You’re doing what all the experts tell you to. Email your customers frequently. Focus on value. Don’t sell too much. Despite this, your click rate is dismal. Your open rate isn’t much better. And hearing back from a prospect comes as frequently as a blue moon.

You can continue to do what you’ve always done and reap the same underwhelming and frustrating results.

Or you can identify the real reason why your email marketing isn’t working.

You have no email strategy.

That’s right. Your email marketing isn’t working because you have no email strategy. Here’s what I mean by strategy.

• What is the point of your email marketing?
• What specific marketing goal are you trying to achieve with email?
• What do you need to do to achieve that goal?
• What content will you be sharing?

Without knowing this, you’re shooting arrows in the dark and hoping something hits the bullseye.

Just deciding to email your list won't result in an increase in revenue. The best email marketing campaigns are targeted. They send personalized emails to a segmented group on their mailing list.

For your email campaigns to be successful, follow this 6-step process

Step 1: You Need to Have A Plan

You need to know:

• How often you will email your subscriber list.
• What time you’ll send your marketing emails.
• What type of emails you’ll send? For example, sales, direct response, free offers, consumer interest, educational, event-based, etc.
• How you will determine the content of those emails?
• What tools or software will you use to automate and track the performance of your emails?
• Will you use email templates or plain text?
• How will you avoid spam filters?
• What lead magnet will you use to grow your subscriber list?

Because guessing doesn’t get results.

Speak to any marketer; they’ll tell you they’ve played around with timings. They’ve sent emails towards the early evening or at lunchtime. They’ve tested weekdays versus weekends.

They know when their subscribers will most likely read their emails and how many they should send weekly.

Do you?

Step 2: You Need to Understand What Motivates Your Audience

What do they care about? More importantly, what would motivate them to buy what you’re selling?

Your subscribers signed up to your email list for a reason.

For an e-commerce store, it’s to learn of the latest deals or hot new products. For a coaching business, it’s to solve a problem. For a social media consultancy, it’s to get the latest advice about marketing on social and maybe to get a calendar they can use to plan their content.

Information is key.

Your emails are an opportunity to build trust, establish your authority in your field, and demonstrate your ability to get them a result.

• You want to tap into their desires. What do they want most? How can you help them achieve that?
• Play on their emotions. What are they scared of? Have you experienced similar fears, and how did you overcome them?
• Give them a vision to buy into. Show them what their life could look like if they choose your service or product.

Understanding what motivates your audience allows you to deliver relevant content and a far more personalized experience, and that’s compelling.

Step 3: You Need A Marketing Automation CRM

To build a relationship, you need to stay in touch with your prospects. You have to get them to like you, and that requires showing up in their life.

Once a month is probably not enough.

You need to show up frequently and provide value. Simply sending emails isn’t good enough.

Now, think about what an average business day looks like for you. Do you have time to copy and paste your welcome email every time a new subscriber lands in your inbox?

Are you going to create tasks or alerts when you need to send the next email in your welcome campaign?

Would you block off time each day to respond to customers or do you plan to get back to them immediately? 

What happens to emails you get overnight?

A Marketing CRM does the heavy lifting for you. It automates repetitive tasks like email follow-ups and lead nurturing. It helps you to identify and engage high-intent prospects. It segments your audiences based on behavior, interests, and past interactions, ensuring you deliver relevant content at all times.

It identifies inactive users. You can then choose to remove those subscribers or keep them. 

Use it to send timely, triggered emails based on customer actions such as cart abandonment and purchase anniversaries, ultimately improving customer satisfaction. It ensures that messages are sent at the best time and to the right audience.

It will be integral to tracking campaign performance, customer behavior, and ROI. Through A/B testing and reporting you can optimize marketing strategies and get better results.

Most importantly, it is the most cost-effective marketing strategy.

• PPC costs a lot.
• Social media is time-intensive, with no guarantee you'll reach your audience or get a result.
• Radio and tv are simply ego boosting.

Without a CRM you don't have an email marketing strategy.

Step 4: You Need to Be Ahead Of The Game

You need to plan things out a couple months in advance. You want to be thinking about what's happening in 3 months time.

If you’re not, you’re constantly playing catch up and you can’t be strategic. You also don’t have the space to analyze what worked and what didn’t. And you can’t reconfigure and test.

This means you won't make crucial changes that could impact sales. So plan your emails in advance.

Test a different subject line on your users.

Create a list of campaigns you'd like to send to your users. Increase the frequency of your emails. Send your emails to users on different days and times. 

