My email marketing tactics notebook - Content, data and time management

A recent client proposal had me reflecting on several key areas of email marketing. As we know, email is very much marketing's crutch for lead generation. A staple of the mix, straightforward and sent direct to the recipient often with a clear, somewhat personalised call to action.

Here are some bits and pieces from my notebook.

Last updated 10/02/25

My experience of email marketing content styles

What’s working and worth considering?

• Monthly newsletters with regular themes get excellent engagement and occasionally you will get enquiries even if the service they are asking about isn’t included in the newsletter. It’s about convenience.

• Emojis in subject lines are effective when executed well and a huge character limit hack!

• Personalisation in masse-emails isn’t as effective as thought! Unless it’s an account specific reminder or update on existing subscriptions/orders/treatment

• Email is a solid medium for important updates and opinion pieces from CEOs. The click through can then be a related blog with more images/charts that aren’t suitable for an email.

• Don’t be afraid to be too salesy. Customers have signed up for offers so they are expecting them.

• Plan longer series of emails, but alongside this, ensure something more straightforward is going out to the datasets regularly.

• Seasonal and operational emails are worth it! Update clients on your December closures, changes of opening hours. They appreciate the care that goes into keeping them informed.

  
  

My experience of approaches to data

• Unsubscribes aren’t the end of the world – quality over quantity!

• If available, best to segment at CRM level and saving into reports before editing in Excel/importing into email marketing automation software (or use software that integrates with your CRM such as HubSpot)

• There are so many ways to save time when handling audience data. Before processing data, spend 5 minutes Googling best practice.

My experience of weekly email management

It’s wise to combine a proactive and reactive approach whereby you plan a series of emails and steadily work on them as a batch whilst remaining flexible to create adhoc emails throughout the week. With your business, I would aim to project manage the campaigns, whilst also being available to you to discuss any marketing requirements/ideas you have. I welcome you calling me adhoc like a helpdesk when I’m working on your campaigns.

I had an efficient ‘newspaper-style’ approach that I defined at SBS where I would plan weekly/monthly emails on a Thursday based on what’s hot in education management and then discuss with the Sales Director on Friday, with a view to having the whole of the following week available for email marketing send times. i.e. we found 8am Monday was actually a very good send time for our industry and also after 5pm on weekdays.

Contact me for any advice or support with your email marketing by emailing themarketingsub@gmail.com or calling 01202 980927.