It’s that time of year again, time for a slew of articles either forecasting what will happen in the email marketing industry during 2024 or focused on New Year’s resolutions marketers should have on their lists. Far be it from me to swim against the current over the holidays, so here’s...

The buzz around Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) shows no signs of waning. On the contrary, enthusiasm and interest around GenAI are rapidly growing as it continues to revolutionize various industries with innovative applications. When GenAI first emerged, it was met with significant skepticism regarding its potential. However, the advent of ChatGPT...

In my nearly two decades in the email marketing industry, I’ve never seen a topic get people more twisted up than accessibility and inclusive design. Because these issues involve people with a range of permanent challenges, it raises all kinds of social, moral, legal, and personal sensitivities. I’ll confess that I...

Let me be candid with you Influencers. Sometimes, we screw up! Actually, more often than we’d like, and more often than we realize. Not always of our own doing, mind you. Often circumstances beyond our control gently nudge us in the wrong direction, away from the straight and oh-so-narrow path to...

The term “triggered emails” stands for messages that are sent automatically as a response to an action or event related to the user. Here are just a few examples of triggered emails (in case you forgot what they are): welcome emails sent after users sign up to a platform or subscribe...

The Evolution and Future of Email Marketing In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, one constant has been the power and resilience of email marketing. While the advent of email dates back to the '70s, it wasn't until the early '90s that companies began to recognize its potential for business communications....

In my last article I talked about the problem of using averages in email marketing. But there is of course a more pressing measurement issue with email – attribution. Attribution is the process of identifying and giving credit to the various touchpoints or interactions that contribute to a desired outcome, such...

The email community is just now learning of the passing of Jen Videtta and for many of us, our heart shatters over this loss. Jen was a mentee of mine and a very dear friend. We talked often about email, her family, career, marriage and her son Henry. My last conversation...

Persuasion: It's not just the title of a Jane Austen novel. Persuasion is at the heart of all effective advertising and marketing. I’m not talking about dodgy tactics that trick customers into opening and clicking on emails. Instead, I mean the persuasive principles and tactics that help customers to make decisions...

How does anybody have time to read this article right now? We are in the throes of Q4, the busiest time of the year! But if you’re thinking, “Eh – I have a little time right now,” I’ll do my best to make this worthwhile. My last OI column of the...

Artificial Intelligence: a term that's as exciting as it is intimidating. It's revolutionized numerous industries, and email marketing is no exception. But the question lingers - can AI truly be trusted? Can machine learning and complex algorithms understand the intricacies of human communication and psychology in order to effectively market a...

Are you an email marketer who grapples with the perennial dilemma of being urged by business stakeholders to send more emails? You want to deliver value to your business, but you're equally concerned about losing subscribers or tarnishing your brand's reputation. If this scenario feels all too familiar, you're not alone....

Ever wondered what influences your audience as they open, click, or engage with your emails? This article is your key to understanding the psychology behind those choices. We'll unravel the science and craft of creating emails that not only capture attention, but also drive action and long-lasting customer connections. Note: The...

I found the silver bullet! The one that will guarantee you inbox placement! The elusive, but oh so powerful, UNSUBSCRIBE … (pause for dramatic effect) Ok, maybe announcing it as the ‘silver bullet’ and a ‘guarantee’ was a bit much and maybe a tad bit of an overstatement, BUT hear me...

Modular email design is not just a trend — it's revolutionizing email marketing.  Beyond well-crafted email snippets, modules offer a novel approach that reshapes email production workflows, allowing marketing teams to prioritize strategic initiatives over technical complexities. Evolution of email production Email has transformed over the past 50 years, adopting various...

Today we're diving into the world of email campaigns, but not just any campaigns—ones that nurture and grow your relationship with your audience. Trust me, there's a difference between email lists and loyal communities, and we're aiming for the latter. What Does 'Nurturing' Even Mean? Nurturing is like taking care of...

Many of us on the agency, consulting, and vendor sides of the email industry have been in the business for a decade or more. And if you’re like me, there are times when you think to yourself, “If I see one more article or sit through one more conference session on...

Is this going to be another blog post about AI? To be blunt, yes, it is. But it is a blog with a difference. There has been tremendous excitement, interest and fascination with the possibilities of using generative AI tools like chat GPT, Bard, and so on. But what does this...

When I brainstorm topics for an upcoming OI article, sometimes I focus on bigger trends in the industry (AI!) or areas where I can speak with some authority (email compliance). But I also like to think about topics and conversations that have come up on our Thursday OI-members-only Live Zoom calls,...

You can’t change people. You can only change how you react to them. That is something we say a lot in our household. It’s a hard-won pearl of wisdom from years of working with therapists so my wife and I can be better parents to our autistic son, be better spouses...