37 Easy Email Marketing Strategies You Can Use Today

Email copywriter sitting in front of laptop looking at phone.

Are you looking for FAST ways to improve your email marketing strategy TODAY!

Do you want strategies to make your emails better in 5 minutes or less?

Reading long blog posts about using a new email marketing strategy can be more overwhelming than helpful. 

I’ve compiled a list of fast (and super easy) strategies you can start using right now.

No complicated explanations, no intricate web of funnels.

Just simple strategies anyone can implement immediately. 

Here are 37 email marketing strategies you can start using RIGHT NOW to improve your emails. 

If you like this post, you may also like:

How to Use These Email Marketing Strategies

Bookmark this post. 

Pick one or two strategies to try right now. 

When you’re done trying those, come back to this post and pick another one or two. 

1. Send a Short Email 

Send a really short email. 

Keep it simple. 

No longer than one sentence.

Imagine a friend of yours sending you a quick message like, “You coming on Saturday?” or “Do you still need help moving this weekend?”

Your friend wouldn’t go into a long explanation as to why they are asking.

Treat your subscriber like a friend.

Here are a few examples:

  • “Do you still want help with your emails?”
  • “How are you doing?”
  • “Reply and tell me how I can help.”

Use this method to break the normal patterns, or when you need to connect/engage with the subscriber.

This type of email is sometimes referred to as the 9 word email (originally created by Dean Jackson, a successful real estate entrepreneur).

2. Add Passive Links

Your subscriber doesn’t have a lot of time, If they are skim readers, you may lose them before they get to the call to action you planted at the bottom of your email. 

Add your link passively throughout the email.  

Try adding it up close to the beginning. 

When you analyze your emails, check to see if the passive links are getting any attention. 

3. A Better Hook

Email copywriter's desk with keyboard, mouse, coffee, and plant.

Without a good hook, you’ll lose your reader before they even figure out what your email is about. 

A good hook should draw the reader in and make them curious.

Here are three ways to write a good hook.

4. Call Out Your Reader

Next time you send a sales email, call them out.

You want your reader to know without a shadow of a doubt that you’re talking to them. 

Call out your reader so they have no choice but to think “oh they’re talking to me.”

Here is an example of calling our your reader:

  • If you’re a Dentist looking for a steady stream of new clients, you might be thinking…

5. Try a “Your” Subject Line

Most subject lines are boooooring.  They don’t give the reader any reason to open the email.

But when someone emails you about something personal, you usually open that email, right?

Add “your” to your subject line. 

Here is an example of how to use this email marketing tactic:

  • “Your strategy.”  This makes it seem like they’re getting an email from you directly about something you’ve been talking about it already. 

6. “This” Subject Line

Use curiosity to entice them to open your email. 

Here are some examples:

  • THIS is how I get better open rates
  • Do THIS to get your first (or next) client
  • Want more blog traffic? Do THIS!

7. Add a Question Mark to Your Subject Line

When you’re struggling to come up with a subject line, try adding a question mark. 

Here are some examples of subject lines using a question mark.

  • “Your strategy?”
  • The “Wookie” business plan?

8. Add a Pop-Up to Your Website

I guarantee you’ve had this thought before…

‘Pop-ups are so annoying!’  

So have I.  

But you know what.  They work. 

REALLY well.  

A pop up is usually super annoying when the lead magnet (freebie) isn’t something you want.  

If the lead magnet is valuable to the reader, and the opt-in page is optimized, they convert well. 

And if the lead magnet is something the reader really wants, it’s not annoying!

9. Add In-Content Opt-In Forms 

Email copywriter for hire sitting at desk typing on laptop with newspaper, plant, notepad, lamp, and coffee cup sitting next to her,

If you have a blog, add LOTS of opt-in forms throughout your content.  

You want to bombard them with opt-in forms. 

Studies show people need to see a message 7 to 72 times before they convert. 

10. Analyzing Your Open and Click Rates

How do you know what your subscribers like and don’t like unless you review their reactions to your emails?

You don’t.

Take time to analyze your open and click rates. 

Look for how they react to certain subject lines, calls to action (wording and link placement). 

