3 Email Marketing Ideas You Can Use This Week

I’m sharing three simple, actionable email marketing ideas you can implement right away to see a greater ROI from your email marketing. No burnout, no perfectionism, no fancy funnels required! 

Whether you’ve ghosted your list for a month or you’re just tired of writing emails that get ignored, this conversation will help you build momentum without overthinking it.

We talk about how to shift from email avoidance to email confidence using my 3C framework, how to write for skimmers (because most of your readers aren’t sitting down at a desk to read your newsletter), and why showing up imperfectly is still the most powerful move you can make.

💌 Want a deeper audit of your current messaging or email strategy? Join the Why Isn't This Converting? Free Challenge here.

➡️ SHOW NOTES: Grab all the links and resources mentioned in this episode on the blog here! https://www.megankachigan.com/email-marketing-ideas-this-week

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Transcript

If you have ever felt like email marketing is one of those things you should be doing better or at all, but just can't seem to find the time I see you and that is something that I hear all the time you are totally not alone in that.
Between client work, team management and just trying to keep up with life, email can quickly fall to the bottom of it.
And honestly, I get it. Writing emails can feel like shouting into the void sometimes because you're not having that face-to-face conversation with somebody you can't actually see and get real-time reactions with the person that you're talking to.
But as we know, email is still one of the most profitable and trust-building tools in your business. It is the one channel that you actually own. All right. And the good news is that you don't have to overhaul everything to make it work better. Today, I want to show you how to take small bite-sized actions that really can make a big difference in your email marketing without the pressure, the perfectionism, the burnout, um, that paralyzes us.
it can really be so simple and I'm gonna break it down for you in a couple of some- steps.
But first, I want to start with, why does email still matter? When it's done right, how it still works. And I know that social media can be tempting because it's loud, it's flashy, but it's constantly changing.
Algorithms shift. Engagement drops. And your best post? That could be, like, actually, like, really good? It disappears within 24 hours or less.
But email lands directly in someone's inbox, as you know. So you're not competing with as much noise, and you're having this one-to-one conversation.
01:46 Let me tell you, when people respond to my emails that I send to my entire list, they are so much more honest and heartfelt than any comment you will ever see.
01:57 Or even DM you will see on social media. It's just a more intimate place. Please. To connect with your people.
02:03 So every time that you show up in someone's inbox, that is your chance to build trust, connection, and credibility. So that when it's time for you to sell what you have to sell in your business, it makes it so much easier.
02:16 Because you've already built that relationship. Not by being flashy or zalzy, but just by being consistent, clear, and human. That's all it's- Okay, what it, it can be as simple as that?
02:27 So instead of thinking about email marking has a campaign, or a strategy, think of it just as an ongoing relationship with your audience.
02:36 And just like any other relationship that you have, it doesn't have to be perfect. That would be unrealistic. It just has to be genuine and consistent.
02:46 So let's dive into the practicals here. I want to give you my 3C framework for skimmer friendly emails, because let's be honest, people are reading these as they're scrolling on their phone while they're in line, while they're on the toilet, while they're, you know, waiting to pick up their kids, whatever
03:02 it is. They're not, usually people are not sitting down at their computer reading your email in a, like, quiet focus space.
03:09 Usually they're reading their emails on the go. So stop trying to write these per- perfect essays and start writing for real humans.
03:16 And the fact of the matter is the data shows it too. Most people skim. That is just half, we have to know that is who we are writing for.
03:24 And that is the style we need to, we need a skimmer friendly style, so that all these wonderful emails that you're writing, they are actually get read, right?
03:32 That's the whole point. So most people skim, that's not a bad thing. It's just- That's how we read online. And we have to undo some of the academic type of writing that we've been taught in school, because writing emails is different.
03:45 It's totally different. So if your email looks like this wall of text, even the most loyal reader is going to be intimidated by that.
03:53 And they're going to bail before they even reach your CTA, or the whole point of what your email was. So this is where my 3C framework comes- It is the simplest way to make your emails easy to read, hard to ignore, and most likely to convert.
04:08 So our first C is clear. Every email needs one clear goal, one message, one next step. And I know it can be so tempting to be like, I have all these things to say!
04:20 But before you hit send, ask if my reader only remembers one thing. What would that be? And then make that message clear, front and center.
04:30 Subject line, first line, CTA. That is the message there. And if you're like, hey, actually I have multiple CTA's. I have multiple things I want my audience to do, or click on in this email.
04:42 Separate them. Make them separate emails. One CTA per email. I know it's entrepreneurs. They are rule breakers. But this one is, is not a rule that should be broken very often, if at all.
04:57 Again, people are reading quickly, so we just need to give them one main point. They don't, we don't want them to be holding all of these things in their head.
05:05 Because again, they're reading quickly and most of them are on their phone. A good majority are on their phone. Okay, so step one is clear.
05:13 Step two is concise. You don't have to say everything in one email. Say less, but say it with impact. That means short paragraphs, bold key phrases, umm, and use spacing, so your message breathes.
05:29 Like honestly, it's typically like one sentence is one line, and then I have a break, and then the next sentence.
05:35 That is how emails, uhh, are easily read. That is just the human psychology of like how we are reading on mobile.
05:43 So think of each line as a runway leading to that call to action. What are you reverse engineering? What's next step do you want them to take?
05:51 Okay, so we have clear, concise, and our third C is conversational. So again, throw what you learned in school, kind of out the window for this, and just write right.
