Differentiating email content by purpose

Every marketing email should have one clear goal. Before writing anything, I decide what the email is meant to ultimately drive: - purchase - click - reply or read to the end To get there, the reader has to move through a sequence: open -> read -> act Once the goal is clear, the email is structured to support that sequence. Different types of emails are structured differently because the reader is in a different situation. - Promotional emails are direct and concise. - Welcome emails spend more time setting context and expectations. - Abandoned cart emails focus on removing doubt and friction. - Post-purchase emails focus on reassurance and next steps. - Educational emails prioritize clarity over speed. The structure changes based on context. But the goal stays the same. Every line in the email should do at least one of the following: help the reader keep reading help the reader understand help the reader take the next step If a sentence does none of those, it should not be there. Good email performance is rarely about clever phrasing. Instead, it comes from clear goals, clear structure, and removing anything that gets in the reader’s way.

The #1 reason your email list is underperforming…. You’re sending the same message to people with completely different reasons to buy. Not segmentation by demographics. Not A/B testing subject lines. Not prettier templates or flashier copy. The problem is misalignment. When the message doesn't feel like it's for you, it gets deleted. Last month, I was reviewing a clothing brand with 82,000 subscribers. Email/SMS SHOULD be printing money. But every campaign? Same everything. Same angle. Same offer. Same urgency. To everyone. Grandma buying gifts. Dad into hunting gear. Mom shopping for school clothes. All getting the same email. The results were brutal… <20% open rates. 0.3% clicks. Revenue per send barely covering costs. Not because the list was bad. Because the message doesn’t match the moment. So here’s what we did: We stopped writing to "our audience" and started writing to why they buy. • Parents got: "Outgrown last season's tee? Here's what's next." • Gift buyers got: "Got a birthday coming up? These were made for it." • Hunters got: "The hunt is over. Our #1 camo design is back." The results? Open rates jumped to 34%. Click rates hit 2.8%. Revenue per send increased 4x. It’s not rocket science. It’s relevance. Write to one real person with one real reason to care at the exact moment they need it solved. Most agencies think segmentation means splitting by company size or industry. That's surface-level thinking. Real segmentation is intent-based. Want the framework? Reply "INTENT" and I'll send you the breakdown.

This newsletter gets 60% open rates (!) but barely any conversions. After auditing their strategy, I could see the problem: Quick context: This founder is sending 1 email per week to a list of almost 20,000 subscribers. Open rates are consistently around 60% - which is exceptional. So engagement isn’t the issue. The bottleneck is what happens after the open. After auditing the emails, here are the 2 problems I found: Problem 1: Too many CTAs in a single email Their newsletters are value-packed, which is great. But they also include multiple calls to action in each email: • Join the cohort • Get this free resource • Attend this free masterclass When readers have too many options, they often choose none. Attention gets diluted, and conversions drop. Problem 2: No dedicated conversion-focused emails They’re essentially using one email format to do two jobs: educate and convert. But those require different approaches. A value email should build trust and provide insight. A conversion email should leverage social proof and drive action. Combining them weakens both. So here’s what I recommended: New cadence: 2 emails per week instead of 1 Email 1: Value Email A framework, strategy, or tactic related to their area of expertise. One CTA only - congruent with the email’s theme. Email 2: Social Proof / Case Study Email Features a student or customer transformation story. Still valuable (people love real stories), but more directly promotional. One CTA only - join the upcoming offer or buy the product. Why this works: - Clear separation of purpose. Each email has one job. Value email builds trust. Case study email drives conversions. - Doubles your touchpoints. Going from 1 to 2 emails per week means more opportunities to convert - without overwhelming your list (especially if open rates are already strong). - Reduces final-week pressure. By consistently promoting offers throughout the cycle (not just the last week), you’ll see steadier signups and less scrambling. Hope this helps! 👊

The last thing you should EVER be doing as a serious business owner: Sending the same email to your entire list. Segmented campaigns generate 58% more revenue than non-segmented ones. Yet most brands only segment by purchase history. Here's how we go deeper: (1) By purchase behavior → new customers get different content than repeat buyers. VIPs get exclusive access. (2) By demographics → men and women get completely different product recommendations. (3) By engagement level → highly engaged subscribers get more frequent emails. Less engaged get fewer but higher-value emails to re-engage them. Start simple: • New vs returning customers. High vs low spenders. Engaged vs unengaged subscribers. • Then layer in more segments based on behavior and preferences over time. The more data you collect, the more personal every email feels. And emails that feel personal get opened, clicked, and converted.

