10 easy steps to creating an online course to sell

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More than half of all aspiring creators want to go into content creation. That’s more than those hoping to sell products and services. Consider that alongside the fact that most people prefer educational content to entertainment content.

One of the most popular forms of sellable educational content is the online course. A key reason for this is how easy it can be to create one.

But don’t you need a huge following to sell a course? Not necessarily. In 2021, about 62% of online students were taking courses created by people with fewer than 10,000 social media followers.  

You may not need a huge audience to have a successful course, but you need to get a few things right. Today, we’re going to share exactly how to create an online course to sell. You’ll even learn ways to do it without spending a lot of money or taking a lot of time. 

Let’s dive right in.

1. Choose your topic

Want to learn the harmonica? There are dozens of courses on Udemy teaching over 100,000 students how to play. Another big online course platform, Domestika, has 100+ courses just on lettering. A quick online search can help anyone find a way to master indoor shrimp farming or get outdoors for some African animal tracking.

Don’t be shy about picking an unusual topic. Weird is okay, so long as there’s enough of an audience to make your course worth creating. Many people are looking for niche content.

If you’re not sure what you could create a course about, here’s an easy exercise to find out. On a plain sheet of paper, make three columns:

Topics I know more about than the average person

Topics I could happily talk about for at least 3 hours 

Topics that have at least a couple of books already published about them, or a magazine on the subject, or at least three Facebook or other online groups dedicated to the topic

Herbs
Tulips
Daffodils – pretty much any other bulb
Flowering vines

Herbs – hundreds of books
Tulips – a few dozen books
Daffodils – a couple of books

So many books about decluttering. There are even a few TV series about decluttering.

Fill out the columns for at least five different topics. It’s good to have a few ideas to work with so you can stay open to the course topic most likely to succeed.

Now, ask yourself: What’s the need? What problems exist around these topics? Why haven’t they solved it yet? Did they think it would be too hard, too expensive, too likely to fail? Are other sources missing key information that you can provide?

When you’ve got a few topics and the why behind why someone would take a course about it, you’re ready for the next step. Just don’t skip the why! It’s super important.

2. Choose your audience

The more specific you are about who your course is for, the more likely you are to be successful.

For example, take the topic of “how to talk to your teenager.” Could that be for parents in general, or for single parents, or for single dads, or for single dads who just got a divorce?

People respond to courses that are laser-targeted to their needs. The most common question a prospective buyer (or even a free course taker) will have about your course is, “Is it right for me?” Even if you’ve got a lot of raving testimonials and great course content, everyone who considers your course will still be asking themselves, “Is this course right for me?”

The better you target your audience, the more likely it is that people will feel confident in taking it.

Pro tip: Go find a few popular courses on a public platform like Udemy. Then think about how you could do a course about that same topic but for a specific target market. 

Your target market can be a demographic (urban men 28-35), or people who share a common attribute, like “How to grow great houseplants – even if you tend to kill them.”

3. Confirm there’s a market and interest in your course

Nothing stings more than creating a full, fabulous course that no one wants. And sadly, while this is a common piece of advice, many course creators still ignore it.

Go find at least a few people who say they’d be interested in your course. Here are the three best ways to do this: 

Search for competitors

Go to Udemy or any other major course platform and do a search for what your course could be about. Here’s a sample search on Udemy for “choose a freelance writing niche.”

sample search on udemy for “choose a freelance writing niche.”

Google works just fine for this, too. Just Google “[your topic] course” and see what turns up. Also, try a few searches on YouTube and Instagram.

If you find a few courses, try to see how many students they have. Sometimes this is easy; other times, not so much.

Ask

Even if your audience is small, ask them if they’d be interested in your course. Or borrow someone else’s audience. Many Facebook group admins will let you post a question like this in their group, especially if you contribute to the discussions a lot.

If you’ve got a little bit of budget, you can also run ads to your target audience to see if they’d like your course. You might have to do a “dry test” – aka “pre-sell your course” to know how interested people are. Or you can offer a lead magnet that’s basically a slimmed-down version of your course. If the lead magnet does well, people are at least interested in the topic.

Find high-interest topics that don’t already have courses

This is a little riskier, but just because no one’s made a course on a certain topic doesn’t mean you can’t be the first. Just be cautious — if no one has created a course on your topic, there may be a reason.

The best places to find hot topics are via Amazon book searches, YouTube top searches, and (sometimes) hashtags on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Facebook groups can be another rich source of information.

4. Find out what people want to know

This is yet another critical part of how to create an online course to sell. People will go through the entire process of creating a course, write up their sales page, pay good money to send people to that sales page, and…no one will buy.

A lot of things can cause a lack of sales, of course. But it comes down to this: You’re offering something people don’t really want. And so, while picking the right topic and the right audience are key to this, so is including what people want in a course.

This is a little more work than just leaping into content creation, but boy, is it worth the time. Here are the three best ways to get this done:

Talk to potential students

Ideally, you’ll have an email list of people (even a couple hundred people is enough). You’ll have sent out an email asking if anyone is interested in this course idea you’ve got.

Say ten people indicate interest. You get back to these potential students and try to get them on a Zoom call or a phone call to talk to them about what they’d like you to include in the course. Record those conversations if you can. If not, take the best notes you can. If you have to pay them, do it.

Getting people to talk to you directly is the best way to find out what your course should include. You’ll learn an enormous amount about your audience in just a few calls.

Do a survey

Again, you can do this with an email list. Or you can try to get people on social media to respond to a few quick polls.

Go to online groups (Facebook groups are the easiest to find)

See what people are talking about. See which posts get the most engagement. See what people are asking about. 

5. Define the transformation

Sounds dramatic, right? “Define the transformation” means finding a concise way to explain how people will be different after they take your course.

You see, people don’t really care how much content you’ve crammed into your course. They don’t care if you’ve got 90 hours of video and 23 workbooks and 45,000 words of text-based lessons. All that might make them less likely to buy your course.

Most people just want to get from point A (where they are now) to point B (where they want to be). The more efficiently your course gets them from A to B, the more they’ll want to take it.

So, work on how to explain this in a way that’s crystal clear. Do this before you start creating content.

As you’re “defining the transformation,” really what you’re doing is building a path for people through your course’s content. You’re giving them (and you) a goal. You’re also saving yourself so much work.

There’s another benefit to thinking of your course simply as taking people from A to B: It helps you write your sales page and all your marketing materials. But more on that in a moment. 

6. Block out the sections and lessons of your course

Now it’s time to block out your course’s lessons. But first, do yourself a favor: Establish a structure.

Block out three to five major sections of your course, with each section having three to seven lessons. That’s enough material for your course to feel meaty, but still concise enough so people don’t get overwhelmed. And people can definitely get overwhelmed with course content. If you tend to “over-deliver,” be aware of this.

Once you’ve got your course’s sections and lessons blocked out, it’s time to figure out what each lesson will cover. Aim for three to seven key points for each lesson.

Brevity is your friend here, too: People will zone out if a lesson is too long. Try to have your video lessons be 10 minutes or less (15 minutes, absolute maximum), and your text-based lessons no more than 1,500 words. Your students should be able to finish each lesson in your course within about 15 minutes or less.

With 15 minutes per lesson, four lessons in each section, and four sections, you’ll end up with about four hour’s worth of content (15 minutes x 4 lessons for each section = 1 hour for each section). 

That’s plenty of time to deliver a lot of value, but short enough to make your course feel manageable.

Pro tip: Remember how you defined a transformation that people will go through as a result of taking your course? Apply that principle to each section and lesson of your course. You might even open each section by saying, “By the end of this section, you’ll be able to [that section’s goal].” 

The whole “point A to point B” structure will help you create a course that helps your students feel like they’re making progress. That’s a powerful way to keep them motivated so they complete your course, get results, and have a positive experience. In the end, they’ll leave you a great testimonial, and so you’ll sell more courses.

7. Get it out on paper, video, or audio — or all three

You’ve got that outline… now it’s time to fill in the blanks.

Many courses are video-based but also have a text and audio version of each lesson. Your medium depends on your course topic and how comfortable you are on camera. You can do “talking head” videos, create PowerPoint-like slides and record your voice explaining the slides, or have a little inset of yourself so that people can still see you.

If you’ve got a bit of a budget for your course, consider getting your videos professionally edited. This will improve the student experience. 

Also, consider using an audio-to-text transcription service like Otter.ai to make text drafts of your video lessons. If you’re really short on time, take those text transcripts of your videos and hire a freelance writer to clean up the copy so it reads well.

8. Decide whether your course will be free or paid

Free courses are good if you want to get a lot of people into them. You can also use a simple free course to promote a paid course.

