The difference between a "good enough" email strategy and a "We never thought this email marketing revenue is possible" one

A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to London for a couple of meetings and an IRL, special B Corp Month version of my monthly ethical email roundtable.

During that work trip, I decided to stay at a hostel that only accepts women as guests. 

And while my lil’ feminist heart was delighted to see it as an accommodation option, I was also skeptical. 

“Aside from it being super specific about their target audience”, I thought to myself, “how is this place different from its competitors? Or dare I say… better?”.

I’ll tell you how.

It’s in the way the owners of this place designed the experience specifically for their guests:

1. There’s someone at the reception 24/7. During the day, there are only women sitting at the desk. During the night, however, the receptionists are men. Even as a strong, independent woman of the 21st century, I liked that decision - it made me feel more welcomed during the day and safer during the night.

2. Every bunk bed has a curtain to give you a greater sense of privacy. If you’ve ever experienced something like that at a hostel, regardless of your gender, you know that this is a nice touch.

3. The indoor temperature is intentionally set for 25ºC (77ºF), which I've noticed, and is higher than other places. Women regulate heat differently to men, so the attention to this detail is no less than remarkable to me.

4. The moment you walk in, you see a big, communal table, which is perfect for spending time together and building relationships. It’s scientifically proven that good female friendships are the key for healthier, happier, longer lives. What’s a better way to ensure your guests’ happiness than giving them the right space to create and nurture such relationships?

5. During checking in, you’re also introduced to the carefully-curated events calendar. When I arrived on Tuesday night, tired and slightly dehydrated, I was encouraged to sign up for the free communal tacos dinner. If you know anything about me, you know that one of the quickest ways to my heart is through my stomach. It was the loveliest, most unusual welcome experience I had at a hostel to date. 

... And I haven't even mentioned half of the details that made this experience a carefully thought-out one!

A close-enough depiction of the hostel I stayed at in London

Why am I telling you this today, you must be wondering?

Well, because it is all about the small details and thinking of your customer/guest/subscriber in the way that they’d like to be treated.

It’s about going the extra mile where others may only do the bare minimum.

1. If we know that at any given moment only 5% of your subscribers are ready to buy, how do you make the remaining 95% feel safe to engage with your emails?

2. How do you personalize the experience for your subscribers, to make them feel that their inbox experience isn’t a 1:many, but more like a 1:1?

3. What can you add to your subscribers’ experience with you to make them feel extra special, and at which point?

4. If the inbox experience is more about the 1:1 communication, and your audience craves more, how can you take that experience out of the inbox and create a community?

5. You rarely get a second chance to make a first impression - how do you make sure that yours actually stands out and gives your subscribers an exceptional, warm welcome?

On paper, your brand might target a highly-specific audience (which is great!)...

But can you wholeheartedly say that your email experience is as tailored to what your subscribers want and need from you? Or is it more of a “we know that we need to send emails so we just put a few things together and that’ll do…” sort of an experience?

That’s the difference between an email marketing strategy that sees some results, and one that has a ridiculously high ROI, builds customer loyalty and advocacy, and has strong retention rates. 

Give it some thought.

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What now?

1. This piece was originally shared as a newsletter to my email list.

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