“Email is Easy Money” and Other Email Marketing Myths
Is Your Email Service Provider Lying to You?
Let's talk about one of the most common email marketing myths: the idea that email is a breeze. You've probably heard it before – those tantalizing promises from email service providers that make it sound like all you need to do is set up a couple of automations, hit send, and watch the cash roll in. Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that's because it usually is.
Sure, email is powerful and can be one of the strongest marketing channels in terms of ROI. But, it still takes effort. We're going to peel back all those shiny layers on the myth that "email is easy" and reveal the reality behind those enticing claims.
IN THIS POST:
We'll take a look at some of the common claims by email platforms and why buying into them can lead to disappointment and lackluster results—plus, what it takes to succeed in the email channel so your results can start to match your expectations!
Real-World Examples: Busting Email Marketing Myths
First, let’s take a look at some real-world examples of how email service providers reel in small business owners with their attractive claims and big promises. These companies often present a curated version of reality that obscures the true complexities of effective email marketing and can set up small business owners for unrealistic expectations and a frustrating lack of return.
Mailchimp’s Email $$ Made in the Shade 
Mailchimp has been known to roll out fun campaigns that are all about simplicity and ease. Take this video ad, for example, where a small business owner is entertainingly depicted using their customer journey builder poolside.
The ad shows how, after using their tool, he is now able to focus on other aspects of his business while his automated email campaigns work their magic in the background. The narrator then enthusiastically plugs how the tool has helped "businesses like his" achieve four times more orders, further highlighting the notion of effortless success.
While everything they present in the video may be true, it's essential to recognize the over-simplification involved. The upbeat tone might make it seem like achieving success with email marketing is as easy as pressing a few buttons, but the reality can be more complicated.
Like any company, they'll want to highlight the highest provable stat here—meaning that 'up to' 141% more revenue might have only happened once and be far from the average expected performance.
"Write and design less. Send more." In the email channel where meaningful and deeply personalized, relevant content is attributed for sales time and again, is this moving in the right direction for small business email strategy?
"7x more orders with automated journeys"....compared to what other types of sends? And using what type of attribution (ie, to get these results, do businesses need to spend 8x more on paid ads and subscriber acquisition?)
Constant Contact's Captivating Emails—Easy as 1, 2, 3 
In the next example, Constant Contact entices potential users with a tempting promise on their website: "Turn your website into an email in 3 easy steps."
This catchy slogan suggests that with just a few clicks, you can effortlessly transform your website's branding elements into a stunning email campaign using their design studio. While these claims aren't necessarily untrue, our experience has shown that the reality often falls short of the lofty promises—especially if, like many small businesses, you've been needing to make updates to your website for a while but are swamped with other day-to-day tasks that keep taking priority...
In practice, auto-builders like the one offered by Constant Contact may deliver so-so results that require more time and effort to refine than initially implied. While it's true that these tools can streamline the email design process to some extent, achieving truly polished and effective on-brand results typically requires more hands-on attention and customization than the three-step process suggests.
It's a classic case of trying to make something look insanely easy when, in reality, some effort and tinkering are needed to achieve the desired outcome. As with any marketing tool or platform, it's important to approach these claims with a healthy dose of skepticism and a realistic understanding of the work involved in achieving professional-quality results.
Klaviyo’s Killer Testimonials—What Can Your Brand Expect? 
Our last real-world example is from Klaviyo, which showcases a series of compelling testimonials on its website, each highlighting a brand's remarkable success using its platform. While case studies and real-life experiences can be valuable for establishing credibility and trust, they should also be examined with a critical eye.
Even if results highlighted by testimonials are genuine, it’s important to understand that they often represent the exception rather than the rule.
The reality is that most businesses will not experience the same level of results as those highlighted in testimonials. Factors such as industry dynamics, target audience demographics, and unique business circumstances can significantly impact the effectiveness of email marketing efforts.
Rather than viewing these testimonials as guarantees of success, they should be regarded as anecdotal evidence of what is possible with the right tools and strategies in place.
Look Behind the Curtain of Email Marketing 👀
If you've ever found yourself drawn in by the allure of email marketing platforms promising effortless success, or if you've experienced the frustration of your own email campaigns consistently falling short of expectations, it's time to take a closer look behind the curtain.
These platforms are experts at painting a picture of email marketing as a breeze, enticing users with the illusion of zero effort (especially now, with AI-everything-advertised-everywhere) and instant, revenue-rich results. They showcase the most jaw-dropping success stories while conveniently glossing over the many other factors contributing to such outcomes (for example, that the success stories they feature are from brands with dedicated email marketing teams—not 1-person or small businesses where each team member wears lots of hats).
And let's not forget—when you see these super-compelling ads and success stories, the objective of those is to get you to sign up for their platform, not necessarily to help you achieve the same results. Platforms may be looking at short-term sales more than long-term customer success and retention with these campaigns.
Sure, the better your email performance, the more likely you are to stay as a platform subscriber—but factors like sunk cost fallacy and the difficulty of switching platforms (real or perceived*) may keep most people on whatever platform they first sign up with for years to come.
