Email marketing, why trust beats attention and how to listen to the market

This week you’ll learn:

• 📨 Email marketing compliance is now painful but worth it

• 🤥 Trust is more important than attention

• 👟 How to listen to the market and build an empire

• 🎨 Tricks to spice up your email headers and optimize your emails

• ⚡️ Quick Hits: TikTok SEO, Instagram DM updates, & why brands are trimming product offerings.

The Anti-Spam Casualties

Though well-intentioned, Google and Yahoo’s new email marketing requirements are turning into a quagmire for brands. What’s worse, spammers can easily buy their way through.

Spammers won’t be deterred

When there is money to be made, spammers will always find a way around the rules.

It won’t even take any technical chops. You can buy off-the-shelf services for a few hundred $$$ per month that let you send over one million emails per day.

Friction for Legitimate Email Marketers

Unfortunately, well-intended rules often have a way of punishing mainly those trying their best to follow them.

• Increased Compliance Costs: Legitimate marketers are now navigating a compliance minefield as they invest in authentication technologies and adapt to fragmented email ecosystems. This includes implementing SPF, DKIM, DMARC, and even BIMI authentication schemes, alongside the training to ensure adherence.

• Complexity in Email Delivery: The rules complicate an already difficult environment. Google's 'Promotions' tab and Microsoft Outlook's image-blocking default change the user experience, hindering marketers' reach.

• Shifting Goalposts: Google's track record of introducing and abandoning initiatives like AMP and Core Web Vitals has left marketers wary of investing in compliance. When the rules might change again tomorrow it’s easy to justify giving it a half-effort.

Unintended Consequences

The rules, while aimed at spammers, inadvertently push marketers towards less efficient channels like PPC and display advertising, causing a shift that undermines cost-effective email marketing benefits.

The ironic factor is that if marketers do shift their budgets to PPC, much of that budget will end up in the pocket of Google, which established these rules in the first place.

If you still haven't updated your SPF, DMARC, and DKIM records, we have an easy-to-follow guide to help you with the new rules. Click here to access our guide.

Keep up to date, and make sure your campaigns are as compliant as possible. But even with new restrictions, email marketing is still remarkably effective if a bit more inconvenient now.

Keep Reading: MarTech

Trust vs. Attention in Marketing

Should you focus on capturing attention, or building trust? Attention is fleeting, but trust lasts.

The Trust Paradox

Marketers often equate more engagement with deeper trust, however, research suggests that as trust in a brand increases, the need for consumer attention decreases.

Moments of Truth vs. Trust

"Moments of Truth" in the customer journey overlook the cumulative nature of trust as a result of consistent interactions over time. This challenges marketers to focus on creating content that both captures attention and fosters trust.

• Moments of Truth: While beneficial in the short-run, consistency is key in establishing a relationship between customer and marketer.

• Cumulative Trust: Trust is built through consistent, reliable interactions rather than any one moment.

Building Trust Through Content

Content must be risk-appropriate, familiar, and valuable to respect the consumer and leverage exposure. Familiarity breeds trust, a commodity that must be carefully cultivated over time.

• Risk-Appropriate Content: Tailoring content to minimize perceived risk can significantly enhance trust. Don’t be pushy and meet the customer where they are at.

• Consistent Value: Regularly delivering small but valuable pieces of content can build familiarity and trust with your audience. 

While capturing attention is important, building a deep sense of trust with your audience is invaluable for long-term loyalty.

Keep Reading: Content Marketing Institute

GOAT's Unconventional Journey to Success

Eddy Lu's journey to founding GOAT, a leading sneaker and luxury apparel platform.

• Early Ventures: Before GOAT, Eddy Lu and Daishin Sugano tried various business ventures, including becoming franchisees for Beard Papa’s cream puffs and developing early iPhone apps.

• A Fake Sneaker Sparks an Idea: The turning point came when Sugano bought a pair of fake Air Jordan 5 Grapes on eBay, leading him to realize the need for a trusted sneaker marketplace. By combining Lu's computer science background with Sugano's design expertise they created GOAT, a platform where authenticity is guaranteed.