DTC owners and operators, Every email you send doesn’t have to be a promotion. In fact, it shouldn’t be… When a customer realizes that the only thing they’re going to see in your email is a promotion: 1) The promotion loses value 2) They’ll stop opening your emails Instead, make opening your email worth their while with: 1. Educational Content Teach customers and past purchasers how to use your product. → If you’re a clothing brand, send them style tips on the shirt they bought from you. → If you’re a coffee company, send them the best breakfast pairings with your coffee. → If you’re a makeup brand, send them tips to make sure they apply and remove properly. 2. Newsworthy Content Send content someone interested in your product would be interested in. → Tap into current trends on social, and see if you can tastefully insert your brand → Share relevant statistics/facts someone interested in your product would be interested in You want to act as your customer’s resource for content they care about. Your product comes second. 3. Product Announcements Tell your customers what’s coming, and what’s new. If you can segment this out based on user preferences, you can hyper-tailor this content to reach just the right customers that you all but know will be interested in your product. The reality is, all of these content types support your end goal of having the customer purchase or re-purchase. But they serve to build trust, and get your emails opened—and that’s extremely valuable. What other types of non-promotional emails can you send?

Stop saying “Hi!” Effective communication is essential to building a strong company culture. At Proletariat Inc., our Cultural Communication Guide (https://lnkd.in/ecFxFjVe) included specific guidelines for email that helped improve clarity and efficiency—especially as we scaled and remote work increased during the 2020 lockdowns. For a long time, we didn’t have a formal email structure, but as our team and volume of emails grew, it became challenging to separate important messages from the noise. This led us to establish an email protocol that was direct, purpose-driven, and clear. How to Write Better Emails Our approach was inspired by the Harvard Business Review (https://lnkd.in/euhyKbmd) and adapted to fit our needs. 1. Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) Start with the main point. Summarize the purpose of your email in one concise sentence at the very top. Avoid lengthy introductions—get straight to the important details to respect the reader’s time. 2. Subject Line Keywords Use subject line keywords to categorize each email’s purpose, ensuring the reader immediately understands the intent. Only use one keyword per email thread; if you need more than one, consider splitting the message into separate emails. Here’s the breakdown: - [Feedback]: You’re seeking feedback, and it’s optional. Specify the response deadline to avoid late feedback impacting decisions. - [Action]: You’re requesting action from the reader. This usually involves a specific deadline and is often time-sensitive. - [Info]: You’re sharing information that doesn’t require a response—purely informational. - [Request]: You’re requesting a decision or permission. Be sure to specify the date by which you need a response. 3. Set a Clear Timeframe Indicate any deadlines directly in the email. If it’s urgent, add “URGENT” to the subject line and follow up with a direct message or in-person check-in for prompt action. 4. Structure and Tools Keep it organized and concise. Use bullet points, lists, and concise sentences instead of long paragraphs to improve readability. Direct action with @mentions: Tag individuals with the “@” symbol to clarify what each person needs to do in response, making it easier for everyone to see their responsibilities. How to Respond to Emails If you need more than a day to respond, acknowledge the email and provide an estimated response time. This helps maintain clear communication and sets expectations for follow-up. Create a culture around the expected response time to emails. If you are on a email thread with multiple people but follow up and close the loop through a different channel (chat, meeting, etc) be sure to respond back to the group and explain that this is resolved. Final Thoughts While this email structure worked well for us, each company may need to tailor it to fit its unique culture. Defining and training your team on an effective email style is worthwhile to improve communication, ensure clarity, and save time across the board.

