Email Campaign Mistakes

Retention Isn’t Sexy - Until You’re Broke Brands chase growth. But when the faucet turns off and the market tightens, email becomes your backbone. So why do we treat it as a short-term fix rather than a long-term asset? I hear this conversation replayed to me all the time from CRM and Brand Managers: Their Manager: Targets are down. Budget’s gone. Just send more emails. CRM: We already sent one this week with a promo. Manager: Send another. Bigger discount. CRM: Unsubscribes were high last time… Manager: Send to everyone — even non-engagers. Add urgency. And so it begins. 📉 Deliverability drops. 📉 Clicks tank. 📉 Unsubscribes rise. 📉 The database - your only owned audience - starts eroding. But the revenue target stays the same. This is what happens when you treat email like a faucet you can turn on and off — instead of a system you build and respect. 💡 Want to break the cycle? Here’s how smart brands avoid the spiral: 1. Build an acquisition engine, even when times are good. Don’t just chase sales. Chase subscribers, on all channels, not just site pop-ups. If 2% of traffic buys, aim for 20% to subscribe. That’s your future revenue. 2. Agree on discounting guardrails. Not every campaign needs a percentage off, even if times are tough. Consider other conversion tools like: - loyalty perks - free gifts - tiered basket incentives - competitions - outlet-style categories 3. Treat non-converters as humans, not dead weight. Reduce frequency, but stay visible. Try to understand why they’re lapsing e.g gift buyers? Promo-only? Seasonal? 4. Use peak trading to re-acquire, not just sell. Black Friday can re-engage lapsed customers. But the follow-up can’t be more noise. Build a new journey. Reset the relationship. 5. Track long-term metrics. Not just revenue-per-send. Show your management week on week how these are growing: -LTV - Repeat purchase rate - AOV - Site visit frequency from consumers on your database 6. Invest in content, not just campaigns. Nurture a community. Give them reasons to stay subscribed. Boost engagement before you ask for a sale. Remember nobkdy going to buy daily and weekly, you need more to keep them engage. Think weekly style tips, news Roundup, podcast drops, games, polls etc Email can be your safety net — but only if you protect the list, grow it intentionally, and stop burning it out with knee-jerk sends. Want to find out our playbook for growing your subscriber base rapidly. (like how we grew out base to 17m). DM me. Build it right. Because when things get tough, it’s your email list that keeps the lights on.

Here’s how 90% of brands do their welcome flow: • Email 1: “Welcome to our brand!” • Email 2: “Here’s our story” • Email 3: “Check out our top products” Let me translate: • Email 1: “We exist” • Email 2: “Let me talk about me” • Email 3: “Buy now?” This is a wasted opportunity. The welcome flow is the highest intent moment you’ll ever get. They asked to hear from you. And you’re giving them a press release? Try this instead: Email 1 → “What type of person are you?” (A/B testing personality or product quiz — gather data immediately) Email 2 → “You said you’re X. Here’s what people like you love” (Dynamic content based on quiz or preference) Email 3 → “Let me show you what’s actually worth your time” (Your highest retention products, not bestsellers) You’re not welcoming them to your brand. You’re onboarding them into a transformation.

I audit a lot of email marketing programs. Here are 7 mistakes I see brands make over and over again. 1. Over-Segmenting: only sending emails about Category A to buyers/browsers of Category A. 2. Talking "At" The Email File: letting a team like branding, creative or merchandising determine your entire content calendar. Never considering what the customer might find valuable. 3. No Plain Text Email: plain text typically gets more placement in the main inbox, better deliverability overall, and higher CTRs. It's a pattern breaker. Even if your brand is highly visual, you should throw this in the mix. 4. Scattershot Testing: if you run a test, you should be able to implement the result repeatedly. If you can't apply the learnings to at least 30% of your email calendar, don't bother. 5. Focusing On Loyal Buyers Only: They're the 20% of your file that generates 60-80% of the conversions. For that reason, their preferences dominate your understanding of "what works". But if you don't proactively speak to other segments, your revenue will flatline. 6. Short Welcome Series: your Welcome series should have more than one email. If you have a new customer opt-in offer, you should message that offer 3-4x in the first 48 hours. 7. Treating Email Like A Money Tree: "if we shake the tree harder, more money will fall out!" Oh wait...we shook the tree too hard. Now it's dead. The email file is a snapshot of your customer file. If the business is unhealthy, email revenue will contract. Tactics can stop the bleeding but they can't heal the wound. Bonus Mistake: over-investing in email testing and strategy. In reality, there are a few key decisions and tactics that will drive disproportionate impact. Testing product shots vs model shots in your creative isn't one of them. 🙃 This Sunday I'm sending out my email playbook for 2024. It's a summary of the strategic principles + proven tactics that will grow your email revenue this year. Don't get stuck in the weeds! Comment if you want the link to sign up.