06:01 It like you talk. Oftentimes I will just like talk to text to a transcription service on my phone and so it's transcribing what I'm naturally saying, kind of stream of consciousness, so that when I sit down from my walk, that I'm just kinda walking and talking, sharing my thoughts on what I have to say
06:17 . Then I'm sitting not at a blank page, but with an actual, um, transcription, like, so the meat is, It's already written there and now I just have to take out, okay, what's my hook?
06:29 What's my call to action? Trim it down? What's my main point here? Um, and then it's already in my voice, my natural way that I talk as if I'm talking on the phone to a friend.
06:40 So imagine your reader sitting across from you with coffee or tea. I'm more of a green tea girl myself. Um, drop that corporate tone, ditch the f- filler.
06:50 I want to reach out because, or I hope you're having a wonderful Friday or whatever it is. Just say the thing.
06:55 Say it. Um, and that conversational tone makes your reader feel like you actually get them, which builds that trust faster than any funnel or other complicated things that we can do.
07:06 Let's not overcomplicate our marketing, right? My thing is we are going to keep it simple. So, again, keeping it simple, these- three C's alone can instantly make your emails feel so much more inviting and easier to act on.
07:18 So, clear, one CTA, concise, only one- one email per ZTA. Keep it- keep it short, um, and impactful. And then three is conversational.
07:30 Clear, concise, and conversational. Okay, so I know you're thinking, Megan, this sounds all great, but like, where do I start it?
07:37 It still feels so overwhelming. So I have a few small tweaks that you can make, even just this week, that take five minutes or less each, um, that really can make the biggest impact for you.
07:48 So I've got five things. And again, five minutes or less. So one, rewrite your subject line for curiosity. I have so many regular newsletters that come across my inbox and they're like, July newsletter!
08:01 butter. Or newsletter number 52, whatever it is. And like, that doesn't spark interest for me. I want to hear something like, the one shift that doubled our response rate.
08:14 Great, right? Like, small change but big, open, right impact. So you want, the purpose of your subject line is so that people will actually click and read your email rather than just delete your email.
08:25 Eating it, um, or unsubscribing. So, then we're going to say, add one clear CTA. We kind of talked about this and being concise before.
08:36 But what do you want to do your, what do you want your reader to do next? Do you want them to click on something?
08:42 Do you want them to reply to you? Do you want them to read a blog? Make it obvious and make it the only choice so that it's easy.
08:49 And then we use format. Adding to guide the eye. So, bold words. I italicize sentences. Add those bullet points. Leave white space.
08:58 All of those things are such a essential part of copywriting that people don't talk about. But they make such a big difference to get your reader down the page and get the gist of what you're trying to say in those, like, seven seconds or less.
09:11 Again, short attention spans. Goldfish. Attention spans have now outlasted humans. So that is what we're working with. And we need to write accordingly.
09:20 I would also say add a story. You don't need to overshare or be over vulnerable. But people remember stories more than, you know, statistics or just plain information.
09:32 And if you think about it, before the age of computers, before the dawn of, like, people were telling stories- from generation to generation, before it was normal for societies to be literate.
09:43 You know, like, when, back when they had scribes, people told stories to pass information down from generation to generation. Um, and across cultures and whatever else.
09:52 So, stories are timeless. They work. That's how our brains are wired to remember things. So if you want to be memorable to your audience, stories- it's a such a powerful way to get people, to understand what you're trying to say, and to relate with you, so that they know that you're my person.
10:11 So that can just be a quick win, a lesson learned, a client moment that ties back to your offer. You can just be documenting what you're already doing in your programs, your offers, your business, give them a little bit of behind the scenes.
10:24 Um, it doesn't need to be this- like extravagant, or fancy, or rags to riches, or I overcame this huge trauma kind of story.
10:33 It can just be your day-to-day things. Those are actually often more relatable than these, like, crazy stories that, you know, could make great headlines.
10:43 But not everyone- like, everyone has ordinary. Not everyone has these, like, crazy extraordinary moments. And lastly, and I would say, most importantly, is show up consistently.
10:55 Even if it's short, one good email a week beats a long one every three months. So think about your rhythm, what's sustainable for you in this season of life.
11:04 It's not necessarily about volume. If once a month is all you can handle right now, start there and just be consistent.
11:10 Because consistency builds that trust and that brand. Recall they know what to expect from you. So even if you just pick one of those and implement it, your next email will already be better than 90% of what is hitting inboxes this week.
11:27 Alright, I want to wrap it up here. So what is the mindset shift? Because I want this to actually stick.
11:34 Umm, I know, again, you're probably juggling everything as a solo. Or a small team creating, selling, managing clients, maybe raising a family.
11:43 Umm, an email from marketing feels like one more hat to wear. But think about it this way. Every email that you send is practice.
11:50 It's honing your voice. You don't have to be brilliant, especially when you have a small audience. That is the best time to start honing your voice.
11:58 Being consistent. Treat every email like a lab where you're testing ideas. Yes. Learning from what lands and refining as you go.
12:05 Because perfection, let me tell you, it does not create connection. Presence does. And the more that you just show up your, as yourself, the easier and honestly more fun, that email becomes.
12:18 So, if there's one takeaway that you take home from it, it's this. Small, consistent improvements. Compound. Faster than one big overhaul.
12:28 You don't need to do all of the things. Start with clarity. Keep it concise. Make it conversational and build from there.
12:36 So, I don't want this to be another source of stress for you. It can actually feel simple, strategic and sustainable.
12:43 Just take it one small step at a time. I've got resources for you. Linked it down below on this page.
12:50 So that you can get more support with your copy so that every message feels clearer, converts better, and sounds like you.
You've got this and I can't wait to see you hit send on your next email.