If you are doing a paid course, you’ll also need to decide how much it will cost. If it’s more than $400 or so, decide if you’re going to offer a payment plan. Payment plans tend to split the cost of a course into thirds and usually add about 15% of the value of the course for the payment plan. So, if your course costs $397, a payment plan would break into three monthly payments of $147 each.

If you publish your course on one of the large public course platforms (like Udemy), you’re basically offering a hybrid of the free versus paid course. There will be a charge for your course, but it’ll be so cheap – $9.99 – that the risk for the student is very low. 

Courses on platforms like this can make money, but you’ll need hundreds or thousands of sales to generate any meaningful income. That said, a low-priced course on a big platform can be an excellent promotional tool for your work or for a more expensive course you offer elsewhere.

Another play is to price your course super-low or for free when you first launch it. This gets at least a few students who can offer feedback and hopefully, a few really strong testimonials. 

Then you re-launch your improved course, with testimonials, at a higher price. All this takes longer, but will probably get you better results in the end.

Note that paid courses also typically have refund terms. Those terms are essential if your course costs more than even $27. Refund terms can also vary a lot, but they tend to fall into three types of refunds:

No refund

This is the least attractive option for potential students, but there’s no way people will misunderstand the terms. You may need to give prospective students a free lesson or two so they can see that your course is worth the money.

A 7-day refund

This is a suitable compromise for both student and teacher because the students get access to the course and the teacher has clear terms for the refund. The drawback is that some teachers may be concerned that people will speed through the course, download all the materials, and then request a refund.

The “do the work, get the results” refund

For this option, students have to complete the course before they can ask for a refund. The idea is that when a student buys the course, they’re entering into a contract with themselves and the teacher — buying the course is a commitment to do the work. 

Students are eligible for the refund only after completing the course and only if they can honestly say it didn’t work for them. The sales pitch is that this is being offered because you are 100% sure that it does the work, they will absolutely get their money’s worth. You’ll need to spell out the terms of this very clearly or some students may complain.

Once you’ve decided whether your course will be free or paid, and if paid, the terms of the sale, you’re halfway toward figuring out how you’ll deliver (aka “fulfill”) your course. 

9. Set up how you’ll deliver your course

There are four ways to deliver your course. You can:

  • Use a course builder platform like Thinkific or Kajabi
  • Host the course on your website with a WordPress plugin (or with Wix or Squarespace integrations)
  • Publish on a course marketplace platform like Udemy 
  • Set up your course as an email autoresponder (aka an “email sequence”)

Here are the pros, cons, and costs of each of these options:

You won’t have to worry about the technical set up of your course.

You’ll have a full-featured course platform — complete with assignments and even a private forum — to build a great experience. 

You’re tied to the platform, and there can sometimes be limitations with what you can do. 

There are free plans on these platforms (both Teachable and Thinkific have free plans), but they’re limited, and they’ll charge you fairly high fees for each course you sell. 

Host the course on your website

If your site is WordPress, you can install plugins like LearnDash and MemberPress.

You can also have a course on Squarespace or Wix, but unless your site is already on one of those platforms, you might want to go with a different option. 

You will need to install, configure, and maintain your course’s back end, in addition to all the other tasks of managing students and maintaining course content. 

Around $179 to $199 for MemberPress or LearnDash. There are many other course plugins and add-ons available; a few do have free plans or trials, but that usually means there’s little to no tech support. 

Publish on a platform like Udemy

You get a great, highly visible platform for your course, immediate recognition of the course’s platform, and some marketing support. 

You’ll have to follow the platforms’ rules and requirements. The platforms can take as much as 50% of each sale you make. And you won’t usually be able to sell higher-priced courses.

The costs are low to free, but again, the platform will take half the value of your sales. Some platforms take even more. 

Use an email autoresponder or email sequence

You can control almost every aspect of your course, and offer personalized course materials, almost like a “choose-your-own-adventure course curriculum.

You can also completely avoid the fees of the course platforms, and guide your students to anywhere on the web you want to take them, whether that’s to private video content, monthly Zoom calls, a Facebook group — wherever! An email sequence is also a great way to deliver any other digital products you have. 

Free… if you use just one autoresponder. Otherwise you’ll need a paid email marketing tool. Fortunately, you can get one for less than $20 a month — and you’ll get landing pages and all the email marketing tools you need to build and monetize an audience.

10. Give people a way to sign up for your course

This can be as simple as creating a sign-up form for an email sequence, or it might mean configuring a shopping cart in an LMS learning system on your WordPress site.

You’ll also need to decide if you want to use Stripe or PayPal so people can actually give you money. You might offer both.

Any online course platform like Thinkific or Teachable will have a payment system pretty much set up. You’ll need to add a few things to configure the checkout, and you’ll be done. 

If you’re selling on Udemy or one of the other public course platforms, it’s already done for you. You’ll just need to add which PayPal account or Stripe account to send your money to.

Setting up a sales page for an autoresponder-based course is fairly easy, too. This video walks through exactly how to do it, step by step, in about five minutes. If you wanted to write out a full sales page, clearly that’ll take a little bit longer, but the basic setup to give people a way to buy your course is really pretty easy.

How to sell an online course

The above steps have already shown many of you how to sell an online course. You did the research, tapped into your audience, told online communities about it, and maybe emailed subscribers.

If that isn’t enough or you’d like more strategies to maximize sales, consider these tips.

1. Spend more time on your sales page

If your audience knows about the course but isn’t joining, tighten up your sales page. Ensure the design and copy are attention-grabbing yet appropriate for the topic. 

Next, speak to the reader. Demonstrate your knowledge of their problem in clear, concise language. Lay out exactly how you can solve it. To do this without giving away your best information, provide an overview of the course, such as lesson titles. 

From there, prove you’re trustworthy. Share only the best testimonials and any credentials you may have, and then lay out your pricing. At this point, the prospective student should be able to click and join as soon as they feel the urge, so make it easy.

Finally, display any money-back guarantees or other value benefits. Add an FAQ section at the bottom to further neutralize any resistance. 

2. Take your own course

You can get so wrapped up in every detail of your course that you lose sight of the big picture. Test drive the course yourself, without skipping a single step. 

Gauge the user experience, catch anything that’s missing, and correct any small errors. Once you do start selling, revisit the course and incorporate any feedback or new information that you wish you had at the beginning. It will help keep your content fresh and ahead of the curve.

3. Collaborate with a bigger creator 

You don’t need a large following to sell, but you can benefit from someone who does. Reach out to creators who have an audience relevant to your course. Offer them the course for free and tell their followers about it. 

These collaborations can expand beyond social media. Webinars and podcasts are also prime places to expand your reach, whether you appear as a guest or host your own and invite the bigger creator.  

The benefits of creating an online course

Having an online course can be a life-changing — or at least a business-changing — thing. There are several reasons why:

Online courses save you time 

Whether your course is free or paid, once it exists, you’ve got a way to share your expertise on autopilot. People can take your course while you do other things, like creating your newsletter or playing with your kids. 

And if your course is paid, that also means you can be earning money while you’re doing other things. And as we’re sure you’ve heard; passive income is a pretty awesome thing.

Online courses open doors

Even a simple autoresponder-based course can be a terrific way to promote your work. Free courses can promote paid courses, too. Courses can often serve as marketing tools on their own, especially if you publish on one of the larger platforms.

Online courses demonstrate your expertise

Courses can also be a great way to educate people about how to work with you or to give people a sense of what it would be like to work with you. 

For instance, a graphic designer could create a course about visual branding, or how to design a logo. This would be an ideal way to demonstrate the value of the designer’s work. It also lets the designer help people (and earn money from people) who can’t afford to hire her.

Courses can be ideal complements to other types of content

Many authors create courses that accompany their books. This gives people a way to apply what they’ve learned in the book or to study the topic in more depth. It also gives the author a way to build their email list and make more money from their work. Once they’ve written a book, making a section of that book into a course isn’t hard. 

Those are just a few reasons people are creating courses now. You may discover a few more once you launch your course.

Ready to get started?

So now you know how to create an online course to sell. You really could create a simple course over a weekend — especially if you’ve already got some existing content in other formats, like in a book or blog posts, or even in short videos.

Usually, the big thing blocking people from completing their course is they overcomplicate it. They over-deliver.

So, keep it simple. Create a good, simple course and see how well it works for you and your students. If you’re getting good results from it, then go back and expand the course. Improve on what’s working. 

Do you have any tips or advice on how to create an online course to sell? Share it with others in the comments. 



Marathon Digital’s $250M Bitcoin bet: Here’s everything to know!

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  • Marathon Digital announces an ambitious plan to further Bitcoin investment.
  • Bitcoin supply reserve in all exchanges hits the lowest level since 2018.

Marathon Digital, a leading Bitcoin [BTC] mining firm, plans to raise $250 million to buy more Bitcoin.