Show up frequently. Monitor your results and iterate as needed.

Step 5: You Need to Be A/B Testing Your Emails

• Do your email subscribers prefer sentence case or lowercase subject lines?
• Do they respond well to emojis?
• Do visuals help or hinder your message?
• Do they prefer to receive emails on certain days of the week?
• Is there a difference in the open rate of a direct response email versus a resource email?

Without A/B testing your emails, you can’t definitively answer these questions, and that’s a problem. Because what you don’t know will hurt the success of your marketing efforts.

We had a client who tripled their open rate by reducing the length of their subject lines to two or three words, changing them into lowercase, and adding emojis.

3x the value. They wouldn’t have known that if they hadn’t tested our theory.

Even after building an entirely new email welcome sequence and course upsell six months later, our copywriter was still A/B testing subject lines and CTAs six months later.

Marketing is never done. It’s iterative. To get the best results in your email marketing strategy, you need to A/B test. Are you?

Step 6: You Need to Track Your Numbers

Is your email marketing making you money?

The best email marketers know because they track their email analytics. To do that, you need a marketing automation CRM (customer relationship management tool).

But there are loads on the market. Knowing which to use can be confusing.

Personally, I like Ontraport. It’s more techie, but it has superior analytics. If you’d prefer something a little more user-friendly, I’d invest in ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit.

So every time you push send on a campaign, track and analyze that email’s performance. Take note of the topics your audience connects with. They’re actively telling you what they want to hear more of.

Then use this information to inform your content strategy.

And give your subscribers a chance to respond to you.

How to get more sales through email? 11 top tips.

For your email marketing to be a success, you need the right CRM software and strategy.

Follow these 11 tips for building an email campaign or sending marketing emails your subscribers can't wait to open.

1. Don't Bombard Your Subscribers With Too Many Emails

Remember, you are not the only business entering your subscribers’ mailbox. There needs to be a point to every email you send. Your goal could be to:

• get to know your subscriber better
• get crucial feedback on your product or service
• invite them to a live training/webinar
• share a company/product update
• educate them
• launch a new product or service
• send a promotion

Whatever your reason, make it worth their while. Otherwise, you’ll start getting negative responses, like your emails feel spammy. And you don’t want that.

2. Segment Your Email List For Better Targeting

Specificity sells. People want relevant content. They don’t want generic information.

If you waste their time, you’ll lose them. If you send them content that doesn’t add value, help them solve a problem, or entertain them, you’ll lose them.

You solve this by segmenting your email list in your CRM. If you don’t have a CRM, you need to get one. If you have a CRM, find out how to segment your target audience here.

3. Personalize Your Emails

Your CRM gives you the ability to capture your subscribers’ details and personalize your emails. Take advantage of these features because they will ensure you get a better open rate, click-through rate, and response rate.

96% of businesses state that simply adding your customer’s name in an email subject line or body copy will improve your marketing success.

Personalization goes beyond just mentioning their name. Use segmentation to learn their habits and preferences. Then, use that information to only send emails they'd want.

Learn more about marketing personalization here.

4. Stick to One Topic Per Email

One of the most common mistakes that newbie marketers/businesses make is cramming as much information as possible into a single email.

You will only confuse your readers. And if you confuse them, you lose them.

So if the point of your email is to tell your customers that you’ve added a new feature, that’s the focus of your email. Talk about why you added the feature and how it will deliver a superior customer experience. What can they expect from that feature?

Don’t talk about how many years you’ve been in business or everything else your product does.

One email. One topic.

5. Write Better Email Subject Lines

What’s your hook? The statement or idea that’s going to stand out in your email inbox and get your subscriber to open your email.

Most email campaigns live and die by their subject lines/hooks. Think about this, if your subject line isn't compelling, why would your users open your email. They'll simply ignore it or add it to their trash.

To write a good email hook, look to Twitter for inspiration. It seems like an unlikely place, but Twitter influencers are limited in the number of words they can use. So they have to write very compelling hooks to get your attention.

The formula for a good hook includes the following:

• Keep it short (two or three words), e.g., hiding?, low-hanging fruit, unforgivable, hacking PR
• Make an intriguing statement, e.g., raincheck, ignore the vanity metrics, you’re not famous enough, so disrespectful
• Promise something, e.g., hang with me in Miami, the best way to get loads of free email subscribers, 7 clients in 7 days
• Be controversial, e.g., crying on social media, I won’t apologize for this, I hate IKEA
• Pose a question, e.g., how to get attention, how to segment your audience in 3 minutes, is this your target market?