Are You Building Relationships or Just Giving Discounts? Many businesses launch loyalty programs expecting a surge in customer retention. But here’s the hard truth: points and discounts alone don’t create loyalty—connections do. A customer who sticks around just for a discount isn’t truly loyal. They’re just temporarily incentivized. So, how do you turn a transactional relationship into long-term commitment? Here’s what the best loyalty programs do differently: ✅ They go beyond just discounts Sure, discounts are nice—but if that’s all your loyalty program offers, customers will leave the moment a competitor gives a better deal. Successful brands mix in exclusive perks like early access to products, VIP events, or members-only content to deepen engagement. ✅ They make customers feel seen and valued People want to feel appreciated, not just like another number in your database. Personalization is key. Think birthday rewards, tailored recommendations and recognizing repeat customers with surprise perks. A simple "Thank You" email can go a long way. ✅ They create an emotional connection Great loyalty programs aren’t just about transactions; they tap into emotions. Brands like Sephora and Starbucks use tiered programs that encourage progression—people love working toward "elite" status. Others integrate social impact, allowing members to donate points to causes they care about. ✅ They reward engagement, not just spending Loyalty isn’t just about how much someone spends. Some brands reward customers for writing reviews, referring friends, engaging on social media, or attending events. This makes customers feel like active participants in the brand’s community. ✅ They remove friction and make it fun Ever signed up for a loyalty program that felt like a chore? Complicated rules, expiring points and difficult redemption processes kill engagement. The best programs are seamless, easy to use and even gamified—turning customer retention into an experience, not just a system. 📌 Here’s a question: If you removed all discounts from your loyalty program, would your customers still stay? If the answer is no, it’s time to rethink your approach. Loyalty is earned, not bought. Build programs that give customers a reason to stay—not just an incentive to return. What’s the best loyalty initiative you’ve seen or implemented? Let’s discuss. #retention #acquisition #customerlifetimevalue #points4purpose #loyalty ----------------------------- Points4Purpose boosts customer lifetime value while empowering member choice - redeeming cash rewards or donating to their favourite cause - seamlessly! If you like this post and would like to see more, please ring the 🔔 on my profile to receive my content directly to your LinkedIn Notifications Tab. To review my published content in one place click: #ivanschwartzpoints4purpose

E-Com brands: The most profitable email flow is the Welcome Sequence. Problem is most brands make the same 3 mistakes and it's costing them $10,000s each week. Here's what they are and how you can fix them: Mistake #1: Treating the Welcome Flow as a Coupon Delivery Machine Your first email should deliver the promised offer, but don’t stop there. Many brands use a tired structure: 1) Here’s your discount 2) Discount reminder 3) Last chance! This approach leaves money on the table. A great welcome sequence should: - Introduce your brand - Build trust - Show how you solve problems and relieve pain - Offer status and help them achieve their goals Mistake #2: Sending the Wrong Type of Emails The first email sets the stage, but real selling begins afterward. To keep momentum: - Share stories to build connection - Highlight your credentials and social proof - Show how you solve their problems better than anyone else - Avoid talking about things only you care about—focus on what matters to your customers. Mistake #3: Sending Too Few Emails If only 5-20% of people buy from the first email, why stop there? Many brands use just 1-3 emails in their welcome sequence. Big mistake. To maximize profits, extend your sequence to at least eight emails.

Avoid making that one mistake that might upset your newest clients. Something I see in many audits... Sometimes the Welcome Flow has only one simple trigger: Added to List X The problem is that these accounts also send people who opt-in to the newsletter via checkout to the same list. What does it mean? People who just ordered are sent the first Welcome Email, which usually gives the 10% discount on the first order. That leads to some customers complaining, they want their discount, etc. Here is how to solve that: · Make sure your Welcome flow is triggered when somebody is added to a list AND their consent form ID corresponds to the correct Popup / Sign up Form · Make sure you exclude buyers from your Welcome Flow · Make sure the opt-ins made at checkout go to a different list. Have you seen or made that mistake? ___ I am Nicolas, an email marketer helping fashion brands dress more people. Follow me for more tips and strategies to grow your brand. Also go check my email marketing checklist on my profile.

