The Nigerian prince, the (fake) future, and the King

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The DMA Consumer Email Tracker 2023 report states that email remains the preferred and trusted channel and the top choice for one-on-one communication. According to consumers, email surpasses all other marketing channels in terms of its effectiveness in various customer journey stages. This includes pre-purchase activities like receiving discounts, offers, product...

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Want better email results? Invest more and demand more

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We email marketers can argue about everything, from acquisition to frequency, AI to organic content, and even what to call the emails we send. (I will go on record now and forever to maintain that we must never, ever, call email campaigns "blasts.") But one thing we can all agree on...

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Beyond Blah: Crafting exceptional emails your audience can't ignore

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How many emails do you see (and maybe even create) that are “OK”? It’s not enough anymore. This guide equips you with five ways to transform your campaigns from forgettable to phenomenal. Master planning, storytelling, killer content, tech and channel integration. Rise above the inbox noise, crafting emails that captivate, build...

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Make 2024 the year you let strategy lead your planning

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I made a big mistake at the start of the year. I began planning for my company’s year by asking myself, "What do I need to do this year?" You might think that's a normal question, but it’s really a muscle memory from the crazy days of 2020, early in the...

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Email Frequency: How Many Is Too Many?

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Whether you are a double opt-in, only send email to people who have engaged with your email in the last 2 weeks person or a spammer, one fundamental truth stands out: the frequency of your email campaigns drives every aspect of your email metrics. From opens and clicks to sales and,...

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From Subscription to Success: The Rise of Email Newsletters as Digital Goldmines

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In a digital world teeming with information overload, a phoenix rises from the ashes of traditional content: the email newsletter. This once modest player in the digital realm has undergone a spectacular transformation, emerging as a potential standalone business powerhouse and a lucrative revenue stream for existing online brands. The Power...

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Most Popular OI Blog Posts: 2023 Edition (Part 2 of 2)

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I’m back with the rest of our top 10 Only Influencers (OI) blog posts of 2023! If you missed it, check out my previous post with the top 11 to 20 posts of 2023. Revisit the posts you liked, check out the ones you missed, and be sure to join us...

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Most Popular OI Blog Posts: 2023 Edition (Part 1 of 2)

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We had so many GREAT blog posts this year that I decided instead of recognizing just the top 10, we would recognize the top 20! We are unique in that we publish perspectives from all segments of the industry: Recognized industry experts as well as those new to the industry Brand-side...

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New Year’s Resolutions for Email Marketers

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It’s that time of year again, time for a slew of articles either forecasting what will happen in the email marketing industry during 2024 or focused on New Year’s resolutions marketers should have on their lists. Far be it from me to swim against the current over the holidays, so here’s...

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GenAI: From junior to a senior copywriter

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The buzz around Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) shows no signs of waning. On the contrary, enthusiasm and interest around GenAI are rapidly growing as it continues to revolutionize various industries with innovative applications. When GenAI first emerged, it was met with significant skepticism regarding its potential. However, the advent of ChatGPT...

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Accessibility vs. Inclusive Design: 2 Approaches with Similar Goals

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In my nearly two decades in the email marketing industry, I’ve never seen a topic get people more twisted up than accessibility and inclusive design. Because these issues involve people with a range of permanent challenges, it raises all kinds of social, moral, legal, and personal sensitivities. I’ll confess that I...

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How to find your way back? Again!

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Let me be candid with you Influencers. Sometimes, we screw up! Actually, more often than we’d like, and more often than we realize. Not always of our own doing, mind you. Often circumstances beyond our control gently nudge us in the wrong direction, away from the straight and oh-so-narrow path to...

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How (& Why) We Created Standards for Trigger-Based Sequences

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The term “triggered emails” stands for messages that are sent automatically as a response to an action or event related to the user. Here are just a few examples of triggered emails (in case you forgot what they are): welcome emails sent after users sign up to a platform or subscribe...

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Email Marketing Trends to Watch: Emerging trends and technologies that are shaping the future of email marketing

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The Evolution and Future of Email Marketing In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, one constant has been the power and resilience of email marketing. While the advent of email dates back to the '70s, it wasn't until the early '90s that companies began to recognize its potential for business communications....

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The Challenges of Attribution & Email Marketing

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In my last article I talked about the problem of using averages in email marketing. But there is of course a more pressing measurement issue with email – attribution. Attribution is the process of identifying and giving credit to the various touchpoints or interactions that contribute to a desired outcome, such...

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RIP Jennifer Videtta, You'll be Missed

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The email community is just now learning of the passing of Jen Videtta and for many of us, our heart shatters over this loss. Jen was a mentee of mine and a very dear friend. We talked often about email, her family, career, marriage and her son Henry. My last conversation...

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Using Persuasion to Move Customers Along on Their Journey

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Persuasion: It's not just the title of a Jane Austen novel. Persuasion is at the heart of all effective advertising and marketing. I’m not talking about dodgy tactics that trick customers into opening and clicking on emails. Instead, I mean the persuasive principles and tactics that help customers to make decisions...

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What are your big rocks for 2024?  

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How does anybody have time to read this article right now? We are in the throes of Q4, the busiest time of the year! But if you’re thinking, “Eh – I have a little time right now,” I’ll do my best to make this worthwhile. My last OI column of the...

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Can We Trust AI With Email Marketing? An Experiment With OpenAI's GPT-4: Insights and Implications

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Artificial Intelligence: a term that's as exciting as it is intimidating. It's revolutionized numerous industries, and email marketing is no exception. But the question lingers - can AI truly be trusted? Can machine learning and complex algorithms understand the intricacies of human communication and psychology in order to effectively market a...

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How to Send More Emails Without Losing Subscribers: A Smart Guide for Email Marketers

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Are you an email marketer who grapples with the perennial dilemma of being urged by business stakeholders to send more emails? You want to deliver value to your business, but you're equally concerned about losing subscribers or tarnishing your brand's reputation. If this scenario feels all too familiar, you're not alone....

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