Opening: Testing emails on mobile devices helps prevent rendering issues that could affect engagement rates.

Quote:

'There are basically three things that happen that people do in the pre header, they either do the format issue link like if you can't see this click here, right? Which is so old school... The second one that happens very often is what I call gobble *** a mess. You see the broken code, right? That sometimes is in the pre header... And the reason I bring that up is when you have that code, which happens on almost 25% of emails that go out from major brands. When that code shows up as your pre header, your open rate is depressed by almost 35%.'

Takeaway:
• Always test your emails on mobile devices before sending.
• Fix any rendering issues, especially in the preheader.
• Proper testing can prevent significant drops in open rates.

Opening: Certain tactics can harm your email performance and reputation; avoiding them is crucial for success.

Quote:

'Never talk to me if you're these people that do the fake reply, you know, the RE colon or the FW colon... It is horrible to trick people and it seems like that's a growing trend. I can't believe it's even a thing... You've lost a subscriber and a friend if you've done that.'

Takeaway:
• Avoid deceptive tactics like fake reply or forward in subject lines.
• Maintain trust with your audience by using honest and transparent practices.
• Deceptive practices can lead to unsubscribes and damage your brand reputation.

Opening: Determining the optimal send time can increase engagement, but it's important to test and rely on your own data.

Quote:

'The most critical thing you could do is benchmark your own performance... Now that you have the types broken out no matter what metric you see from any important company on the planet. The most important metrics you have are your own... So I don't land on a particular day or time. I land on. You gotta keep testing and break your emails into groups.'

Takeaway:
• Test different send times to see what works best for your audience.
• Segment your email types and test send times individually.
• Rely on your own data rather than generic industry benchmarks.

Opening: Concise emails with clear messaging can improve engagement, especially among less-engaged subscribers.

Quote:

'You need to keep it less than 75 words, you know, really using even looking at believe it or not, we look at the number of syllables in words. It has to be, I mean, you could digest fast... The biggest mistake marketers make is they take their best performing emails that they're sending out to their core customers... when you're talking about two different populations of people.'

Takeaway:
• Keep emails under 75 words per paragraph for easy readability.
• Use simpler words and shorter sentences.
• Tailor email length and content to different audience segments.

Opening: Regular testing allows marketers to optimize their email campaigns and improve performance over time.

Quote:

'Every time you hit send. OK? That is an opportunity to test something... If you are uttering the words, just get it out. That's the moment. Like, wait a minute, I'm not gonna do that. I'm going to pause because that's where emails go to die.'

Takeaway:
• Treat every email send as an opportunity to test and learn.
• Avoid rushing campaigns without testing key elements.
• Use A/B testing to optimize subject lines, CTAs, and send times.

Opening: A strong CTA encourages recipients to take the desired action, increasing click-through rates.

Quote:

'But in general, a lot of times our call to action buttons are the same thing we're saying. Download, you know, register, right? Click here. You're telling somebody what to do rather than stating the benefit of what they're about to get… So if you are giving, you know, some sort of free trial of some kind, right? You don't say click here, you say start my 30-day free trial, literally the entire thing in that call to action because the person's like, yes, that's exactly what I want.'

Takeaway:
• Use benefit-focused language in your CTAs.
• Avoid generic phrases like "Click here" or "Submit".
• Test different CTA texts to see what drives more clicks.

Opening: The preheader is valuable real estate that can enhance your email's impact when used properly.

Quote:

'I love that you bring up the pre header because I agree with you. It is incredibly valuable real estate... But the last piece is what should you do with the pre header and that means it has to have offer information, it needs to build on your subject line, it needs to drive the point home of why you should open it.'

Takeaway:
• Avoid using default text like "If you can't see this email, click here".
• Use the preheader to complement and reinforce your subject line.
• Include offer details and compelling messages in the preheader.

Opening: Incorporating a sense of urgency in your subject lines encourages recipients to act promptly, improving open rates.

Quote:

'So the most important thing you could have in your subject line is a sense of urgency. And the reason being is human nature is we don't want the thing that's going to always be there. We are very interested in the thing that may not be there down the road.'

Takeaway:
• Use phrases like "Two days left" or "Last chance" to create urgency.
• Even subtle urgency like "Don't miss out" can boost engagement.
• Urgency prompts immediate action from recipients.

Opening: Personalization in subject lines can significantly increase engagement, but it's important to do it correctly.

Quote:

'Anytime in the subject line that you could tell the person that this is for you, this is not for everybody and you get an email, let's say any of us got an email and says this is perfect for email marketers like whoa I'm opening that up, right? That's what I do. I gotta check that out. That's what resonates.'

Takeaway:
• Personalize subject lines by referencing the recipient's role or interests.
• Avoid overused techniques like using the recipient’s first name.
• Make the reader feel the email is specifically for them.

Opening: The subject line is critical in determining whether your email gets opened. Spending more time on crafting compelling subject lines can significantly improve your campaign performance.

Quote:

'I believe the subject line is enormous and what we see with our clients is they spend like, 90% of their time on developing the greatest email, the greatest creative, they, all this stuff and they're like, ok, we gotta get this out. What should the subject line be? Oh, I'll spend three seconds and I'll write a subject line ... If nobody opens up your email, who cares? You know, who actually cares what's inside of it?'

Takeaway:
• Prioritize crafting your subject line to boost open rates.
• Use special characters, capitalization, or emojis to make your email stand out.
• A/B test subject lines to determine what resonates with your audience.