Brandon C. White - November 2020

IT’S TIME TO GET PERSONAL! Take Your Email Marketing to the Next Level

Email marketing is getting a bad reputation. In the last few years, some marketers and entrepreneurs have questioned the efficacy of the practice. “If everyone is getting dozens of emails every day,” they say, “what are the odds your email will make an impact?” On the one hand, those doubters have a point: Email marketing is a high-volume business and open rates are low. According to Campaign Monitor, in 2019, the average person sent and received 121 business emails per day, and in 2020, the average open rate across all industries studied was 17.8%. That’s not encouraging from a small‑business standpoint. However, what the naysayers leave out is that with the right strategies, you can increase the impact of your emails. According to a 2016 study conducted by researchers from Stanford University and University of Chicago, making your emails more personal is one of the most effective ways to boost your open rate and sales leads. Simply adding the name of the person you’re trying to reach to the subject line of your email can work wonders. Surveying millions of emails, the Stanford/Chicago study found this move increased open rates by 20%, inspired a 31% increase in sales leads, and reduced the number of people who unsubscribed from the campaign by 17%. All this for changing a subject line from, “Check out our new product release!” to, “Steve, check out our new product release!”

This switch is called “noninformative personalization.” Psychologically, it works for three reasons. First, using the reader’s name draws their attention instinctively toward the email. Responding to our names is a habit ingrained in us as babies, and its power never dissipates. Second, it causes the readers to associate the brand sending the email with themselves, forming a positive connection. People like their own stuff, so when your brand becomes “their stuff,” they’ll like you! Third, it makes the email seem personally relevant. Our brains assume that if an email has our name on it, it contains information that affects us, and that makes us want to click. So, here’s the moral of the story: Don’t dismiss email marketing. It’s not useless; it’s just misused! If you personalize your emails with the reader’s name, or even their company name, you can take your marketing campaign to the next level.

This butternut squash, oven- roasted and caramelized to perfection, could almost pass for dessert. You’d never guess it’s a dish loaded with vitamins and antioxidants! SINFULLY SWEET BUTTERNUT SQUASH

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EP. #30

Inspired by WellPlated.com

EP. #29

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large butternut squash,

• 1 3/4 tsp kosher salt • 3/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/2 tsp black pepper • 1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

EP. #28

peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch cubes

• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil • 1 1/2 tbsp maple syrup

EP. #27

DIRECTIONS

EP. #26

1. Preheat oven to 400 F, placing the two oven racks at the top and bottom of the oven. Then grease two baking sheets. 2. In a large bowl, combine squash cubes, olive oil, maple syrup, salt, and spices. Toss to coat, then spread mixture in a single layer over the baking sheets. 3. Place both pans in the oven and bake 15 minutes. Turn the cubes with a spatula and return them to the oven, swapping them to different racks. Continue baking 10–15 minutes until tender. 4. Sprinkle with rosemary and serve!

EP. #25

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