I audited email accounts of 4 high-ticket coaches in June... Biggest mistakes I found (this pained my heart): 1. 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐟-𝐛𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬 - If someone is in a flow and buys a course, there's no filter to remove them from that automation. They keep receiving upcoming emails, which is annoying to the new customers and leads them to unsub. And so, they lose high-quality subscribers. 2. 𝐍𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐥𝐨𝐰 - Every email is different and pitches different stuff. This ends up confusing people. You gotta talk about one thing here, which should ideally be your low ticket offer. Rest all belongs in the footer. Join my list from bio to see what I mean. 3. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 - One coach I talked with sold $10k worth of coaching programs, but not from his email list. He just leveraged his socials and word of mouth. But in emails, he'd just send free value twice every month to keep people engaged, as he was too scared to sell and get unsubs. Such a lost opportunity. 4. 𝐍𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 - They told me they have certain levels of programs. But when I asked: "Is there a way to find who is at which level inside your email list?" They said... NO, it's all over the place. I really hate it when someone tells me this. Because it limits your ability to segment people and talk to them differently. 5. 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐬 - Social media all day, but when it comes to emails, suddenly it's too much! 2 emails a month. Or 1 email a week. That's all people are doing. How can you think about selling a high-ticket program if you don't show up and build trust with your audience? --- If you're making the same mistake in your email marketing... Send me a DM and I'll take care of that in the first month itself.

Your email list isn’t inactive—it’s dead. And that’s on you. You clung to outdated tactics, blasted generic newsletters, and thought “We miss you!” emails would save you. Meanwhile, your competitors used AI to turn their “dead” leads into paying customers. Now they’re winning while you’re stuck wondering what went wrong. Here’s why your list died: ❌ Irrelevant content—subscribers expected value, you gave them junk. ❌ Poor timing—you ghosted when they cared, spammed when they forgot you. ❌ Zero personalization—if every email screams “copy-paste,” why expect anything but “unsubscribe”? Stop blaming the audience. Your list isn’t dead because “email marketing is outdated.” It’s dead because you treated it like a numbers game, not a relationship. The fix? AI. Not plug-and-play nonsense—real AI-driven precision. ✅ Segment dead leads based on behavior. ✅ Predict exactly when they’ll engage. ✅ Deliver hyper-personalized messaging that feels hand-written. I’ve revived 62% of “dead” leads using AI-driven sequences. No gimmicks, just execution. HubSpot’s automation, 6sense’s analytics—these aren’t nice-to-haves. They’re your only shot at relevance. Stick to your broken strategy and you’ll get: 📉 A 0.3% open rate. 💸 Lifeless leads draining your budget. 🏆 Competitors running circles around you. Fix it. Embrace AI. Or don’t—and watch your brand fade into irrelevance. Your call.

Your brand's emails aren't driving sales. Instead, your CTRs are low and your placed order rates are even lower. The issue isn't your list or your offers, but with your email content itself. Here’s where brands go wrong: 1. Focusing Too Much on Promotions, Not Enough on Value Sure, discounts can drive short-term sales, but if your emails don’t offer real value, you’re missing a crucial opportunity to build a relationship with your subscribers. What You Should Do Instead: 1. Educate Your Subscribers 📚 Use your emails to inform subscribers about your product’s features, benefits, and the problems it solves. Help them understand why they need it. 2. Share Engaging Content 🎨 Provide insights, tips, and stories that resonate with your audience. Engaging content fosters a deeper connection and makes your emails more valuable. 3. Personalize Your Messaging 💬 Tailor your content based on subscriber behavior and preferences. Personalized emails are more relevant and have higher engagement rates. 4. Create a Customer Journey 🚀 Design your email sequences to guide subscribers through a learning process. Start with education, build interest, and then offer promotions. A client came to us with each of these issues. By shifting their focus from constant discounts to a value-driven approach, they saw a 30% increase in email engagement and a 20% boost in conversions. Stop relying solely on promotions and start delivering value. That’s how you turn subscribers into loyal customers. #EmailMarketing #DigitalMarketing #MarketingStrategy #ConsumerBrands #CustomerJourney #RetentionMarketing #EmailCampaigns #LinkedInTips Read this post and more on my Typeshare Social Blog: https://lnkd.in/e7MZcpGZ