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title: Edition 38
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Plus in this edition: Preference centres are DEAD, the WORST email ever, word association and much, much more  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­    ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏  ͏ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­  

| > View all past editions here If this email looks weird click here In this edition: → Don't A/B test your emails - do this → WORST attempt at email innovation I've seen (scroll to video verdicts) → Preference centres are DEAD (scroll) → Word association matters in email (scroll) Mother day opt out emails are getting some HEAT, what do you think you?   🎙️ I was on Validity's podcast talking about why email marketing best practice is RUBBISH, what metrics to track (not opens) and the testing you MUST do. Listen here →   🚨 Deliverability Masterclasses are changing The live versions are coming to an end (apart from today + the one in a few weeks). They’re being rebuilt into on-demand training, deeper content, more structure and accessible to all (last live sessions are here).   Also… I’m mid new website & rebrand - send help because I can't cope - but 10 points if you guess my new brand colours 👀 Don't A/B test your emails What to do instead  Please stop A/B testing your subject lines - PLEASE Why? Well, what you test and how you measure it is fundamentally flawed.   When you A/B test subject lines or the placement of your CTA (anything like that), you are not controlling: What else was in their inbox How many similar emails landed that day Their emotional state How they already perceive your brand Whether they’ve subconsciously decided you’re skippable There are TOO many external variables that impact your results     Instead of: “Emoji vs no emoji”   Test: Behaviour-triggered vs calendar-based emails Intent-based segmentation vs entire list sends 10-minute abandoned basket vs 1-hour delay Excluding recent purchasers vs blasting everyone Reducing cadence by 20% and measuring long-term lift Let those tests run for months    Measure REAL outcomes    If you want the full breakdown (and why most email A/B tests can’t actually be validated), read the full piece below. Don't trust the A/B tests → From the Vault A blog a day keeps the spam filter away  ⌚ 7 min read: → What Email Deliverability Actually Is (And the 3 Metrics That Really Matter) ⌚ 5 min read: → The Missing Layer in Your Email Strategy ⌚ 6 min read: → Email Welcome Flows Are Dead and Orientation Flows Are In How AI is changing Email Marketing Are you ready?  From agentic AI, to generative AI - find out what's coming and if you need to jump on that train.  AI & Email → From the Queen’s Court Voiceover video verdicts  WORST attempt at email innovation I've seen Hear the verdict How word association plays a part in your emails Hear the verdict The Inbox Drop Preference centres are DEAD Every, single preference centre I have seen doesn't work   They really own solve your problem, not the subscribers    Let's dig into why: 1) Most sign-ups are consequential, not intentional Most people join your list because they bought something, downloaded something, or requested something.   Email opt in was a by-product.   That is not the moment to ask them to give you topic preferences.    Their answer reflects right now, not long-term need. 2) By the time someone clicks unsubscribe… it’s over   People only get to preference centres through clicking the unsubscribe or manage preferences options at the bottom of your email    The decision has already been made to opt out, not update preferences    That’s an exit moment - so it's pretty pointless  3) People do not manage inbox relationships   We like to think subscribers will: Update preferences Adjust topics Revisit settings   Majorty won’t, they scroll, they glance, they delete   Preference centres assume attention that doesn’t exist   There are two more in this latest piece (over segmentation by preferences and signals are stronger than selections) - read it all below.  LEARN: Preference Centres → Quick win for you Word association matters Most people already have a mental shortcut for your brand or business when it pops up in their inbox    And that shortcut shapes whether they: Open Ignore Trust Or feel confused If your subject line uses language that doesn’t match what people associate with you, you create friction   Example: If a brand known for transport suddenly leads with “Balloons” or “Fun” - your brain goes:   “Wait… what?”   Curiosity might get the open, but if the email doesn’t resolve that gap? Trust erodes   It’s about alignment in your emails, always    The 30-Second Test Before you send your next campaign, ask:   What 3 words do people most associate with our brand? Does this subject line reinforce those associations or fight them? If someone saw this without our logo, would they recognise it’s us?   Your emails build associations in someones brain - remember that in ALL your marketing  Plug of the week  Training budget to spend? I run: 1:1 strategy sessions Team training days Deliverability & email workshops Online programmes  Get in touch → Send wisely, The inbox has trust issues.   Beth ✌️ I have ADHD (IFYKYK) so please excuse any typos and spelling errors in this email. What did you think about this email? Know someone who needs this in their inbox? Send them here. Astral Digital, 85 Great Portland Street, First Floor, London, Central London, W1W 7LT  Unsubscribe from RE:markable here |
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