After purchasing $100 million worth in July, Marathon now holds 20,000 BTC. Recent data shows that large investors, known as whales, have been steadily increasing their BTC holdings over the past few months, signaling strong market confidence. 

This institutional involvement has been evident in the steady rise of accumulation indicators which have been supported by different metrics including supply reserves.

Source: CryptoQuant

BTC reserves on all exchanges have also dropped to their lowest level since 2018, with a significant decline observed since the start of this year. 

This suggests that institutions are steadily accumulating Bitcoin, likely because they anticipate a positive market trend. 

Such a decline in available supply is a strong bullish signal, indicating growing investor confidence in Bitcoin’s future. 

For this reason, this is the time to consider a bullish stance on BTC as the market shifts.

Liquidation levels 

Over $15 billion in BTC short positions will be liquidated when the price hits $72K, according to Coinglass. 

Significant liquidity lies between $70K and $72K, suggesting a market shift as big institutions accumulate BTC for long-term gains.

Source: Coinglass

Bitcoin opens another CME gap

This week, Bitcoin has created another CME gap, adding to the two big gaps it closed recently, with the latest close at $63K marking a local top. 

A new gap now sits above the $61K price mark. While gaps don’t always close, they often do, signaling price rallies towards the gap.

Source: TradingView

Bitcoin RSI on Fibonacci levels analysis

The AMBCrypto analysis team noted the 2-week Bitcoin RSI hit the cycle tops, but the 3-week RSI provided a clearer view of the market sentiment. 


Is your portfolio green? Check out the BTC Profit Calculator


BTC’s RSI pattern now mirrors the 2016-2017 period when it aimed for new highs.

Unlike previous cycle peaks, this suggests that the March 2024 move was significant, but the belief is that  the bull market could continue for over a year once institutions finish accumulating.

BitcoinBitcoin

Source: TradingView

 

Grill Once, Eat Twice With These Recipes for Barbecue Leftovers

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nd3000 / Shutterstock.com

Don’t waste those barbecue leftovers! Find out how you can reuse them again in other simple dishes. Here are some of my best leftover tips. You invite friends or family over for a cookout, and as usual, you make way too much food. What do you do with the barbecue leftovers? You could eat plain burgers and sausages for days, or you could transform your leftovers into delicious new meals by…

4 Clever Olympics Marketing Campaigns [+Top Takeaways]

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Olympic ads don’t make as big a splash as Super Bowl spots, but the Games are still a reliable display of marketing creativity every two years. 

As the Paris Olympics come to a close, I’ve collected four ads (plus three honorable mentions) that stood out from the fray in 2024. I also talked to a few marketers at HubSpot to get their perspectives on why these ads work and how you can apply the same tactics to your own marketing campaigns.

Download Now: Free State of Marketing Report [Updated for 2024]

And it wouldn’t be the Olympics without some GOATs, so I’ve included a couple favorites from previous Games.

2024’s Olympic Marketing Campaigns

1. LVMH: The Rooftops

Animated GIF excerpt from the LVMH ad “The Rooftops.” Tilting shot from behind an athlete overlooking Paris at night.

If you watched the fever dream that was the 2024 Opening Ceremony, you may recall the masked marauder scampering across the rooftops of Paris and bellhops dancing with oversized Louis Vuitton luggage along the banks of the Seine.

The Louis Vuitton trunks appeared by way of its parent company, LVMH, sponsoring the Paris Olympics. Thankfully (or not, depending on your threshold for absurdity) Louis Vuitton took a different tone for its official Olympics ads.

Completely voiceless and scored only by a crescendoing bassline, the deep shadows and rich colors evoke “luxury” from the first second. The camera skims over well-oiled athletes’ bodies, drawing focus to form over function. Shot entirely at night, the shadows create mystery and build intrigue.

Try This At Home

  • Whether you’re going for luxury or beach vibes, make a list or a mood board of everything that evokes your desired tone: colors, shapes, textures, sounds, fonts, you name it. Every single element of your ad should serve the singular purpose of eliciting your defined voice.
  • You can also use HubSpot’s advertising plan kit, which includes free planning templates and a guide.

2. Corona: For Every Golden Moment

Animated GIF excerpt from ad. A Swedish athlete pole vaults, and a man cannonballs off a cliff into blue-green waters.

I particularly like this ad because it breaks from the self-serious tone so many other campaigns use. Kyle Denhoff, Senior Director of HubSpot Media, is also a fan, so I asked if he would break it down:

  • Product focus. The Corona ad successfully positions the beer as the hero of the story. Through subtle yet effective visuals, the ad integrates the product into the narrative, and a group clinks beer bottles with a “cheers,” highlighting the product as the ad ends.
  • Brand message: The tagline “For every golden moment” cleverly aligns Corona with the prestige of Olympic gold, suggesting that its beer is the top choice for life’s special moments. It’s a message that encourages consumers to associate Corona with vacations, adventures, and friendships, reinforcing the idea that it’s the go-to beer for memorable experiences.
  • Cultural relevance: The ad effectively taps into the cultural significance of the Olympics. It uses seamless visual transitions to link personal golden moments with the triumphs of world-class athletes. This elevates the brand by associating it with excellence and achievement — from an event that everyone is watching.

Denhoff also pointed to Corona’s clear understanding of its demographic — adventurous travelers in their 20s and 30s — and noted how Corona skillfully invited potential customers to see themselves in the ad.

Try This At Home

  • Keep your product central to the ad without overwhelming your potential customers.
  • Elevate your brand by associating it with excellence.
  • Know your demographic.

3. Hyundai: It’s OK

Screen cap from ad. A 20-something man sits next to a younger boy in wrestling gear in a locker room, having a serious conversation.

Image Source

Hyundai taps into familiar Olympic tropes like perseverance and hard work, but from a less familiar point of view. At first, it looks like an ad about Olympians practicing hundreds of hours beginning as very young children.

And then a series of parents tell their respective kids, all frustrated by sports practice, that maybe it’s time to take a break. “Like a break break.”

Instead of pushing through, each of the aspiring Olympians switches sports, accompanied by the tagline, “Never give up on finding what you love.”

Try This At Home

  • Subvert tropes: This will require a clear narrative, so don’t skimp on the storytelling.
  • Do some good: Simone Biles’ 2024 Olympic comeback has once again put mental health in the spotlight. After drawing criticism from some corners of the internet in 2021, when she pulled out of the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health, Biles delivered a clear message to the haters this year that she made the right call. Hyundai subtly taps into the importance of mental health without being too on the nose.

4. Parmigiano Reggiano Sponsorship

This is technically a 2021 ad, but we’re counting it since it went viral during the 2024 Olympic Games.

Italian gymnast Giorgia Villa was sponsored by Parmigiano Reggiano during the Tokyo Games in 2021, where she pulled out of competition because of an injury. And even though the sponsorship reportedly ended in 2022, I like to think that the Italian team’s group silver medal this year was powered by a barrel-sized wheel of piquant cheese.

Since medaling, ads from her 2021 sponsorship have gone viral. The photos of Villa have the sharp light and deep shadows of a Caravaggio, as she happily holds a wheel of cheese bigger than her torso. She’s been quoted saying that she’s loved the cheese since she was a little girl, and the smile on her face dares you to challenge that.

Try This At Home

  • Tap into your audience’s cultural heritage. By paying homage to Italian Renaissance painters, these photos demonstrate a deep appreciation for Italian identity and heritage.
  • Don’t be afraid of some unusual juxtapositions if it’s based on truth.

Honorable Mentions: Personalities and Influencers

I’m creating an honorable mentions category because these are neither traditional ads nor easily replicable for your own marketing. But I would be remiss not to include some of the personalities and influencers who have become walking ads for the 2024 Paris Olympics:

Snoop Dogg

The unexpected gold medalist of our hearts, Snoop joined NBC as an official Olympic correspondent in Paris. In my extremely unscientific survey of a few fellow HubSpotters, 100% agree that he’s the best advertisement for the Olympics, hands down.

Dréa Hudson, HubSpot’s Head of Audience Development, Distribution, says, “There is no one — and I mean NO ONE — who I would trust to carry the torch more than him.”

She also sums up his authenticity and appeal: “The ease in which he traverses Paris during the Games is said best by Uncle Snoop himself: ‘It’s me, being me.’”

Snoop’s curiosity is palpable (although he did require the emotional support of bestie Martha Stewart for the equestrian events, as he harbors a slight fear of horses). His joy is real. (As is his paycheck — a reported $500K per day.)

Colin Jost

Most of us don’t have access to professional comedians, but Olympic surfers are probably grateful that NBC does. Their sport got a huge boost in visibility when SNL Weekend Update anchor Colin Jost assumed his position as NBC’s surfing correspondent.

