It's all show don't tell in 2026
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Hey business person on my email list, It's a new year and I know your own inbox has been full since Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, that means so have your potential customers' too. The not so great news is that your first email of 2026, the one that you're really excited about, is going to be doing some serious heavy lifting—to get opened, to get read, and to get engagement. Let's make this a little simpler by not adding to their pile of emails and your pile of work. Yes, it's possible and doable, though also a bit counter-intuitive. Let's start with two ideas and I'll check in next week with more.
Truth? No one cares. Probably? No one really noticed your old look all that much. So unless you're Pepsi going from red and blue to teal and yellow with a brand new font (can you imagine?), it's not a big deal. A total re-brand may need to be addressed at some point, but if you're launching a new look for the year or just for your email template, sometimes a regular "business as usual" email is fine to send first. Then, you can take a pulse on how its received and address the inspiration in a later email. It just makes for a better story. Crowding inboxes with why it was important for you to experiment with your logo and template is a major snooze, and not likely to move the needle on sales. So, I say, skip it and say something real. All of our inboxes thank you. 2. Short and sweet (but valuable). A quick hello or happy new year is short and sweet but not valuable. A coupon or limited time offer is better but also could be overwhelming after the shopping season. Striking a balance between a great offer and real connection is what people are starved for. Try telling a short story about the holidays or how you've started off the new year. Share an insight or a link to a great product you love (even if they don't pay you). Try a new CTA, like "reply to this email" and I'll send you [PDF, Coupon code, new prodcut details etc]. Even if you've just gotta get those punchy and bold offer emails out there, mixing it up with something like this goes a long way for potential clients, customers, and leads to know there's a real person behind the machine. This is your 2026 vibe to show more often. Let me know how your first emails of the year are going! Hit "reply" especially if you've gotten great results or if you need my help. Onward to more sales from your sales copy in 2026! Ashe copyward.ca |