*Are you on the right email platform for your business? It may be easier to switch platforms than you think—book a free 30-min call with our team if you need to switch and want a more in-depth look at what's involved in that!
Achieving significant results in email marketing requires more than just clicking a few buttons.
It's an involved process that requires time, effort, and a willingness to adapt and refine strategies over time. So, before you buy into the myth of easy money, remember that success rarely comes without effort.
Ready to dive deeper into the world of email marketing?
Check out our comprehensive guide, Understanding Email: A Survival Guide for Small Business Owners. In it, we shed light on the email channel, covering everything from its evolution to its strengths and weaknesses, and share some best practices to help you leverage the channel effectively.
The Myth of Set-and-Forget: Email Requires Ongoing Attention
Contrary to the set-it-and-forget-it mentality advertised by email service providers, email marketing is an evolving process that demands ongoing attention. Let’s look at some of the essential aspects of managing an effective email marketing strategy.
1. Choosing the Right Platform
The first step is selecting the right platform for your needs. This is definitely easier said than done. With so many options available, all claiming to be the best, it can get overwhelming really quickly.
HINT: Start by looking at key integrations for the best fit. Do you have an e-commerce store? The email platform will need access to the date of the sale and other customer/purchase information. Are you selling courses? You’ll want an email platform that is compatible with your learning software to keep students engaged through the course. Narrow down your platform options by researching the most important features for your business.
2. Growing Your Email List
Sending emails alone isn’t enough if you don’t have the right people to send them to! Crafting a solid plan for growing your email list is crucial to the success of your email marketing efforts. Focus on attracting high-quality subscribers who are genuinely interested in your offerings.
3. Platform Setup
Setting up your email platform is a one-time task (except in cases of migration), but it's a crucial foundation for success. From deciding what data to collect, such as birthdays or preferences, to building automations and workflows like welcome emails and order confirmations, attention to detail during setup sets the stage for effective email marketing campaigns.
HINT: Flows, transactional, and lifecycle emails should be reviewed annually, at a minimum. Look for things like broken links, content that needs updating, and product availability. It’s easy to forget what these emails contain when you don’t have eyes on them frequently.
4. Continual Optimization
Once your email marketing system is up and running, the work is far from over. Regular maintenance and optimization are essential for maximizing performance and staying ahead of the curve. This includes:
- Monitoring and refining automations, workflows, and transactional emails
- Sending campaigns regularly to establish a routine in subscribers' inboxes
- Creating on-brand email designs to build brand trust
- A/B testing various elements of your emails to identify what resonates best with your audience
- Building segments and deciding what to send, to whom, and why (HINT: Don’t miss our crash course on how to send good marketing emails!)
- Practicing good list hygiene to maintain deliverability and engagement
- Tracking performance metrics over time to gauge effectiveness and identify areas for improvement
And if this isn’t enough to keep you busy, it’s also important to stay current on inbox trends and new requirements—everything from laws around spam to inbox provider requirements like DKIM authentication and DMARC records.
You might be wondering, if you’ve done the work and created an email strategy that’s delivering excellent results, why do the latest trends matter? While you don’t need to completely overhaul your strategy for every new trendy idea, you might just gain a few tips that can help you stay relevant and improve your deliverability and engagement. It all goes back to continual optimization.
» Interested in what’s new for 2024? Check out this great read: 7 Up-and-Coming Email Marketing Trends in 2024
In addition to trends, staying up to date on the ever-changing email requirements and regulations can help make sure you stay in compliance. Even if you put in all the work to create fantastic marketing emails, they won’t do any good if they land in your subscribers’ spam folders.
Here’s the Truth: Email is NOT Easy
If you're not doing all this, don't panic—honestly, it's a lot, and we wish email service providers did a better job representing that. While email is a powerful tool, nothing comes for free. However, we firmly believe that small business owners are totally capable of learning and implementing these strategies. It's not rocket science; it's email science.
It comes down to time—there's often not enough time to tend to all the details, and as a result, email doesn't get the attention it needs to thrive.
That's where we can help. Whether you need assistance with platform selection, campaign optimization, or staying abreast of industry trends, our team can help support you every step of the way.
Don't Let Email Marketing Overwhelm You.
If you're tired of email continually falling short of your expectations or just running out of time to send good emails, we can help you unlock its full potential for your business.
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation and tell us what your biggest disappointment is with email right now.
More Email Marketing Myths, Uncovered 🔍
Interested in discovering more email marketing myths? Check out this round-up of articles from industry experts that provide extra insight into the deceptive tactics used by some email marketing platforms.
- Warning: 6 Lies Your Email Marketing Platform Is Telling You by Email Marketing Heroes
- 9 Email Marketing lies / shit by BirdSend
- The Biggest Lie in Email Marketing by Speak
- Is Your Email Marketing Platform Lying to You? by Tim Langley on LinkedIn
These offer valuable perspectives to help you gain clarity and confidence in developing your email marketing strategy. Give them a read to arm yourself with knowledge and stay ahead of the curve.
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