Jost took one for the team and headed to Tahiti, where his reports have largely poked fun at his own ineptitude. After a minor accident involving shallow waters, coral reef, and ants, he claims that he’s visited the medical tent more than any of the athletes (I’ll refrain from further description for the faint-hearted among you).

But as a surfer himself, Jost isn’t just peddling jokes — he has a deep appreciation and understanding of the sport, and he’s making Olympic surfing appointment viewing.

Greyhound Olympics

Instagram and TikTok have been an endless, and endlessly entertaining, source of unofficial Olympic ads and commentary, but I’ll mention just one that’s representative of the style and humor in these homespun Olympic tie-ins.

A greyhound’s ears flop in unison during a walk, and text over the video reads, “My dog could have competed at the Olympics but they cancelled the synchronised ear event.” It hits all the right beats: Shouting out synchronized athletic events, adorable ears, and of course comparing Olympic greatness to a very pointy dog.

Try These At Home:

  • It’s a cliche, but it’s true: Be like Snoop and just be yourself.
  • Comedy can be an effective marketing tool — but it’ll be even more effective if it’s undergirded by knowledge and appreciation for the product you’re marking.
  • Apply Olympic tropes to everyday life.
  • Embrace absurdity. Synchronized ear events would undoubtedly draw a huge fandom.
  • If everything else fails, put your dogs in an ad. (Kidding. Mostly.)

Best Olympic Campaigns of All Times

When I asked friends and HubSpotters what ads they loved from the 2024 Paris Games, there was a clear consensus: They’re just not as good as they used to be. (According to Vox, there’s a reason for that, and it rhymes with shmartificial shmintelligence.)

So just for fun, here’s two gold medalists from the past decade:

Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion: The Luge (2014)

Screencap from ad. Two lugers prepare to begin their race.

Image Source

The Canadian Institute of Diversity and Inclusion ran this ad in support of gay athletes at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It’s a good reminder that serious topics can still be approached with humor.

Visa: Carpool to Rio (2016)

Screencap from ad. Five Olympic athletes in a car on a road trip.

Image Source

Visa’s 2016 Carpool to Rio ad is full of clever details, like the synchronized divers nodding off in unison. This ad stands a little higher on the podium because of its joyous tone — many (most?) slick corporate Olympic ads take a serious view of the athletes’ hard work and the obstacles they’ve overcome.

Marketing Takeaways

Even if you don’t have access to celebrity spokespeople or a corporate budget, there’s still plenty to learn from these ads. The most successful Olympic ads tap into the cultural significance of the Games and find authentic ways to link their product with the best athletes in the world, all without being too overbearing with their product placement. 



Hyperlocal Email Campaigns: Targeting Neighborhood-Level Customers

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Email marketing continues to prove its worth as an excellent option for companies of all sizes to reach their target audiences. In fact, on average, email marketing yields a return on investment or ROI of $38 for each $1 that’s invested.

Everyone knows the importance of local email marketing, but what if you could get even more precise results out of your efforts? Hyperlocal email marketing targets customers at the neighborhood level, making your emails feel much more personal and relevant to each user. 

What is Hyperlocal Email Marketing? 

The process of hyperlocal email marketing involves leveraging detailed data about specific neighborhoods, including community happenings, local news, and demographic insights, to help you create emails that feel personal and relevant. 

Using this degree of precise targeting means that businesses can engage with their local customers on a much deeper level, resulting in higher open and click-through rates. People tend to appreciate receiving information that directly pertains to their daily lives and surroundings, which enhances their connection to the business. 

Ultimately, this leads to stronger community ties and more foot traffic to local stores, benefiting both businesses and their neighborhoods.

The Importance of Hyperlocal Data

Hyperlocal data is all about the specifics of a particular neighborhood and the people that make it up. It includes important details such as local events, community news, and neighborhood demographics, which paint a vivid picture of what’s happening in a small area. 

Unlike broader local data that might cover an entire city or region, hyperlocal data zooms in on the unique characteristics of a neighborhood, making it far more precise and relevant. This kind of data is essential for crafting marketing messages that truly resonate with the people who live there.

Sources of hyperlocal data are varied and often easily accessible and include resources such as:

  • Social media platforms like Nextdoor and Facebook are goldmines for neighborhood-specific information, with residents frequently posting about upcoming events, local issues, and other community news. 
  • Community-oriented blogs and websites, along with local news outlets, also provide a steady stream of hyperlocal content. 
  • Public records websites can offer important demographic insights that help you tailor your marketing efforts even further. 

Collecting Hyperlocal Data for Marketing

Collecting hyperlocal data typically involves getting deeply engaged with the community you want to target. One effective method is subscribing to local newsletters, which often contain updates about events, community news, and other relevant information. 

Attending community meetings is another great way to stay in the loop and get firsthand insights into neighborhood concerns and activities. As mentioned, social media platforms are invaluable, providing a constant stream of local updates and conversations.

There are also several tools and platforms designed to help gather hyperlocal data efficiently. For instance, you can set up Google Alerts to notify you about news and updates related to specific neighborhoods. 

Using Hyperlocal Data to Create Personalized Email Content

To use hyperlocal data effectively in your email marketing, start by gathering detailed information about the neighborhoods your customers live in. From there, try to segment your email lists accordingly so you can send tailored content that speaks directly to their local interests and needs.

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For example, if there’s a popular farmers market every Saturday, you can send an email promoting your store’s special offers that weekend, encouraging customers to stop by before or after their market visit. 

Highlighting community news, like a local school fundraiser or a neighborhood clean-up event, shows that your business is engaged and supportive of local initiatives. You can also address neighborhood-specific concerns or events, such as changes in public transportation routes or upcoming construction projects, and offer solutions or alternatives that might benefit your customers.

Relevance and personalization are important parts of email marketing when it comes to drawing users in and keeping their attention. When customers receive emails that are directly related to their daily lives and immediate surroundings, they’re more likely to pay attention and engage with the content. 

Strategies for Effective Hyperlocal Email Campaigns

Effective hyperlocal email campaigns hinge on several key strategies that enhance relevance and engagement. Things such as subject lines and preheaders are your first chance to grab attention, so try to make them count by emphasizing the local relevance of your message. 

A subject line like “Join Us at the Maple Street Fair!” combined with a preheader such as “Exclusive deals and fun activities this Saturday” can entice recipients to open the email. These elements should clearly convey that the content is pertinent to their neighborhood.

Design and formatting are equally important here, so try to use images of local scenes or events to make the email feel familiar and relevant. Make sure that your emails are easy to read on mobile devices, as many people will be checking their emails on the go. 

The body of the emails themselves don’t have to be mundane updates; you have plenty of room to be expressive and draw your reader’s attention. So, if you’re going to focus on telling a story, whether it’s about a business turnaround you just pulled off or a successful collaboration, make sure that it’s new and exciting. 

Clear calls to action are essential here, so try to guide your readers toward what you want them to do, whether it’s visiting your store, attending an event, or redeeming a special offer. Including personalized touches like using the recipient’s first name and referencing local landmarks or events can further help make the email feel more personal and engaging.

Finally, try to regularly test different aspects of your campaigns, such as subject lines, send times, and content, to determine what works best for your marketing needs.

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Important Tools and Platforms for Hyperlocal Email Marketing

Several tools can enhance your hyperlocal email marketing efforts by helping you manage and execute your email campaigns with the highest levels of precision. 

Certain email marketing software offers geotargeting features, allowing you to segment your audience based on their location. With them, they make sure that your emails are relevant to each neighborhood.

CRM systems are able to integrate local data on the fly to provide essential insights into neighborhood-specific demographics and behaviors. 

These platforms help you adjust your messages to the unique characteristics of each community you’re targeting. Features like automated email scheduling and personalized content recommendations make it easier to deliver timely and engaging emails that resonate with local audiences.

Measuring Campaign Success and Adjusting Your Strategies

Of course, once your campaigns start yielding results, that doesn’t mean the job is done—you must supplement the initial bump in rankings with white-label link-building strategies, as well as site optimization or even a new landing page.

To measure the success of your hyperlocal email campaigns, focus on key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and foot traffic increases. 

Open rates indicate how many recipients are engaging with your subject lines, while click-through rates show how compelling your email content is. Alongside this, tracking foot traffic to your store can help you understand the real-world impact of your campaigns.

Analyze these metrics by comparing them against your goals and previous campaigns. If you notice low open rates, consider revising your subject lines to be more enticing and locally relevant. 

For low click-through rates, focus on improving your content’s relevance and adding clear calls to action. If foot traffic isn’t increasing, reassess the timing and content of your emails so that they align with local events and community interests.

Continuous improvement is essential, so stay responsive to community feedback by regularly soliciting opinions through surveys or direct interactions. You can then use this feedback to refine your campaigns, making them more aligned with your audience’s preferences and needs. 

