Email Communication

Don't be a d***k and send passive aggressive emails to people when they miss a call. At 4pm, my 2yr old daughter hurt herself. Mitch & I dropped everything we were doing. Grabbed her and rushed to A&E. No phone was grabbed. No shoes were put on. We just ran, as nothing else in that moment matterred. As we sat waiting to be seen I realised there was no way of contacting the people I was due to be speaking to that afternoon. My heart sank as I hate being late and messing people around but there was nothing I could do. When we got home I checked my emails. There was the usual "are you joining the call? and various other varieties of this. They had no idea what was going on in my world. To them, I was just being rude. In receiving their messages, only one thing crossed my mind ... "You don't care about me, you just want my money." How many times have you inadvertently made a prospect feel like that? Or maybe even a candidate? Next time someone misses a scheduled call, why not try something a little more compassionate ... "Hey X, we were due to chat at {insert time} but you didn't arrive. I wanted to make sure you were OK? The call doesn't matter, as we can always reschedule. I just wanted to make sure you were ok." Sure, you might still be ignored but receiving a message like the above sends a signal to the other person that the relationship is not just transactional. You are there to help them and you care. Welcome to long term relationship building. Stop rushing and start thinking about how you make people feel. If someone makes the relationship feel like it's only about them closing... are you more or less likely to buy? Think about that. Lead with compassion and the rest will come.

Email marketing has become noise. And nowhere is that more obvious than in #communitybanks and #creditunions. An email should be sacred. It’s an invitation into someone’s attention, not a dumping ground for rate sheets, product-of-the-month campaigns, and “we’re excited to announce” nonsense. Every unnecessary email chips away at trust. Every irrelevant message teaches the customer or member to ignore you. What makes this especially frustrating is that banks and credit unions actually have the #data to do this well. Transactional insight. Life-event signals. Behavioral patterns. Context. Yet most emails still feel like they were written for “everyone” and therefore resonate with no one. Good email isn’t about frequency. It’s about relevance. It’s about showing up with something useful, timely, and specific. I talking about something that makes the reader think, they actually get me. That’s how trust is built. That’s how attention is earned. If you can’t answer why a customer should open an email right now, you probably shouldn’t be sending it. Email isn’t free just because it’s digital. The cost is credibility. Wake up. Sacred things deserve restraint. #emailmarketing #engagementbanking #AI #segmentation #marketing #contentstrategy #ecommerce #CX

We don’t realise it but email is the default form of communication on the internet, and it will exist as long as the internet exists. Every few years, a new tool comes along that claims to “replace email.” We’ve had workplace chats, collaboration platforms, social DMs, and now even AI-powered communication tools. Yet somehow, through all of it, email continues to quietly hold its ground. The reason is simple. Email is the only truly universal and open form of communication on the internet. You don’t need to be on the same platform or use the same app to send an email. It connects everyone, regardless of which ecosystem they belong to. It’s the one place that doesn’t care about walled gardens or exclusive networks. It’s also timeless in how it’s built. Unlike most communication tools that exist inside closed ecosystems, email is open and interoperable. You can move between devices, change providers, or use entirely different services, and your emails will still reach anyone. It’s not tied to a single company or app. That openness is rare in today’s internet. And that’s what makes it so powerful. It’s still the one line of communication that cuts across every professional, creative, and personal domain. Even as communication becomes more fragmented, every important conversation, confirmation, or record still finds its way to an inbox. That’s why email isn’t going anywhere. It may evolve in how it looks or feels, but at its core, it will remain the foundation of how we connect online. Because while platforms come and go, the inbox persists.

