Email marketing and eDM writing (eDM being short for email direct marketing) have been a popular choice of promotion since the early 2000s. And while Hotmail and Yahoo pioneered the inbox invasion, 2024 saw a flurry of stricter rules around eDM writing including one-click unsubscribes and email authentication to avoid landing in spam. But how do you get the most out of email marketing in 2024? Here’s our list of 3 email marketing facts to nurture your email list, convert cold leads and ultimately, make more sales.

1. Adding a dynamic name field to your email subject line can increase sales leads by 31%

A 2018 study conducted by Sahni, Wheeler & Chintagunta found that even a small amount of personalisation can make a big difference to open rates (20% increase) and reduce unsubscribes as well (by 17%). This small tweak proves that eDM writing doesn’t have to involve reinventing the wheel to see success.

2. There is such thing as sending too many emails – beware of ‘over-nurturing’

There’s plenty of information to support relevance and frequency being neck and neck when it comes to determining unsubscribe rates (after all, who wants to receive irrelevant content?). But an interesting 2013 study says that increasing number of unsubscribes are directly related to too much inbox-loving. It goes on to say that this, “…might be a reflection of increased email volume, with a recent study finding that for 4 in 10 consumers, more than half of their new emails are from marketers”.

3. Using situational identities to improve connectedness and reader alignment in your eDM writing

One of our favourite email marketing facts is the use of situational identities. Situational identities are flexible and can vary depending on the social context, social roles, or the demands/rigours of any given situation. For instance, a person may assume different identities as a parent, a student, an employee, a friend, or a volunteer, depending on the circumstances. For example, you will likely behave and interact differently with your toddler if they interrupt a new client Zoom call, as opposed to if you’re simply working on a copywriting draft and they wander into your office.

Situational identities are transient and can change from one situation to another, which is what makes them so powerful in email marketing. By really putting yourself into your reader’s environment, you can brainstorm descriptions, metaphors and attach richer emotions to improve their experience.

Email marketing facts aside, how are you connecting with your readers through email?

Whether you have an established email list or stare longingly at the subscription box sitting passively in your website footer, it’s never too late to elevate and refine your approach to email marketing. We recommend starting with a lead gen (download our thought leadership piece, ‘10 Brand Words to Ditch in 2024’ if you need some inspiration!), mapping out a workflow to pair with your lead gen and then sending one (short) monthly email. But if time is of the essence and your to-do list is growing, we’re always here to help.

Enquire about working with Esme Copywriting Studio.

References

Navdeep S. Sahni, S. Christian Wheeler, Pradeep Chintagunta (2018) Personalization in Email Marketing: The Role of Noninformative Advertising Content. Marketing Science 37(2):236-258.

BlueHornet (2013), “One More Time: Email Frequency Chief Culprit in Unsubscribes,” (March 20), http://www.marketingcharts.com/online/one-more-time-email-frequency-chief-culprit-in-unsubscribes-27944/.