven. The subject lines read:
- A breath of fresh air
- New Sale markdowns. Extra 20% ending Monday
- Get what you want when you want it.
- Maybe we should start a bank. (Focusing on quality because they build things that last.)
All of the Timberland emails include discounts or free shipping, but they aren’t the focus of the email. The extra effort to create subject lines with variety and humor delays email fatigue.
The email marketing team at Timberland knows that the same subject line (Sale. Buy now.) tweaked to appear different is redundant. They work to keep it interesting. But that isn’t the only reason that they are welcome in my inbox. I have a pair of Timberland boots that are over twenty years old. They are my favorite pair of hiking boots. They have contoured to my feet and feel great with every step.
The company started with a quality product and uses entertaining emails to keep this customer engaged.
For more information on how to improve your email marketing, read:
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You don’t have to be a marketing guru to deliver great email results. Follow the Email Map to increased sales and profitability.
If you like this post, please share it with your community. You may also like these:
- Are Your Emails Alienating Your Customers?
- Why You Should Fire Your Marketing Team…
- The Top 7 Reasons Why Customers & Prospects Aren’t Responding to Your Email Marketing
- Email Marketing: Building Relationships One Send at a Time
- Will the Size of Your Website Keep Customers Away?
Ask Debra!