• Black Friday Fiasco: GOAT's first test came during a Black Friday promotion that crashed their site due to overwhelming traffic. “People had skipped work, school, and even doctor’s appointments to be online for our Black Friday drop, and they were upset when the site crashed. We had to apologize profusely,” says Lu. Despite the backlash, this event proved their authentication promise had value.

• Reducing Friction: One key to GOAT's success was simplifying the buying process by showing only the best offer. "We wanted to remove friction from the experience. And since we’re an authenticated marketplace, people could trust that they would receive exactly what they ordered," emphasized Lu.

• Measured Expansion: GOAT learned from past mistakes, only expanding from sneakers to luxury apparel once confident in their infrastructure and market fit.

Resilience, adaptability, and commitment to the core vision supported GOAT's success through every step of their journey.

Keep Reading: First Round Review

Crafting Captivating Email Headers

Email headers are your first chance to grab your audience's attention. Here are three strategies to make them stand out and drive engagement.

We broke down the anatomy of a high-converting email into easy-to-digest parts for you. Download our free guide to optimize your email strategy and build high-converting emails. 

Embrace Minimalism

A sleek, no-fuss design can speak volumes. Take note-taking app Evernote's newsletter header. With a simple megaphone set against recognizable brand colors, it makes a strong impact. The icons emerging from the megaphone subtly represent actions you might manage within Evernote itself, reinforcing the app's core functionality.

The technical details clearly state the email is from Evernote's communications team with standard encryption, adding a layer of trust and transparency. Minimalism packs a punch when executed with intention.

Show Your Brand Essence

Even the smallest details should reinforce your brand identity. Mango's email headers exemplify this principle. The minimalist black-and-white design conveys sophistication and modernity, aligning perfectly with the brand's image.

The straightforward messaging, featuring enticing offers and catchy taglines, emphasizes their customer-centric approach. Technical elements, such as the subject lines, complement this blend of utility and allure. Consistency across all touchpoints builds a reliable and memorable brand image.

Spark Curiosity

An intriguing header draws readers in. Proofpoint's email promoting their new report is a prime example:

• Compelling Visuals: An eye-catching preview of the report sparks interest

• Clear Call-to-Action: Prominent "Download Now" button provides immediate access

• Balanced Technical Details: Subject line and preview text deliver just enough information to pique curiosity Creating anticipation and offering instant value is a winning combination.

Experiment with these approaches to captivate your audience from the very first glance. A well-crafted header sets the tone for the entire email experience, making it a crucial element that deserves careful consideration and creative execution.

Download our anatomy of a high-converting email guide and level up your email strategy!

Keep Reading: HubSpot

⚡️ Quick Hits

• TikTok SEO and the 6 best practices to boost your presence.

• Create emails that convert and keep your brand at the forefront of your audience's minds.

• Brands Cut Product Offerings to spotlight bestsellers, enhancing profits and reducing shopping stress.

• Redefining "Conversion" Copywriting is crucial in enhancing business conversions.

• Instagram DM Updates allow message editing, chat pinning, read receipt toggling, and sticker saving.

• TikTok's Monthly Trends Digest advises brands to focus on 'Trend Signals' for lasting content relevance.

What we’re working on right now

Portfolio Sneak Peek! SmartBox. Who doesn't love a brand that makes you hungry while working?! Whether you need snacks for the office (to keep people commuting😉), for your team's bus trip to the big game (to keep them pumped💪), or a perfect perishable gift (low waste and tasty!🎁), SmartBox has it all.

We love working with small businesses that support other small businesses and brands that we can learn from. ⚡️Fun fact: Most snacks are regional! Meaning that snackmakers across the U.S. can only reach so far. SmartBox helps get these tasty treats national reach.

We've been working with SmartBox for over a year now on our Flex plan, which means that we become a fractional part of their existing team. We support email marketing, social media, B2B and DTC, Google ads, and ongoing website optimizations.

We work together to ensure we honor the brand and vision of the business while also expanding our reach to gain more and more happy customers.

Looking for a more personalized marketing strategy?

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