The Future of Email Marketing
Episode Summary
In this episode of Marketers Talking, host Jess interviews Yuval Ackerman, an email marketing expert who helps mission-driven brands build strong relationships with their subscribers. They discuss best practices for ethical email marketing, including asking subscribers what they want, personalization, effective use of preference centers, and the importance of storytelling over discounts.
About
Yuval Ackerman
Yuval Ackerman is an email marketing expert who works with B Corporations and personal brands to turn their subscribers into loyal fans. She is also a digital nomad.
Episode Takeaways
Email marketing often gets a bad rap. People associate it with spam, irrelevance, and just plain annoyance. But it doesn’t have to be that way. As Yuval explains, ethical email marketing is all about building relationships by providing real value to subscribers.
It’s Not About You, It’s About Them
The key to successful email marketing lies in understanding your audience. What do they want? What’s valuable to them? You have to set aside your own assumptions and agendas, and simply listen. Yuval advocates gathering first-party data directly from subscribers through things like preference centers and surveys. This allows you to segment and personalize content based on actual interests and behaviors.
Storytelling Cultivates Connections
Facts and features don’t forge strong bonds between people. Stories do. Yuval shares an example of a founder who infuses humor and vulnerability into their newsletter through personal anecdotes. This raw authenticity makes readers feel like they actually know the people behind the brand. And that translates into real loyalty.
Back to Basics
In a world of overly polished marketing speak, getting personal can seem risky. But Yuval argues that it’s time to peel back the facade. “Let’s be human. Let’s get back to basics. Let’s have a conversation and see how our subscribers are reacting.” Don’t hide behind your brand. Reveal the real faces and stories behind it.
Childhood Trauma Drives Purchases (Kidding…Mostly)
In a humorous tangent, Jess confesses that her brand loyalty likely stems from childhood trauma and a longing for connection. Most buying decisions aren’t rooted in psychotherapy. But the underlying truth remains – people want to buy from people. We yearn for belonging. An ethical approach to email marketing acknowledges the human need for community.
So if you want to grow your business, don’t bombard subscribers with discount codes and sales pitches. Foster genuine relationships. Listen, tell stories, and reveal your humanity. That’s how to turn subscribers into loyal brand advocates.