11.  A Better Lead Magnet

If you only have a “join my newsletter” call to action on your website, you are likely not getting a lot of subscribers. 

It’s time to upgrade your freebie and give your potential clients something they can really dig their teeth into. 

If you’re using a lead magnet and it’s not converting, try something new.  

Upgrade your lead magnet to something that offers your readers a quick win. 

Get to the heart of what your readers need to know and give them a freebie. 

12. Send a Lead Magnet Follow Up

Send a follow-up email a few days after your freebie is downloaded to encourage them to use it.

13. Say Less

Before you hit send, re-read your email and see if you’re saying the same thing a few times. 

I see this a lot in email audits. Are you rephrasing something you just said?

Read your email again and try to cut out anything that doesn’t take away from your main message. 

If you don’t HAVE to say it to get your point across, don’t.

14. Get Specific

Most companies send emails with high level info.  

Give examples and drop subscribers right into the action.  

Instead of saying “get more client,” you could say “book 10 ready-to-buy sales calls this week.”  

Instead of “have more confidence,” say “walk into a room with your head held so high, you feel like you’re floating above the room.”

Describe what you’re talking about in such detail that they can visualize and feel it. 

15. Start With “Why”

Why are you sending the email?  

Are you nurturing, selling, connecting, engaging.  

Don’t send an email unless you have a purpose for it.  

Plan out your content so you know WHY you’re sending each email and what topic you’ll write about.  

If you write your own emails but you want help figuring out what to write about (and your why), book a content planning session by clicking below.

16. Ask Your Reader

Ask your subscribers a question. 

“What do you want to see more of.” 

Or send them a survey.  

I prefer to send them actual questions because your subscribers will respond in their own words. This allows you the opportunity to use their own language in your copy.  

Also, a survey offers a bit more friction.  More steps.  

If you only ask ONE question, all they have to do is reply and answer.  It’s more personal.  But be prepared for lots of replies.  

 And please make sure you answer anyone who responds. 

There’s nothing worse than responding to an email from a company and getting no response.  

17. That Check

Check how many times you say “that” in your copy.  You can usually remove it all together, replace it with “which” or “the.”  

This strategy will make your writing a bit better. 

18. “I” Check

Many solopreneur businesses and bloggers make the mistake of talking about themselves a lot.  A LOT A LOT!!

Check to make sure you’re using “You” language instead of “I” language. 

19. Newsletter Tag

Email copywriter looking out curtained window.

After your subscriber goes through your welcome sequence, have a tag added that labels them as “newsletter.”  

When you send your weekly broadcast email, only send to your newsletter tag.  

This prevents you from accidentally sending emails to those who are right in the middle of your welcome sequence.  

It can be really confusing for your subscriber if they get both sets of emails at the same time. 

20. Add a Welcome Wequence

Do you have a welcome sequence?  No?

AT LEAST make a welcome email.  Preferably, make a 3-7 email welcome sequence. 

Your welcome (or onboarding) sequence is your handshake.  

It’s your first impression.  

Show your subscriber around and let them get to know you and your brand.  

Welcome them warmly into your world. 

21. Plan Your Content

Take some time to plan out the next quarter of your email content. 

This will make your emails more cohesive and more importantly…

… it will prevent the weekly dread that comes with sitting and staring at a blinking cursor hoping inspiration will strike at any moment.  

22. Plan a Promotion

Plan a promotional sequence. 

Plan three emails leading up to your promotion where you’ll talk about the problem you solve. 

In the fourth email, sell your product or service as the solution. 

23. Optimize Your Opt-In

Your opt-in form probably says “Get Your Free Thing!”

Optimize your opt-in by talking about what outcome they’ll get when they download your freebie.  

Will it answer critical questions they have? 

Will it give them a quick win?

Pro tip: When optimizing, change one thing at a time and give it some time to work.  You don’t want to change everything at once… how will you know what’s working and why?

24. Tell a Story 

Tell a story about your client or yourself. 

Remember to keep this relevant. 

Where was the client before you found this solution. 

What struggles did they have?

How did the solution affect them?

Where are they now because of the solution?