email marketing is one of the few channels people actually INVITE into their lives. think about it!!! when someone gives you their email address, they’re allowing your brand into a space filled with work emails, personal conversations, newsletters, reminders and everyday life. 🍯 and i think that’s a bigger privilege than marketers sometimes REALISE. which is why i’ve never believed email marketing is just about sending campaigns, it's about earning ATTENTION. 🏖️ is the communication relevant? 🏖️ is it arriving at the right time? 🏖️ is it helping the user in some way? 🏖️ is it giving them a reason to stay subscribed? 🏖️ is it building trust over time? because the moment communication becomes repetitive, irrelevant or purely promotional, people notice. and honestly, THEY SHOULD! the most effective email strategies i’ve seen aren’t necessarily the ones sending the most emails, they’re the ones that understand their audience best. 🫐 for example, if someone has just signed up to a service, they probably need onboarding and guidance. if they’re highly engaged, they may want more personalised recommendations. if they haven’t interacted in months, sending the same message you’ve been sending everyone else is unlikely to change anything. different behaviours require DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION. and that’s where crm becomes so interesting because behind every open, click, unsubscribe or conversion is feedback. feedback about what people value, what they NEED, and how they want to be communicated with. i think the future of email marketing is less about sending more and more about understanding BETTER. because when people invite you into their inbox, they’re not just giving you an email address, they’re giving you their attention. and that’s something worth respect! 🍕

Sending cold outbound for a B2B company that isn’t a well-known brand? Try this. Shift your messaging goal from “book a meeting” to “build trust”. Here’s an example. Imagine you’re trying to lose 20 lbs. For the last 4 weeks, you’ve been waking up at 5 am to run. You hate running. Dread it. But, you haven’t missed a day. You step on the scale and realize you haven’t lost a single pound. You sit down at your desk and check your email. There are 3 emails from personal trainers. Email #1: I’m the #1 personal trainer in Chicago and would love to help you achieve your weight loss goal. Are you free tomorrow for a consult? Reaction: “I’m not sure I want to go into a sales cycle with this person. I’ve never heard of them. Are they even right for me? I should do some research first.” Action: No reply. Email #2: Older women like you often struggle to lose weight. We’re the leading personal trainer team in IL. Our proprietary solution will help you lose 20 lbs in 15 days. Every day you wait is another day you’re putting your health at risk. When are you free to discuss? Reaction: “Older women like me???? Get bent. 20 lbs in 15 days doesn’t sound realistic. Snake oil. And i KNOW it’s important to get healthy - that’s why i’m waking up early every day.” Action: Delete. Email #3: Saw your post on the Ivy Hill Moms group that you just clocked 30 straight days of 5 am runs - congrats! Not sure if you know Beth Prett and Sara Nathan (4th grade Ivy moms). They were waking up early for morning runs, but felt discouraged when they weren’t hitting their health goals. They made a few tweaks to fix it. Open to hearing how they did it? Either way, keep up the great work! As moms, it’s not easy to make time to take care of ourselves. Cheering you on! Reaction: “That’s exactly how I feel. I’ve seen Beth and Sara at school pickup. Couldn’t hurt to see what’s working for them.” Which one builds the most trust? No cold outbound message is perfect. Some of you will prefer email 1 or 2. But, when you’re not a mega brand, trust is the first barrier to entry. And, empathy goes a long way in making someone feel seen, heard, and understood. A good place to start? Go where your customers go to learn. The thought leaders they follow. The conferences they attend. The Slack communities where they hang out. We can gain so much understanding and empathy by simply studying what questions they’re asking, what tradeoffs they’re considering, and what external pressures are making it tough.

Got asked on a webinar what type of email gets my attention. Important lesson on personalization vs. relevance. 2 [Real] Examples. 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: “Hey Brian - congrats on recently getting engaged. I recently got married last year and we love playing pickleball too. Anyways. I am trying to network with other top performers and wanted to see if you’d have 30 minutes to share what’s working for you. P.S. Saw you’re a Hoosier - sorry about the tough loss last night!” 1. Absolutely did their homework and loved the personal note 2. Only reason to say ‘yes’ is if I deem the 30 min of swapping ideas valuable Result: -Sent them a short note saying I was overcommitted, but loved the note 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞: Brian, I noticed in your interview with Juston Warthen that you were likely using your laptop’s stock camera which stood in contrast to Juston’s setup. A problem sellers face is they want to have more of a presence and command the respect of a more tenured Account Executive so that they’re promoted into an enterprise selling role. I’ve been in an AE role for 20 years and have specific recommendations for how you can level up your setup to command attention and be viewed as an enterprise seller. Would you be interested in learning more? Real example from Todd Kelley ^^ 1. Did their homework + added personalization - loved the touch 2. Real problem I had and built instant credibility - knew it’d be very valuable and at a minimum, I’d learn something new Result: -Me finding 30 min with him the next day Don’t care how much research you do on my school, social life, hobbies If you can’t fix some problem I have, I’ll never spend 30 minutes And I’m only an AE… imagine you’re prospecting C-Suite Prospect accordingly!! :)

