Summary of Episode 57: "My Best Performing Email from November"

Podcast: The Email Sound Booth with Liz Wilcox
Host: Liz Wilcox
Release Date: December 3, 2024

Introduction

In Episode 57 of The Email Sound Booth, Liz Wilcox delves into her email marketing strategies by sharing her best-performing email from November. True to her mission of helping online businesses refine their email marketing to build profitable and engaging email lists, Liz offers transparency and actionable insights derived from her own campaigns.

"Transparency is key here. I am a lover of emails and you, like me, are probably nosy." [00:01]

Selecting the Best Performing Email

Liz begins by outlining her methodology for evaluating email performance. She emphasizes excluding emails sent exclusively to her membership base, as these typically garner higher engagement due to their status as repeat customers. Instead, her focus is on weekly newsletters and sales emails sent to her broader audience.

"Customers create community. They invest, they take action, they share." [00:45]

November was particularly intense, with Liz dispatching 51 different emails (excluding membership communications). This volume reflects her commitment to maintaining consistent contact and leveraging multiple touchpoints to engage her audience.

Detailed Insights on the "Cart Open" Email

The standout email from November was her "Cart Open" message, sent on November 25th around 7 AM Eastern Time. Despite a modest open rate of 48.6%, the email achieved a significant 2.7% click rate, translating to approximately 120 sales—over $12,000 in revenue.

"I think I'm going to go with my cart open email... I made about 120 sales from this one email alone." [06:20]

Content and Structure

The success of the "Cart Open" email can be attributed to its concise and direct approach. Liz built substantial momentum for her annual pass launch during the Black Friday sale period, ensuring that recipients who were genuinely interested engaged with the email content.

"It's quick, it's to the point...When they saw the email, the people that wanted it, opened it, they clicked, they bought." [09:10]

Audience and Targeting

This email was dispatched to 8,690 non-members, distinguishing it from her regular membership audience. Liz acknowledges that the slightly lower open rate was a reflection of self-selection—only those ready to invest in the annual pass engaged with the content.

"Some people just weren't ready to buy, so they didn't open because literally the subject line is, you know, cart open." [13:30]

Subject Line and Call to Action

The subject line, "Cart Open and a pop quiz", was instrumental in piquing curiosity and prompting action. Inside the email, Liz included a quiz designed to help recipients assess their readiness to purchase the annual pass, effectively filtering engaged leads.

"If you're not sure, here is a quiz to see if you're ready. You are already making money from your email list... you need the annual pass, click here." [18:15]

This strategic use of a quiz not only increased click rates but also ensured that those who proceeded were genuinely interested, enhancing the likelihood of conversion.

Factors Contributing to Success

Liz highlights several key factors that contributed to the "Cart Open" email's performance:

1. Momentum Building: Consistent daily emails leading up to the cart open date kept the audience informed and excited.

2. Clear Messaging: The email's brevity and clarity made it easy for recipients to understand the offer and take action.

3. Targeted Audience: By excluding her membership base, Liz ensured that the email reached potential new customers who were primed for the offer.

"I sent out these daily emails. I told everyone pretty much all they could know about the annual pass." [10:00]

Honorable Mention: "Click One Please and Thank You" Email

In addition to her top-performing sales email, Liz gives an honorable mention to a non-sales email titled "Click one please and thank you". Sent to her waitlist, this email aimed to gauge interest in her upcoming live events. It boasted an impressive 60.8% open rate and 4.2% click rate.

"I sent out one email called click one please and thank you. But the please was pls and the thank you was Ty. Click one please and thank you." [22:45]

Purpose and Outcome

The email served dual purposes:

1. Engagement: Encouraged recipients to vote on which live event Liz should prioritize, fostering a sense of involvement.

2. Insight Gathering: Provided valuable data on audience preferences, revealing a strong interest in list-building activities.

"The majority of people wanted me to do the list building stuff first... I knew my sales emails and the direction I was going with the annual pass in 2025, it all was aligned." [26:30]

This alignment between audience interest and Liz's offerings reinforced her confidence in the strategic direction of her annual pass and future email campaigns.

Overall Insights and Conclusions

Liz’s November email campaign underscores the importance of strategic planning, audience segmentation, and purposeful content creation in email marketing. By focusing on quality over quantity and leveraging insights from her own campaigns, Liz effectively maximizes engagement and conversion rates.

"I did a good job of making that problem itchy... that's one of my main selling points for the annual pass." [28:10]

Her ability to interpret email performance metrics beyond surface-level numbers—considering factors like audience readiness and content alignment—demonstrates a nuanced understanding of email marketing dynamics.

Closing Remarks and Next Steps

Liz wraps up the episode by inviting listeners to join the Email Sound Booth Facebook group to share their best-performing emails and seek advice. She also directs them to the show notes for a link to her "Cart Open" email, encouraging listeners to adapt her successful strategies to their own campaigns.

"If you like the Cart open email, go ahead and swipe it. Save it for yourself for the next time you open your cart." [30:00]

Liz concludes with a heartfelt request for reviews and teases upcoming episodes, maintaining her personable and engaging rapport with the audience.

"You are awesome and I'll see you soon." [31:15]

Takeaways:

• Transparency in Email Metrics: Sharing real performance data builds trust and provides valuable learning opportunities.

• Strategic Segmentation: Differentiating between membership and non-members allows for tailored messaging that resonates with each group.

• Engagement Through Interactivity: Incorporating elements like quizzes and polls can enhance engagement and provide actionable insights.

• Alignment of Content and Audience Needs: Ensuring that email content addresses the audience's primary concerns increases relevance and conversion potential.

By dissecting her own successful campaigns, Liz Wilcox offers a blueprint for email marketers aiming to replicate her achievements. Episode 57 serves as both a case study and an inspirational guide for building effective, revenue-generating email strategies.