25. Tag Link Topics

Make a list of your main topics.  Tag any links you add to your email. 

When you’re doing your email analytics, you can analyze how many of your readers have clicked on specific topics. 

This email marketing strategy can help you identify what your subscribers want more of. 

This strategy helped me and one of my clients identify topics her subscribers wanted more of and we added two new income streams to her business.

Pro tip: If you have a blog, you can also use Google Analytics to see what your audience wants more of.

26. Segment Buyers

Tag or segment your buyers.  If someone buys from you once, they will buy from you again and again.  

Add upsell, down sell, and cross sell sequences to trigger once a subscriber buys.  Or at the very least, just tag them so you know who’s buying so you can sell to them again later. 

27. Resend to Unopens

Your subscribers are busy.  Your email management program may have a way to resend to those who haven’t opened their emails.  

Do this each time you send a broadcast.  Test out different times to resend. 

I do this regularly with my clients. We bring the open rate up about 10% using this method.

28. Test Send Times

Try sending your emails on a specific day and time for a month or two. 

Then test out different times for a month or two at a time.  

If you want to get really fancy, you could split test (send to part of your list at one time and part of your list at another time) to see which time works best.  

Analyze your results and see when your subscribers open their emails more often.  Every audience is completely different.

29. Increase Your Font Size

Email copywriter and freelance writer for hire.  Image of desk with notepad, pencil, phone, coffee, keyboard, mouse, glasses, leather planner, pen, and plant.

Many subscribers read their emails on their mobile devices.  Increase your font so it’s easier to read.  I recommend clients set their emails to 18pt font.

30. Ditch Image Heavy Emails

When subscribers open an image heavy email, their initial reaction is “this is a spammy promotional email.”

Try to get more personal and send text based emails as you would to a friend.  Add images as an enhancement, not as your main attraction.

Image heavy emails may also trip spam filters. 

31. Coach the Click, Not the Sale

If you have a sales page for your product, don’t try to sell it in your email. 

Sell the click. 

Leave out details like the price or when the sale ends. 

You want to create enough curiosity that they’ll click the sales page.  Then let the sales page do what it was designed to do.

33. Add GIFs 

You can make your own GIFs of yourself at makeagif.com.  Or add a GIF of something relatable to make the email stand out.  

Not many people use GIFs, and not many use GIFs of themselves.  This is an easy way to stand out.  

I follow a LOT of email lists and I can count on one hand how many people use GIFs. 

AND I can tell you exactly who they are.  I remember each and every one of them.  

Be memorable, use GIFs. *Don’t use too many.  One or two is enough in an email.  Remember not to go too image or GIF heavy.

34. “Why Should They Care” Test

Every line in your email should have the “why should the subscriber care” test. 

If they have no reason to care about what you’re saying, don’t say it. 

35. Send One More Email

If you normally send an email every Tuesday at 10am, send another “pattern interrupt” email on Saturday at 7pm.  

Send something you wouldn’t normally send and see what kind of response you get.  

If your subscribers are used to seeing the same thing all the time, this may break it up and add some variety.  

Keep testing.  If you get a good response, make a note to do this periodically. 

36. Solve Problems

Many businesses think “this is the thing I need to sell” when they should be thinking “what problem is this thing solving?”

Your subscribers, clients, and potential clients ONLY care about what you’re talking about as it relates to their life.  

How does your product solve their problems? 

37. Add a Tripwire

Add a trigger so when your subscriber opts into the freebie (lead magnet), they are automatically redirected to a tripwire page that sells a small ticket product.  

Selling a small ticket product is a small barrier to entry and very low risk.  It warms up your buyer.  Once someone has purchased something, they are more likely to purchase again.

The Most Important Email Marketing Tip

Test. Test. Test.

Every audience is totally different.

Start with the best practices you’ve learned here, but keep testing.

Each time you test something new, analyze the results.

You may learn other tips and tricks for email marketing. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking something will work for you because it worked for someone else.

Let your audience tell you and guide you to what they want.

Kristi Durham

Kristi Durham

Hey-o!

I'm Kristi

I help service-based businesses craft relatable email & lead generation campaigns so they can book more sales calls and pull in more clients.

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