Your company does not have a business problem. It has an email problem: I send over 100,000 emails a year. Not newsletters. Real emails. To clients. To partners. To investors. To journalists. To people I want to convince, meet, hire, sell to, or build  something meaningful with. Here is what I’ve learned: Startups rarely fail because of bad ideas. They fail because nobody answers their emails! Entrepreneurship is not a battle of strategy. It is a battle for replies. Your first pitch is not your deck. It is your subject line. If your email isn’t opened, your company doesn’t exist! First, you need a strong hook. Not fake clickbait. Curiosity with credibility. Of course, boldness has limits. Imagine this subject line: "I saw your name in the Epstein files." The open rate would be spectacular! It is also a perfect example of the wrong lesson. The objective is not shock value  but memorability grounded in integrity. A subject line must  interrupt routine thinking without breaking trust. But here is the real mistake: Most founders stop too early. One email sent is almost never enough! My business partner Luka follows up four to five times. Always polite. Always human. And suddenly… People reply! Nothing changed  about the opportunity. Only visibility changed. Busy people are not ignoring you. They are just overwhelmed. A kind reminder is not pressure. It is leadership. And please: Never end an email with: “Let me know your thoughts.” That sentence kills momentum. I create movement instead: I propose two meeting slots. I ask a clear question. I make the next step obvious. After sending 100,000 emails a year, here is what actually works: 1) Write emails people actually want to open.  2) Obsess over the subject line and the hook.  3) Follow up as many times as needed.  4) End emails with decisions that are easy to take. Because companies  are not built only through  great ideas and funding. They are built  through conversations. And every entrepreneurial  journey starts the same way: Someone opens. Someone reads. Someone replies. P.S. My favourite subject lines create tension. And inside the email, I immediately make  the tension drop. My best hooks: “Are you serious?" “I know what you did." “I’ve got some bad news for you.” Hook first. Reassure fast! → That’s my game. Now, over to you:  What’s the best subject line  you’ve ever sent… or received?

"Email is dead!" 🤦♂️ Just this week, a client, with a brilliant product but struggling with engagement and retention, hit me with that old chestnut when I asked about their email strategy. Look, email isn't just alive; it's thriving. While others chase fleeting trends, smart founders leverage this direct, owned channel. Data proves it: perceived email value has doubled since 2021! People want useful content in their inboxes. Why email is your growth superpower: 👉 Retention MVP: New customer acquisition costs 5x more than retention. 👉 Email slashes CAC, boosts CLTV, turning users into loyal advocates. 👉 Direct Engagement: Existing customers want your emails. Higher open/CTR means your message lands. 👉 Hyper-Personalization: Beyond "Dear [First Name]." Behavior-triggered content (AI-powered!) feels mind-reading. Segmented campaigns? Up to 760% revenue increase! 👉 Building Loyalty: Foster relationships, deliver consistent value, transform customers into passionate advocates. Ready for tactical gold? My "Email Marketing Improvement Cycle" (see visual!) is your roadmap to success: 1️⃣ Re-Engage "Limbo" Customers: Win back those who've gone quiet. 2️⃣ Benefits, Not Features: Show how your product solves problems. 3️⃣ Subject Line Sorcery: Intrigue, personalize, create urgency. 4️⃣ Listen to Feedback: Your customers hold growth insights. 5️⃣ Reward Loyalty: Make them feel special, keep them engaged. 6️⃣ Deep Personalization: Tailor content by behavior/lifecycle (AI helps!). 7️⃣ Integrate Channels: Email amplifies other marketing efforts. 8️⃣ Test & Iterate: Optimize constantly; small tweaks yield big wins. So, next time someone claims "email is dead," smile, nod, and go build your growth empire. For lean startups, email isn't just a channel; it's a strategic imperative. What's your go-to email tactic? Share your wisdom! 👇 #EmailMarketing #GoToMarket #CustomerRetention #AI #Personalization #GrowthStrategy