Targeting Local Customers in New Ways

Connecting with customers at the neighborhood level through hyperlocal email marketing can improve your business’s engagement and presence in the community as a whole. 

Use the insights and strategies shared here to create truly personalized emails that resonate with your community and drive more local foot traffic—take the first step toward more effective and impactful marketing today.



XRP Gearing Up for Its Biggest Breakout Ever, Top Trader Spots Bullish Signs on Monthly Chart

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Steph, a notable trader in the crypto community, has spotted signs on the monthly timeframe on the XRP chart suggesting that the asset is gearing up for a historic run.

The trader disclosed his observation in a recent analysis shared on X, accompanied by XRP’s historical chart. The graph notably depicts that since the last major price spike, the asset’s patterns have been marked by lower highs, forming a nearly seven-year consolidation phase in the shape of a symmetrical triangle.

According to Steph, this formation suggests that XRP has reached a critical decision point, and the next move could be the largest breakout in the asset’s price history. However, he did not provide a specific price target for the potential breakout.

XRP chart on Monthly
XRP chart on Monthly

Notably, Steph is one of several market observers who have recently highlighted a bullish outlook for XRP on the monthly chart.

XRP Potential Breakout Target on Monthly

In his analysis, market watcher Heikin Ashi shared a chart predicting that XRP could experience a breakout that leads to an extraordinary 700X price increase, potentially reaching around $305. 

Ashi outlines several growth phases for XRP, suggesting that the asset could first rise to $1.20. If momentum continues, XRP might then reach $2, paving the way for further increases to $6 and $20 before ultimately reaching the $305 mark.

Other analysts have also issued comparable bullish sentiments about XRP when observing the asset through other market indicators. 

Diminishing Conviction in XRP Prospect

However, market participants are increasingly losing confidence in these bullish observations as the XRP price trajectory underwhelms investors.

One X user expressed frustration with these repeated predictions, responding to Steph’s latest analysis, “How is it that every week for years, people have been saying this and still think it’s gonna happen?”

When Ripple’s court cases with the SEC ended last week, some analysts argued that XRP could leverage the event’s fever to commence the much-awaited uptrend. However, this has yet to occur. While XRP briefly spiked to $0.64 following the event, it now trades at $0.5625.

X user Robert Ferreira responded to Steph’s analysis by pointing out that even with legal clarity and favorable rulings, XRP’s price remains stagnant. He noted that XRP is the most hyped coin in history, yet it remains significantly below its all-time high, stating:

“It’s a big fat, nothing burger. Read the charts any way you want.”

Despite this prevailing pessimistic perspective, enthusiastic XRP supporters remain undeterred about the asset’s prospects.

Disclaimer: This content is informational and should not be considered financial advice. The views expressed in this article may include the author’s personal opinions and do not reflect The Crypto Basic’s opinion. Readers are encouraged to do thorough research before making any investment decisions. The Crypto Basic is not responsible for any financial losses.

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Email marketing design best practices: 11 Tips for non-designers

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Rather listen or watch? You’ve got it! 👇

Email design is critical to an effective email marketing strategy. While the actual information you communicate is important, design elements are just as crucial.

After all, studies show that 90% of the information transmitted to our brains is visual.

So, by incorporating email design best practices, you can leave a lasting impression on subscribers, help them remember and trust your brand, and drive more conversions.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be a professional designer to create beautiful emails!

In fact, in this article, we’ll cover all the most important email marketing design best practices that anyone can apply, regardless of skill level. 

At the end, we’ll show you a few email design tools to help you start sending gorgeous emails in no time.

Why is email marketing design important?

Email marketing design goes beyond the mere aesthetics of your messages. In fact, design plays a crucial role in how recipients perceive your brand identity.

By giving your email design the attention it deserves, you can help build trust with recipients, get them to engage more, and even drive more conversions.

So, let’s take a look at some of the key reasons you should incorporate email design best practices into your marketing strategy.

1. Create a good first impression

If you’ve put in the effort to get users to sign up for your email list, then it’s key to make a good first impression!

WIth good email design, you can capture recipient’s attention and set a positive tone for their interaction with your brand.

A professional-looking design establishes trust from the outset, ensuring recipients feel like they’re getting the value you promised when they signed up for your list.

2. Drive more conversions

By establishing trust with effective email design, recipients will also be more likely to convert into customers.

So, with the right email design, you can help guide your audience towards the action you want them to take, whether that be making a purchase or downloading a resource.

3. Improve readability and engagement

Incorporating email design best practices is also key for improving the readability of your messages. 

For example, the use of subheadings and bullet points, along with visual elements, like images, can help make your emails more engaging.

A report by Litmus found that people spent an average of just nine seconds looking at an email. So, it’s key that those who open your emails are able to understand the information quickly and easily.

Remember, the easier your emails are to read, the more recipients will be engaged. When recipients are more engaged, they’ll be more likely to convert. 

4. Build recognition with a consistent brand image

One more key reason email marketing design is important is that it can help you build a consistent brand identity.

This is crucial to developing both trust and recognition amongst your recipients.

According to an Edelman report, 59% of consumers are more likely to make a purchase from a brand they trust, regardless of the price. Likewise, 67% are more likely to advocate and stay loyal to a brand they trust.

So, to create loyal customers, it’s critical to build a recognizable and reliable brand image. By incorporating email design best practices into your marketing, you can achieve this.

11 Email marketing design best practices

Now that you have a better understanding of why design is so important, let’s look at some email marketing design best practices.

By incorporating these tips into your emails, you’ll be able to send emails that create a recognizable brand identity, build trust with recipients, and improve engagement.

1. Pick the right email design layout

The right email layout can make the difference between a subscriber who takes an action and one who unsubscribes. 

Attention spans are getting shorter, so understanding how people read your emails will help you craft more effective messages.

Knowing where their eyes are likely to go can make your email more readable. Better yet, it can help the reader navigate towards your call to action. 

So, let’s explore a few types of email design layouts to help you do that.

Z-Pattern

The Z-Pattern traces the path of your eyes when reading: left to right; top to bottom.

People will read the first line across, then down and to the left, and back across the right again. When reading in this pattern, it forms a Z-shape.

Z-Pattern email design layout

This email design layout works best when you have a lot of information to communicate. The structure will help your subscribers consume all the information in an easy and logical way.

You’ll often see this type of email follow a pattern where you start with a headline and text on the top left, with an image to the right. Then, the lower left corner will have another image, and across from that will be text. 

This works because:

1. Readers’ eyes are naturally drawn to images. By having the images diagonal from each other, you help subscribers follow an easy-to-read path.

2. It creates a cleaner layout by not having all your text on one side of the email.

An example of a z-pattern email design layoutAn example of a z-pattern email design layout

Inverted Pyramid

The inverted pyramid is a format used for news stories, but it also works well for emails. This structure grabs attention and focuses on the most important parts of your message. 

It’s good for when you have one thing to tell your readers, and a specific call to action you want them to click on. 

Inverted pyramid email design layoutInverted pyramid email design layout

You can use this layout for:

  • Driving subscribers to your website to read an article
  • Collecting sign-ups for an event
  • Encouraging subscribes to purchase a product or service
Inverted pyramid email layout design exampleInverted pyramid email layout design example

F-Pattern

Finally, the Nielsen Norman Group first identified the F-Pattern after studying how people’s eyes read a website.

Similar to the Z-Pattern, a reader consumes content from left to right, and then back to the left. However, instead of reading across the second line, they read less. This pattern continues as readers make their way down the email.

F-pattern email design layoutF-pattern email design layout

This means you should put your most important, attention-grabbing information at the top of your email. 

Then, assume your subscriber is going to skim the rest of your email. Use less text further down in the email, and balance the copy with images on the right.

This email design layout works well when you have a lot of information to communicate. 

You should structure your email with the most important information at the top, and then use bullet points and shorter content further down the email. 

Finally, close with a call to action.

F-pattern email design layout exampleF-pattern email design layout example

2. Choose the right colors

Select colors that reflect your logo and brand. However, be sure there’s enough contrast for easy reading. Remember, clarity is key!

Text that doesn’t have enough contrast against its background is hard to read.

It’s also a best email marketing design practice to incorporate color psychology. To choose complementary colors, check out this chart about the emotional impacts of different colors.

Color email guide cardColor email guide card

Free color palette tools like Coolors can also help you create a professional-grade palette in minutes.

Ultimately, this will ensure your emails are better aligned with your brand identity.

3. Leave some breathing room

Densely packed emails may be hard to read. This is especially true on mobile devices, where 49.7 percent of all email opens occur.

Most people scan emails rather than reading them word by word. So, having ample white space between elements makes your emails easier to scan. Essentially, it keeps them from looking visually overwhelming. 