To write better copy, check out this masterclass.

6. Tell Stories

Facts tell. Stories sell. If you want to sell more with your email marketing, you need to tell good stories.

In my opinion, Laura Belgray is the queen of storytelling. She uses stories as a way to draw you in. They entertain and elicit an emotional response. Often it’s because we can see ourselves in those stories.

So don’t be afraid to share stories from your life with your subscribers.

You can learn more about using storytelling to market your business here.

7. Always Use A Call to Action

Tell your email subscribers what to do next. Is it to respond to you, book a call, trial your product, arrange a demo, fill in a form, or buy?

Highlight it in big and bold. Use all caps. Change the color of the text. Be clear about what you want your email subscriber to do next.

For example:

8. Develop an Email Super Signature

While you don’t have to actively sell in every email, you should never waste a sales opportunity.

An email super signature is the little bit of text that goes below your name at the end of your email.

Use this space to market different services or products. For example, you could set up a free strategy session, or sell a book. Really, the choice is yours. Here’s what mine looks like:

Here's another example of an email super signature.

9. Send It From You, Not A No-Reply Email

Don’t use a generic email like info@ when you can use your name. Especially if you’re the face of your brand, using your name is a powerful way to get people on your email list to open your emails.

Again, email marketing is only effective when personalized. Don't give your subscribers a reason to leave you.

10. Automate Your Campaigns & Email Marketing

I might be stating the obvious, but you’re human. To function optimally, you need food and rest. Technology doesn’t.

If you want to get more from your email marketing campaigns, you need to automate them. Push play on a welcome sequence in your CRM, and it doesn’t matter if Nicky on the other side of the world subscribes while you’re in dream world.

Your CRM will trigger an email that kicks off the beginning of a beautiful relationship. Now if you did this manually, Nicky would have to wait until you wake up 6 hours later before she gets her first email. And by that time, she may have forgotten about you ☹️

Technology augments your abilities. Use it as a key component of your email marketing strategy.

11. Purge Inactive Subscribers on Your Email List

Get rid of the dead weight. The subscribers that never open your emails. They’re not interested in what you’re selling. But by keeping them on your list, you’re paying more money, and you risk impacting your spam rating.

Give these users a chance to respond. Send a reactivation email to cold subscribers. If they don’t open your email or respond, delete them.

If you found this helpful, you might also like to read our Dos and don'ts of email marketing.

10 email marketing strategies every business needs

If you're serious about adding email to your marketing strategy, you want to use a mix of broadcast or time-sensitive emails and tried and trusted nurture emails. Depending on your business, here are 10 email marketing strategies to consider implementing. 

1. The Welcome Email That Hooks ‘Em

Why? First impressions matter. You'll either hook your new user, or lose them. I'm going to show you how to retain their interest.

How to do it:

• Send immediately (like, within seconds).
• Make it personal (use their first name).
• Give value upfront – a freebie, discount, or exclusive content.
• Keep it casual and friendly. You’re talking to a human, not a “lead.”

Subject: "Hey [First Name], you’re in! Here’s your special gift 🎁"

2. The Abandoned Cart Lifesaver

Why? 70% of shoppers ditch their cart. A simple abandoned cart email can win them back and boost your revenue. Don’t let your users ghost you.

How to do it:

• Email 1 (1 hour later): “Hey, you forgot something!” (with a big checkout button).
• Email 2 (24 hours later): “Still thinking? Here’s 10% off.”
• Email 3 (3 days later): “Last chance—your cart disappears at midnight.”

Bonus Tip: Add social proof (“People love this product—check the reviews!”).

Subject: "Oops! Did you mean to leave this behind?"

3. The “People Buy More Stuff” Email

Why? Amazon doesn’t just sell you one thing, and neither should you. If it's going to improve your customers' experience or make their life better, make sure to send an email with product suggestions. 

How to do it:

Suggest related products based on their last purchase.

• “Complete the set” or “People who bought this also love…”
• Add customer reviews and testimonials.

Subject: "You’re gonna love these too…"

4. The “Wake Up the Dead” Email (Re-Engagement)

Why? Cold leads turn into lost revenue. Wake those users up with an enticing incentive, or clean your list.

 How to do it:

The purpose of these emails is to remind your users of why they signed up.

• Offer an incentive to re-engage.
• Give them an “opt-out” (because uninterested people hurt your deliverability).

Subject: "Still interested? Here’s 20% off to come back!"

5. The “Make Them Feel Special” Email (VIP & Loyalty)

Why? Repeat customers spend more. What you want to do is treat your email list like VIPs. Personalization is key.