One key difference between good and bad business development? The prospect receives value after the first engagement, not the business Let me explain... Go into your DMs or email inbox and look at the last ~10 prospecting messages you received. How many of them: 🙄 Were bland, cut + pasted pitches about their product/service? 🙄 Didn't mention how you PERSONALLY would benefit from it? 🙄 Ended with a CTA assuming you'd gladly give up your time to talk to them? (Mine was 10/10 🙃) But every now and then, a glimmer of hope shines through that all is not lost as someone reaches out to you with a message that is: 🤩 Actually written AND personalized to *you* 🤩 Focused on *developing* a relationship with you by injecting personality + asking great questions 🤩 Ends with a CTA saying "let me follow up with you sharing my real thoughts about our product/service" or better yet "let me prove the quality/expertise of our product/service by giving it to you, no strings attached" And that, my friends, is what leads me to the below picture of two BEAUTIFUL cutting boards 🤌🤌 I used to moonlight as a woodworker, so I have a soft spot for all things wood, handcrafted, and quality-made So when Eric Hagstrom's message found my inbox, I was pleasantly surprised 💙 He made it past my Gated inbox by donating to the charity I support + included a personal note along with it that helped connect us on a 1:1 level 💙 He quickly replied back to my response saying he DIDN'T want to share a typical copy + paste message with me about what they do, but wanted to share a detailed response with his raw thoughts about his company (Mänresa) + what would be of interest/value to me 💙 His follow-up was incredible + even explained what his company's name meant as it brought to the forefront the values they hold I was captivated + interested I sent him MY calendar link so we could chat And we had a phenomenal conversation that was just as much "demo/pitch" as it was back + forth developing a relationship Instead of wrapping the conversation with "So, are you ready to order a bunch of these from us for your corporate gifting strategy?" Eric said, "Let me send you a board on us. I believe in the quality of our work and want you to see it for yourself." And his words lived up to it after receiving these Long story long, I have some plans for late this year/early next year for some special things we want to do for key customers + prospects of ours And I bet you can guess who I'm planning on reaching out to to be a part of this effort Moral of the story: Be a human Give value before you ask for it Play the long game P.S. Not pictured is the backside of the cutting board that has our Loxo logo engraved in the bottom right corner. Subtle psychology, but the board will be used more when the logo ISN'T slapped big, front, + center of something like this #marketing #businessdevelopment #bizdev

Email is still one of the most misunderstood growth assets in modern businesses. Especially for companies selling expert services, email plays a role most channels simply can’t replace: it compounds trust. Everyone agrees people buy from those they know, like, and trust. And yet email, the channel best designed for that, is often treated as an afterthought because it’s not exciting. No hacks. No breakthroughs. No shiny dashboards. That’s why I think of email as insurance for your business. It’s the quiet asset you build slowly. The one that doesn’t look impressive week to week. And the one you wish you’d started years earlier once momentum kicks in. What’s changed is how email is actually used. It’s no longer just a broadcast channel. It’s a full lifecycle system: A newsletter as the primary lead magnet Paid traffic driven directly into email, not straight to a sales page Email doing the heavy lifting for nurturing, retention, and remarketing Most sales still don’t originate inside email. They come from: -Word of mouth -Networking -Cold outreach -Direct ads Email is what connects all of those touchpoints, giving people a place to stay, learn, and build familiarity over time. The result isn’t louder marketing. It’s more inevitable marketing. → The biggest growth levers are often the ones that feel boring—right up until they’re indispensable. #EmailMarketing #CreatorLedGrowth #ConsultingBusiness #MarketingStrategy #BusinessSystems