Leaving extra white space has an additional benefit as well: it challenges you to keep your message brief and to only include the relevant details. 

Remember, brevity and clarity are critical to effective email design.

Here’s a great example from TrueCar.

TrueCar email with elements spaced outTrueCar email with elements spaced out

4. Use text as a design element 

Formatting your emails for skimmers and scanners also helps. The most common formatting elements are: 

  • Subheadings
  • Short paragraphs
  • Bullet points
  • Bolded phrases 

Using visual cues like these will make the most important points of your email easy to find.

Look at this example from Jon Persson of CultMethod. He bolds important elements within the body of his email, while breaking up the copy with bullet points and perfectly-placed headlines. 

Most importantly, each paragraph is short and easy to read.

Email example from CultMethod using text as a design elementEmail example from CultMethod using text as a design element

5. Balance text with images

You should also consider breaking up large chunks of text with visual images. Readers prefer short blurbs of information. So, try incorporating images and lines when possible.

Images help tell the story of what you want to communicate to your subscribers

Just be sure not to overdo it! Instead, follow the 60/40 rule: images should take up no more than 40% of your email.

Spring Training at Fort Myers email balance text with imagesSpring Training at Fort Myers email balance text with images

6. Plan for missing images

Nearly all email services give subscribers the option to hide images. In fact, some even disable images automatically, forcing the user to click a link or press a button to “turn on” images. 

For example, here is how an email with a large hero image appears in Outlook:

missing image example in an emailmissing image example in an email

Since many popular email platforms block images, you should make sure your email is still readable—and your call-to-action is still clickable—when images are turned off.

Rather than using image-based buttons that hide your CTA when images are turned off, try using a “bulletproof button” instead. This technique combines a background color with a regular text link, providing the illusion of a button that users can see when images are on or off.

Most email marketing services, like AWeber, allow you to easily create bulletproof buttons within your email design layout. 

If the images you’re using are an important part of your emails, make sure you add alt text to the image. This is text that describes what the image is about. 

If you’ve ever laid out webpages or worked with WordPress, you may have added alt text to images before.

When you include alt text, subscribers can still understand what you intended to show them, even if they block images.

AWeber platform showing where to add the Image Alt TextAWeber platform showing where to add the Image Alt Text

7. Pick the right typography

As we’ve mentioned already, making your email easy to read is critical, and your typography is a huge part of this.

So, be sure the font you use in your subheadings and body copy are comfortably readable. Common email fonts include Arial or Helvetica, but you’re not limited to these.

Additionally, ensure you’re using a large enough font size. After all, you don’t want your recipients squinting to try to read your email. For example:

This font size is a 12px, and it can be difficult for people to read

This font size is 16px, which is large enough for most of your subscribers to read without zooming in.

8. Use clear links and buttons

You’ll likely include at least one or two links and buttons in your email marketing design. However, it’s important to make sure it’s clear where all of your links lead to.

For example, instead of writing phrases like “click here”, try using more specific labels.

Something like “buy now” or “get your demo” tell the reader exactly what will happen when they click on your link or button.

For example, in this email from Capital One, their button clearly communicates that when you click it, you’ll be able to view the details of their checking account offer.

Capital One email exampleCapital One email example

9. Attract readers’ eyes

We already mentioned that you’ll want to include some visual elements, like images, in your email design. 

However, it can also be a good idea to add in some creative elements, like a GIF, to really grab your readers’ attention.

If you do opt to include a GIF, just be sure it enhances your message and doesn’t distract from what you want to communicate.

Ultimately, though, small creative touches like this can be a great way to grab attention and engage recipients.

10. Include a call to action

If you’re taking the time to build and send an email to your list, it’s key that you direct your subscribers to take some sort of action when they read it.

Calls to action can include anything from:

  • Encouraging subscribers to buy your product or service
  • Directing recipients to download a free resource
  • Getting recipients to sign up for an event or webinar

Ultimately, you want to engage your subscribers so they take the action you want them to take.

So, be sure to include a CTA that clearly communicates the value it can provide recipients, and make sure it stands out.

11. Send a test email

One more critical email marketing design best practice is to test your email before sending it out to your entire list. This will help you ensure there are no formatting errors in your design.

After all, you don’t want to put in all the effort to design your email only to realize it doesn’t look right in subscribers’ email inboxes.

So, be sure to send a test email to your own inbox first. 

Once you’re positive that it looks the way you want it to, then you can send it out to your entire list.

Email design tools to create beautiful emails

You don’t need to start from scratch to create beautiful emails. In fact, there are tons of email marketing tools that make design a breeze.

So, here are several email marketing design tools to help you get started.

1. Canva

Canva is a free graphic design tool that allows you to create and edit any kind of image. 

Better yet, AWeber has a fully-integrated Canva drag-and-drop button. This means you can create your images in Canva and drag them directly into your AWeber email.

Using Canva design element within AWeberUsing Canva design element within AWeber

2. Email templates

Sometimes simply getting started is the hardest part of sending an email. This is where an email template can come in handy. 

When you find the right template, most of the work is done for you. All you need to do is customize it to fit your brand by adding your logo and updating the colors. Then you’re ready to go!

AWeber has hundreds of email marketing and newsletter templates ready for you to customize for your messages. These can save you hours of time every week and let you skip most of the heavy lifting of designing your own emails. 

Here are just a few of the templates available. Each template also has at least three color palettes to choose from.

AWeber email template samplesAWeber email template samples

3. Try an email builder

Finally, online tools like Stripo, BeeFree, and Dyspatch also have templates and drag and drop email design editors. They’re similar to what you’ll find in your email marketing provider’s account, but some email designers prefer these tools. 

You can design an email in any of these tools and then import it into your email provider. 

Engage your subscribers with email marketing design best practices

If you’re not a pro designer, building a professional-looking email may seem a bit intimidating. 

However, by incorporating the email marketing design best practices above, you can start creating beautiful emails in no time.

Remember, good email design is critical to building trust, driving conversions, and establishing your brand identity. So, it’s key that you give your design the attention it needs to be effective.

Of course, if you want a custom-designed email or newsletter, we can help with that, too! AWeber offers both custom email templates and landing page designs. 

Full custom designs are $229, or a modification of an existing template is $29. Click here to learn more about our custom design services.



What the Rich Don’t Do and the Poor Do

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Differences in Financial Behaviors Between Rich and Poor

What differentiates the rich from the poor is not the amount of money each has. The difference between the rich and the poor is the lack of financial knowledge and, consequently, the way of thinking that leads them to address economic problems oppositely.

A rich person may temporarily be without money, but they will have it again. A poor person will never have it enough until they decide to increase their knowledge and change their mindset.

The rich do not spend the money they earn on useless items that lose value and generate additional costs, such as any kind of superfluous thing bought on credit that does not generate profit.

The poor do.

Short-Term Pleasure vs. Long-Term Investments

Yet, the rich buy many more superfluous and luxurious items than the poor and always have more money to spend on these things to enjoy the life they deserve. How is this possible?

The basic reason is simple.

For example, we have two friends: Gino Poor and Pino Rich.

Both find themselves with only $19.90 available.

Gino Poor says: “What do I do with $19.90? I’ll indulge in some personal pleasures like a pizza and a pack of cigarettes.

Pino Rich says: “I will use this $19.90 to start my online business and produce money to spend on personal pleasures like a pizza and an educational book every month.”

The Importance of Asset Building

Result:

Gino ends up with zero money every month.

Gino $19.90 – Pizza and cigarettes $19.90 = Gino $0

Pino, on the other hand, grows his asset column each month (an asset is anything that can generate income, including one’s financial education) by adding value to his asset.

Pino $19.90 – Advertising $19.90 = Profit $30 – Advertising Cost $19.90 = $10.10 Net profit

Moreover, Pino’s asset column has grown by $19.90.

The following month, the same behavior repeats:

Gino Poor spends $19.90 on pizza and cigarettes and ends up with zero money.

Pino Rich could even do nothing. Instead, he decides to invest $19.90 in advertising for his online business again, increasing his asset column and cash flow at the same time.

Month after month, Pino Rich continues to increase the value of his assets column, which automatically generates a growing cash flow month after month, which allows him at the same time to continue to invest more and more in income-generating assets and spend more and more on superfluous and luxurious things, using the proceeds generated by his assets, avoiding to use his capital, which remains intact.

Achieving Wealth Through Financial Education And Rapid Decisions.

Now, the question might be: “What business could Pino Rich have ever started with $19.90 only?”

Simple 😉: he opened his Online Clubshop Mall FOR FREE and invested $19.90 exclusively in advertising to get his first customers and affiliates to whom Clubshop offers the same opportunity exploited by Pino himself.

