Category Archives: Creative

As Seen on TV

But Wait, There’s More! Why Cheesy Copy Still Works.

Effective email copy is not like a letter to your grandma; unless, that is, you’re asking Grandma to sponsor you for the 5K Fun Run at the park. A good email campaign isn’t designed to make people feel warm and fuzzy about you, your company or your product, or generate… Read More

Don Draper

Is Technology Making Marketing Agencies Obsolete?

Over at the IDC Technology Marketing Blog, analyst Sam Melnick posted an article recently with the intriguing title: “Are Ad Agencies Keeping Pace with the Marketing’s (sic) Massive Digital Uptake? (Hint: Maybe Not)” Melnick posits his question largely on the basis of IDC research that shows the rate of growth… Read More

Assumptive Close

If You Write B2B Copy, You Need This Blog Post

Those of you who have been subjected to sales training at some point in your careers may remember a technique called “the assumptive close.” It goes something like this: “Would you like the car in red or blue?” or “Can I deliver that to you this Friday?” In theory, asking… Read More

Janrain Webinar invitation

Design Choices & More Sink Webinar Invitation

I wrote recently in this space about the decisions that today’s B2B email marketers are facing as they strive to ensure that their campaigns are optimized for an increasingly mobile audience. The Webinar invitation below from Janrain, a software company in Portland, Oregon, illustrates some of the perils inherent in… Read More

Responsive Versus Mobile Friendly Email Design

Infographic: Mobile-Friendly vs. Responsive Email Design

As mobile devices continue their torrid growth in the business world, B2B email marketers face a dilemma: is it enough to make emails “mobile-friendly” – in a way that at least renders those emails legible and easy to read, or should they go the extra step of programming emails to… Read More

marketing reality check

Give Your Next Demand Gen Campaign A Reality Check

We’ve all been there. The copy is winding its way through the marketing group and is now on its fourth revision. The CEO didn’t like the photo at the top of the email so it’s back to the drawing board, design-wise. The marcom director wants to change the headline so… Read More

[24]7 Email Campaign_Before

Campaign Makeover: Simple Changes Increase Email Response by 25 Percent

I received an email recently from Kevin Payne, Senior Director of Field Marketing at customer service software provider [24]7. Kevin writes: “Below is one of our most successful email campaigns. We’re getting ready for a second broadcast and after reading one of your recent blog posts, I can already think… Read More