You know you should be sending newsletters… but what do you actually write? (Start with these 3 email types) I hear this all the time when people talk about their email marketing. Not knowing what to write. Not knowing how to balance value with promotion. Not knowing how to keep people engaged between launches. But here’s the thing: before you think about what to send, you need to know who you’re sending it to. Not just their basic demographics. Not just “pain points” or “desires.” But how they think: → What’s stopping them from taking action? → What do they need to believe before they buy? → Where are they in their journey (just becoming aware of the problem, or already considering solutions)? Once you understand that, you can create content that moves them. Start with these 3 types of emails: 1️⃣ Authority Content (Show them you’re the expert) People won’t buy if they don’t trust your expertise. Emails that build credibility: → Client success stories → Behind-the-scenes of your process → “What I’ve learned” expert advice 2️⃣ Trust Content (Build connection through storytelling) People buy from brands they relate to. Emails that create emotional connection: → Personal stories → Shared experiences & common struggles → Values-driven content 3️⃣ Problem Awareness Content (Make them see why they need a solution) If people don’t see the urgency, they won’t act. Emails that shift perspective: → Myths & misconceptions → Mistakes they might be making → “What happens if you don’t solve this?” content These emails aren’t random. They’re part of a strategy designed to move people through the buyer’s journey, from awareness to trust to decision-making. And when you send emails that align with how your audience thinks? That’s when they start taking action. What type of newsletters work best for your audience?

Content = Value Copy = Action And yes, your emails need both. But they serve different purposes. • Content educates, entertains, or inspires • Copy drives behavior The problem? Brands try to make every email do both, and end up doing neither. Instead: • Use content to build goodwill → blog, YouTube, welcome flows • Use copy when it's time to sell → cart abandons, launches, upsells Don’t muddy the waters. Separate them. Master both. Then blend strategically. Because when you earn trust with content and convert with copy, you don’t need to chase customers. They come to you.

Every coach with low open rates makes the same mistake. They send everyone the same email. People unsubscribe when emails feel irrelevant. When content applies to them, they stay engaged. When it feels generic, they leave. If you're still assuming your newsletter readers all want the same thing, you're missing an opportunity to get higher open rates and a much more engaged readership. Here are 8 ways to segment your list: 1. 𝗕𝘂𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 People who've already bought from you want deeper content, updates, and advanced strategies. They're already sold on you. Non-buyers need value, social proof, and reasons to trust before they'll consider an offer. 2. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘆 These are your warmest leads. They showed interest, had a conversation, but didn't convert. Send them case studies, testimonials, and follow-up offers. This segment alone can recover thousands in lost revenue. 3. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗻𝗲𝘁 𝗼𝗽𝘁-𝗶𝗻𝘀 Someone who downloaded your email guide wants email content. Someone who grabbed your pricing calculator is thinking about money. Match the message to where they entered. 5. 𝗧𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗰 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 Send a questionnaire in your welcome email to understand what topics your reader wants to read. You can send more emails without overwhelming anyone when the content matches their interests. 6. 𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝘃𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗜𝗖𝗣 Segment by job title, industry, or revenue level. Your ICP gets sales content and offers. Non-ICP gets educational content or gets pruned entirely. 7. 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 Track who clicks pricing links, visits sales pages, or replies asking about services. These people are showing buying signals. Send them case studies, testimonials, and direct CTAs while cold subscribers get pure value. 8. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 If someone hasn't opened an email in 60 days, they're cold. Send a re-engagement sequence or remove them. Your open rates will jump just by cleaning house. This is what happens when you segment properly: → People read more of your emails because the content feels like it was written for them → Unsubscribes drop because you're not wasting their attention → Offers convert better because you're pitching the right thing to the right person It takes time to set this up and automate the process, but it's totally worth it. The results stack fast. How are you segmenting your email list? P.S. If we haven't already met, I'm Mohammed Kasujee. I can help you get better results from your email marketing through ghostwriting and funnel management.