In this way, the advertising budget for Pino Rich’s shopping center can grow infinitely, thanks to the powerful strength of the entire Clubshop fe-commerce movement where with only $19.90, everyone can contribute to growing advertising campaigns that can continue to generate new customers and affiliates for everyone over the course of weeks, months, and years in an endless cycle that renews itself.

Pino, like his entire team that has gradually formed, can decide whether to reinvest or not another $19.90 every month or whenever he wants to accelerate the process of building the global market for his shopping center.

Today, Pino Rich already finds himself with a market of 10,000 people that continues to expand worldwide. These people generate, on average, $1 commission per month to Pino, thanks to the regular shopping that they do in the shopping center to earn cashback and save.

Moreover, Pino Rich has earned about $100,000 thanks to the commissions derived from the advertising packages bought by the same people in his market.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Except Gino. He still has difficulty buying his pizza and cigarettes.

🫵😊 Which character do you feel closer to? Gino or Pino?

If you’re more Pino than Gino, get your $19.90 JumpStart Advertising Pack here now.

Fabrizio Perotti

XRP surges by 22.68% as trading volume soars

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  • XRP surged by 22.68% over the past seven days as its trading volume soared by 46.55%.
  • Despite these recent gains, the overall market trend remained bearish.

Recently, Ripple [XRP] experienced a considerable decline, falling from a high of $0.6480. After the market recovery from the crash and Ripple’s settlement with the SEC, XRP’s prices surged.

However, it has struggled to maintain recent gains, thus continuing with the previous bearish momentum.

Despite XRP’s failure to maintain the gains, analysts are betting on its prospects. Inasmuch, Ledger Man predicted a further surge to a record high, noting that,

“XRP could potentially surge from $1 to $10 or even beyond, driven by the anticipation surrounding the XRP ETF, #Ripple stablecoin, and after paying the $125 million fine.”

However, as it stood, AMBCrypto’s analysis showed that the altcoin was experiencing a strong bearish trend, with recent losses outweighing recent gains.

What XRP’s price charts indicate

As of this writing, XRP was trading at $0.5744 after a 22.68% increase over the last seven days. Equally, the altcoin has surged over the past month by 12.60%.

XRP’s trading volume, in the last 24 hours, has also surged by 46.55% to $1.4 billion.

Source: TradingView

However, despite these gains, the overall market sentiment was bearish. Looking at CMF, it was -0.03 at press time. This suggests there is more selling than buying pressure, creating a bearish sentiment with dominant sellers.

Also, the RVGI was below zero, indicating the prices are closes with higher lows than opening prices. This further proved that selling pressure was dominant and the market is experiencing a strong downward trend.

Source: TradingView

XRP’s DMI and Aroon lines further proved that the downward momentum was strong. The DMI’s positive index at 22.38 was below the negative index at 22.43.

Also, the Aroon Down was at 50%, above the Aroon Up at 14.29%. This showed that XRP was experiencing a sustained downtrend momentum.

Source: Coinglass

Looking further, AMBCrypto’s analysis of Coinglass showed that XRP’s Open Interest had declined from $691 million to $578 million. This suggested that investors were closing positions without opening new ones.

Source: Coinglass

Finally, XRP’s netflow has been negative over the past month. This showed that investors lacked confidence in the altcoin, thus selling their positions as they moved assets to exchanges to sell.

XRP retests key support level

In less than two weeks, XRP has declined from a high of $0.653. The altcoin has failed to maintain the momentum above $0.6 despite the recent gains. At press time, XRP was facing resistance around $0.61.


Realistic or not, here’s XRP market cap in BTC’s terms


If the daily candlestick closes above the $0.580 support level, it can rebound toward the next resistance level, around $0.6.

However, if it fails to hold close above $0.58, it will decline to critical support around $0.55 with a breach below this level further pushing the altcoin to $0.52.

Re-engagement email examples: How to win back subscribers

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Have you noticed a significant number of your email list subscribers are no longer interacting with your content or following your calls to action? Then it may be time to start a re-engagement email campaign!

This can be a super effective email marketing strategy for winning back inactive subscribers. 

After all, one study indicates that the average email list decay rate, which is the percentage of subscribers who become inactive, is between 22% and 30% per year.

This means that, unless you’re cleaning your email list regularly, you’re likely sending a lot of messages into the void, never to be seen again.

However, with re-engagement emails, you can start winning back some of those inactive subscribers. To be successful, though, you’ll need to keep some best practices in mind.

So, in this article, we’ll explore how to write win-back emails. We’ll also provide examples of some effective re-engagement email campaign strategies, from one-off surveys and free resources to entire email sequences.

What is a re-engagement email?

A re-engagement email, also called a “win-back email”, is a message you send to subscribers who have become inactive. 

These emails aim to rekindle the interest of people who have not made a purchase or interacted with your brand for a while.

Re-engagement email campaigns are a great strategy for sparking the interest of inactive subscribers before removing them from your mailing list. After all, emailing unresponsive subscribers with messages isn’t helping them or your business.

Before saying goodbye, however, a win-back email offers one final opportunity to reconnect and rebuild your customer relationship.

Ultimately, your goal is to re-establish a connection with those who seem to have lost interest in your products, services, or content.

Here is an example re-engagement email from the newsletter pros at Marketing Brew. While the three-week inactivity timeline is pretty tight by most industry standards, they do a great job of ensuring their list is truly engaged with their content.

This way, they keep their email list clean, and ensure most of their messages aren’t getting lost in recipients’ spam folders.

How effective are re-engagement emails?

While re-engagement email campaigns are a great way to win back subscribers, you can’t expect every inactive subscriber to become active again.

Most email win-back campaigns have a success rate of 14% up to 29% in the best-case scenario. 

Several email marketing studies have found that sending a series of emails may be more effective than sending just a single email. A re-engagement sequence of three emails appears to be the sweet spot. 

One recent study found that several different tactics will work, but no one tactic significantly outperformed the others.

Later on, we’ll discuss how each of the methods below work, as well as provide a few additional examples. We’ll also tell you how to set up an effective re-engagement email sequence.

Remember though, the method that works best for your business depends on the needs and interests of your unique audience.

How create a re-engagement email

The goal of your re-engagement email campaign is to get people interested in your emails again. 

So, every element of your email – the subject line, the content, and the call-to-action – needs to support that goal.

Re-Engagement email subject lines

For re-engagement email subject lines, the best ones specifically reference your goal: to win back your subscribers!

Here is an example of an email from Tomasz Borys at Kissmetrics:

Reengagement email subject line exampleReengagement email subject line example

You can also take a more personal approach, like this email from Threadless:

Reengagement email subject line exampleReengagement email subject line example

Both subject lines work well. However, they each grab the reader’s attention in different ways.

A simple “We miss you!” lets the subscriber know that you appreciate their readership. It also feels more conversational. 

On the flip side, “Do you still want updates from us?” is direct and inquisitive. It tells the subscriber that you care about their time and want to make sure they get something out of the relationship.

For more inspiration, consider reviewing your past emails to see what’s working for your specific audience. Look for common themes like subject line length and tone to see what tends to work best for your target audience.

You can also try using personalization, like including your subscribers’ first names in the subject line. It’s no secret that personalization helps you connect with your subscribers and stand out a little more in the inbox. 

For example, the email from Threadless could have gone one step further by saying, “We miss you, Sam!”

Since these details depend on what your audience responds to, try testing different variations and find that sweet spot.

Re-engagement email content

Most re-engagement emails’ content is short – generally just two or three paragraphs. All you need to do is to make the purpose of your email clear: “Do you still want to get emails from us?”

Then, you might consider explaining the value your emails provide. 

Remember, these are people who signed up to receive messages from you but at some point stopped reading. 

They wanted to hear from you before, so how can you get them re-interested in what you have to say? 

Ask yourself a few questions:

  • What did my subscribers sign up to receive originally?
  • Am I continuing to send them content based on their original expectations?
  • Did I change anything in my email strategy that might have caused them to stop engaging with my content?
  • What can I offer to pique their interest again?

Once you have those answers in mind, it’s time to start writing your email.

Here’s an example of a re-engagement email we sent to our inactive blog newsletter subscribers:

Re-engagement email example from AWeberRe-engagement email example from AWeber

The format is simple, and it makes a good template for any re-engagement email:

  • You haven’t opened any emails from us in a while
  • We want to make sure you’re still interested
  • Click this button to stay on the list
  • Here’s what you can expect if you remain on the list

That’s all you have to say in a re-engagement email–just one sentence and a few bullet points. After all, the shorter your email is, the more likely people are to read it and click the button.

Getting inactive subscribers up to speed might also help get them re-interested in your content. So, consider adding a short bulleted list of your recent “greatest hits,” such as:

  • Products
  • Content
  • Promotions

Re-engagement email incentives

Speaking of promotions, offering an incentive, like a white paper or coupon code, might also help you re-engage subscribers. 