How to do it:

• Offer early access to sales and new products.
• Surprise them with exclusive perks.
• Keep it personal (e.g., “Because you’ve been with us for a year…”).

Subject: "Exclusive VIP Perk: You’re getting this first!"

6. The “Teach, Don’t Sell” Email (Value-Driven Content)

Why? People buy from brands they trust. So become their go-to expert.

How to do it:

• Share tips, how-tos, and guides related to your product.
• Educate first, sell later.
• No fluff. No corporate-speak. Just real, useful info.

Subject: "5 Pro Tips to Get the Most Out of [Product Name]"

7. The Holiday & Seasonal Cash Grab

Why? No email marketing strategy is complete without a holiday offer. People expect to spend money during holidays. So give them a reason to buy from YOU.

How to do it:

• Create urgency (countdowns work wonders).
• Make it specific (not just “Holiday Sale”—“The Ultimate Mother’s Day Gift Guide”).
• Use FOMO (“Only 24 hours left!”).

Subject: "🎄 Our biggest holiday sale is LIVE!"

8. The “We Need Your Help” Email (Review Request)

Why? The best customers come from referrals and reviews. The more you have, the easier it is to build trust and make more sales.

How to do it:

• Ask right after they receive their order.
• Make it super easy (one-click review link).
• Reward them (discount, entry in a giveaway, etc.).

Subject: "Loved your order? Let us know & get 10% off!"

9. The Birthday Cash Machine

Why? People love free stuff. And they’ll probably buy more while they’re at it.

How to do it:

• Send a personalized “Happy Birthday” email.
• Offer a discount, freebie, or bonus gift.
• Make it feel like a real celebration.

Subject: "🎉 Happy Birthday, [Name]! A special gift for you…"

10. The “Keep ‘Em Coming Back” Post-Purchase Email

Why? One-time buyers are not your goal. Repeat buyers are.

How to do it:

• Send order tracking updates (keeps excitement high).
• Give them tips on how to use their product.
• Suggest what to buy next.

Subject: "Your order is on the way! Here’s what’s next…"

And that's ten simple email marketing strategies to implement into your marketing plan.

Frequently asked questions about email marketing.

Is there a difference between a marketing campaign and a campaign strategy?

A marketing campaign is a specific initiative designed to achieve a goal—like launching a product, generating leads, or increasing brand awareness. It includes:

• A clear objective (e.g., “Increase sales by 20% this quarter”)
• Defined tactics (emails, ads, social media, influencer partnerships, etc.)
• A set timeframe (e.g., “Spring 2025 Collection Launch – 3-month campaign”)
• And Metrics to track success (sales, clicks, sign-ups, etc.)

For example, a Black Friday email campaign offering 30% off sitewide.

A campaign strategy is the overall game plan behind your campaign. It defines:

• Who you’re targeting (ideal customers, segments)
• What message or value proposition you’re communicating
• How you’ll reach them (channels & tactics)
• Why they should care (emotional triggers, pain points, benefits)
• When & in what order you’ll execute each step

For example, if you’re running a Black Friday campaign, your strategy might include:

• Pre-hype phase (early teaser emails, VIP early access)
• Launch phase (main email blast, social media countdown, retargeting ads)
• Last-chance push (final reminder email, limited-time urgency)

Without a strategy, a campaign is just random activity. Without execution, a strategy is just a document collecting dust.

Is MailChimp the right tool to execute your marketing strategy?

No. I repeat, do not use Mailchimp as your go-to email marketing tool. It has a terrible spam rating. You have a higher likelihood of getting your emails banned if you use this tool. Choose a CRM that's vetted. 

For ecommerce brands, use Klaviyo. 

For content creators, start with ConvertKit. Once your list reaches over 2000 subscribers, consider investing in ActiveCampaign.

For marketing brands with big budgets, Hubspot is the best marketing CRM. 

But again, ultimately, choose the tools you'll use.

If you found this helpful you might also like to read our Dos and dont's of email marketing.

Start refining your email marketing strategy.

Now that you know what makes a good email marketing strategy, it’s time to refine yours.

• What does your email strategy look like?
• How often will you email your subscriber database?
• What CRM will you use?
• What numbers will you track?
• How will you use these marketing insights to inform your content strategy?
• Will you create monthly email campaigns?
• Will you use an email design or stick to plain text? Personally, I prefer the latter.

Don’t forget to A/B test your email marketing. It will help you to improve your email campaigns tenfold.

If you need help refining your email strategy, download our email guide. It’s free.