If you hooked them onto your list with a piece of content in the past, consider how you might be able to repeat that success during your re-engagement email campaign.

Check out this example from Paperworks, a stationary and premium paper provider:

re-engagement email with a discount offerre-engagement email with a discount offer

Offering a special discount is a great way to get subscribers interested in your emails again. 

Not only are you giving your subscribers something in exchange for their time and attention, but you might even get another sale out of it as well.

Re-engagement email feedback

To help you learn more about why subscribers grew disinterested in your content, asking them for specific feedback could help fill in the gaps. For example:

  • Was there something you could have done better for these subscribers? 
  • What made them stop engaging in the first place?

Asking these questions directly can help you figure out exactly where you can improve your email marketing strategy.

Additionally, if you make a subscriber feel like their opinion is truly valued, they may want to stick around. Plus, this will give you valuable insight into their needs that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.

As you get feedback and notice common themes, you can implement their suggestions in the future.

Re-engagement email call to action

The whole point of your email is to prompt subscribers to take an action, so make sure your emails have a call to action that is bold and clear.

Generally, you’ll want to limit yourself to one call to action in order to increase your click-through rate. However, there are exceptions to this rule.

Ultimately, your CTA should make it easy for recipients to:

  • Stay on or opt out of your list
  • Learn more about a product or service
  • Download an incentive

For example, check out this email and CTA from Grammarly:

re-engagement email example from Grammarlyre-engagement email example from Grammarly

While having one call to action is the classic approach, some re-engagement emails examples also include an unsubscribe link. 

For instance, take a look at this email from a PEW, a non-profit organization:

win-back email example from Pewwin-back email example from Pew

Finally, some re-engagement emails even let subscribers choose to get emails less often, like the example below.

re-engagement email example from Marie Forleore-engagement email example from Marie Forleo

7 Re-engagement email examples

Now that you’ve got a good idea of what goes into an effective win-back email, let’s look at some re-engagement email examples.

The following ideas are great ways to get customers interested in your brand again.

1. Surveys

If your subscribers aren’t responding to what you’ve been sending, try asking them what they would like to get from you. After all, this can help you better understand your audience’s interests and preferences. 

For example, you might send a re-engagement email with the subject line “We miss you! Tell us how we can improve.” Then, for your call to action, include a link to a brief survey. Consider asking questions about:

  • Their favorite types of content
  • Products they’re interested in
  • How often they’d like to hear from you

Ultimately, this feedback can help guide your future email marketing campaigns, as well as show subscribers you value their opinions.

Survey email from PNC BankSurvey email from PNC Bank

2. Coupons and discounts

If you’re in ecommerce, the classic way to win back inactive customers is to send them a juicy discount coupon. 

Consider making this a dollar off discount rather than a percent off discount. One study of win-back campaigns found that dollar off discounts activated more subscribers.

For instance, you could send an email with the subject line “We miss you! Here’s $10 off your next purchase.” 

Then, in the content of your email, be sure to include your discount code and a call to action directing subscribers to your store.

You might also think about highlighting new or popular products to entice them even more.

Subject line from Uber EatsSubject line from Uber Eats
Email from Uber Eats with promotional 40% offEmail from Uber Eats with promotional 40% off

3. New products and services announcements

Announcements are ideal emails to send out if you haven’t mailed to your list in a few months. They’re a great opportunity to let recipients know about new products or services you’re offering.

For example, consider sending a re-engagement email with the subject line “Check out our new arrivals!” 

Then, in your email content, be sure to showcase your latest and greatest products with high-quality images, and include a CTA to your online store.

By showing off your most recent arrivals, you can recapture the interest of customers who’ve grown tired of your old line of products.

Email subject line from Guitar StudioEmail subject line from Guitar Studio
Email example promoting new products from Guitar CenterEmail example promoting new products from Guitar Center

4. Free resources

Free resources are also excellent to send if you haven’t emailed your list in awhile. 

A high-value digital resource, like an ebook or a course, can be a great way to demonstrate that it’s worth their time to be on your list. 

For instance, consider using the re-engagement email subject line “Exclusive free ebook just for you!” and provide a link to the download.

You should also be sure to highlight the value recipients will gain from the resource, reinforcing the value they’ll get if they remain active subscribers.

Reengagement email subject line example from ZapierReengagement email subject line example from Zapier
Reengagement email with win back using free resourcesReengagement email with win back using free resources

5. Customer testimonials

You can use customer testimonials with other types of content mentioned above. For instance, share a few testimonials about a new service you have.

Think about using a subject line like “See what others are saying about our new service!” and include direct quotes from customers.

This strategy can be especially effective in combination with some of the others listed above. 

For example, including testimonials with a new service announcement or special discount can build trust and credibility while encouraging inactive subscribers to re-engage.

Reengagement subject line example from Phi Kappa PhiReengagement subject line example from Phi Kappa Phi
Reengagement email example from Phi Kappa PhiReengagement email example from Phi Kappa Phi

6. Limited time offers

Another great way to win back subscribers is by inducing a sense of urgency in your emails. 

For instance, you might offer a limited-time discount or promotion to encourage recipients to take action quickly.

Consider using a subject line like “Limited time offer! $10 off just for you,” and include a countdown timer or specific end-date.

By inducing a sense of urgency, you can get customers to take action quickly.

Reengagement subject line example from BabbelReengagement subject line example from Babbel
Reengagement email from BabbelReengagement email from Babbel

7. Resubscription Offers

 Re-subscription offers can be a great incentive to get subscribers interested in your product or service again.

For instance, you might use the re-engagement email subject line, “We want you back! Enjoy 30 days of free premium access.” 

Then, include a CTA to your sign-up page where customers can try out your platform again for a limited time for free.

If your product or service is delivering the value the customer desires, there’s a good chance they’ll stick around after the free trial is over.

Reengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedInReengagement email subject line from LinkedIn
Reengagement email example from LinkedInReengagement email example from LinkedIn

Re-engagement email campaign sequences

All email lists are different, so what works best in one situation may not work so well in another. One message might do the trick, but you could be more effective by sending two or three emails to warm people up and get them re-activated.

Since these subscribers are already less engaged, aim to keep your campaign short. Send an email, wait a few days, and see who’s interacted with your content.

If they’ve clicked through to your content or stated they want to remain on your email list, then great! They can stay on your list and continue to get your awesome emails.

Here are two re-engagement email examples that were sent a few days apart.

This is the first one. Notice how short it is?

re-engagement email example from Tara Read - 1re-engagement email example from Tara Read - 1

 And here’s the next one, sent two days later:

win-back email example from Tara Read - 2win-back email example from Tara Read - 2

The sequence of emails above is concise, and also respectful. Ultimately, even if subscribers opt not to re-engage, it’s important to consider what they want.

This way, if they develop interest in your products or services at a later date, you haven’t burned any bridges.

Start winning back subscribers with a re-engagement email campaign

If you take the time to craft a re-engagement email campaign, there’s a good chance you can win back some subscribers.

However, if some recipients haven’t responded, it may be time to say goodbye. And that’s perfectly ok!

You’ve done what you can to win them back, but if they don’t want to receive your emails, it’s better to let them go. Not only will they appreciate a cleaner inbox, but it’ll also help boost your email deliverability. 

Ultimately, this will improve your email marketing in the long run.

Now, we know that sometimes it can be really hard to write your emails. That’s why we created our What to Write in Your Emails guide and course, complete with 45+ email templates. It will save you hours of work every month.

How do you plan on running a re-engagement campaign of your own? Leave a comment below to share your ideas. 

Or, if you already have an AWeber account, watch this video to see exactly how to create and send your own re-engagement emails!

Re-engagement email FAQs

When should you send a re-engagement email?

Many marketing experts recommend that you wait at least three to six months after a subscriber becomes inactive to send a re-engagement email.

However, the proper amount of time can depend on your specific audience.

For example, if your content is time-sensitive or encourages frequent interaction, one to two months may be a better timeline.

You may even consider starting a win-back email campaign during other times. 

For example, if you’re planning a major list cleanup, updating your product or service offerings, or notice declining engagement rates, you might want to consider sending re-engagement emails.

Ultimately, it’s key to think about the behavior and preferences of your unique subscribers, and align them with your business goals.

How many emails should you send in a re-engagement campaign?

As we mentioned earlier, there’s no perfect number of messages to send in a re-engagement email campaign. 

What works best for your business depends on the preferences of your specific audience.

While sending just one email may be best for some brands, other brands may want to design a sequence of two, three, or even four emails.

So, be sure to test out some different strategies with different segments of your audience. This will help you understand how you can best win back your subscribers.